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THE LIBRARY
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LOS ANGELES
ANNALS
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COMMEllCE,
MANUFACTURES, FISHERIES, AND NAVIGATION,
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CONTAINING THE
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' TO THE END C»F THK REIGN OF GLCJtCL II, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c.
WITH A LARGE APPENDIX,
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CHRONOLOGICAL TAnLES OF THE SOVEREinNS OF Ei:nOPE,
TABLES OF THE ALTERATIONS OF MONEY IN ENGLAND AND
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A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE PRICES OP CORN, SiC and
a commercial and manl" factc r al gazetteer of the"
i;nited kingdom of great Britain and Ireland ;
WITH A CEXFRAL CU KONOLOCICAL INDEX.
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6ic. ^c.
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LONDON:
AND FUU MUNDELL ANIiSON, EDINBUROIIv
1604i.
CBINBVUSB, MIXTM BT MUNDEll- ANI> SON.
'X H F
35Z
a.
THE SECOND VOLUME CONTAINS
(PART II)
The commercial Transactions of the British Kingdoms and other
Countries, from the Discovery of America in the year 1492 to the
Union of England and Scotland in 1707, originally written by the late
Mr. Anderson, and now re-edited with the Retrenchment of Super-
fluous Matter, with Additions, and with Amendments.
5
_T* =i3 %y 't,^ o*
ANNALS
OF
COMMERCE.
A. D. 1492.
It is not our intention to tranfcribe all the relations, which have been
fo often publifhed in every part of Europe on the fubjed of the difco-
very of America, nor to enter minutely into the motives which induced
the Genoefe navigator, Chriftopher Colon (commonly called Columbus),
to attempt fo great an enterprise. The opinion of moft authors is, that,
he founded his fcheme upon his knowlege of the ftrudure of the globe,
in which he certainly furpafled the navigatorsr of his age. But others,
with greater probability, tell us, that he was affifled by the difcoveries
adually made by preceding navigators, and particularly by thofe of Mar-
tin Behem of Nurenberg. It is alTerted, that the whalc-fifliers of Bifcay
had difcovered the cod banks near Newfoundland about a century be-
fore the age of Columbus, of which he was informed. Canes, canoes,
and dead bodies, refembling none of the people of Europe, were found
floating in the fea, and were fometimes driven on the lliores of the
Azores (or Weftern iilands) by flrong wefterly winds. It is faid, that
Columbus met with a failor, who informed him, that having been driv-
en by a florm about 450 leagues to the weftward of Cape St. Vincent,
he had found a piece of timber floating on the water, curioufly wrought,
but apparently without the ufe of any tool made of iron ; and that a
Portuguefe veflel had actually been driven on the coafl; of fome part of
America in the year 1484, the pilot of which afterwards lodged and died
in the houfe of Columbus, who then lived in the Azores; and that from
that man's converfation, and his charts and journals, Columbus found
fufficient aflurance of the exiftence of a weftern land. At any rate, he
Vol. II. A
2 A. D. 1492.
was certain, that by perfevering in a weftern courfe he fhould arrive
at the eaftern coaft of Afia, if he did not fall in with any intervening
land *.
His greateft difficulry was, to find the means to make the attem.pt,
he himfelf being a poor and obfcure perfon. He firft propofed to un-
dertake the difcovery in the fervice of his native city of Genoa ; but the
fenate treated it with ridicule. He next addrefled himfelf to John 11,
king of Portugal, who, it is faid, kept him unfairly in fufpenfe, till a
fhio, he had fecretly fent to attem.pt the difcovery, returned unfuccefs-
fuf, and then rejefted his propofal. He next applied to the court of
Spain, where he iblieited for eight years, during which time he fent his
brother Bartholomew on the fame errand to the court of England. Af-
ter many ignorant objedions to his propofal by the Spanifli courtiers, he
at length obtained three fliips, with ninety men. In Auguft 1492, he
failed from Palos in Andalufia, and in thirty-three days landed in one
of the Lucay or Bahama Ifles, which he named St. Salvador (at prefent
known by the name of Cat-liland), having failed 950 leagues diredly
weftward from the Canaries. He failed thence to the weftward, and at
laft difcovered the great ifland of Cuba ; but he no where found the
riches he hoped for, there being neither gold, manufadures, nor pro-
dud found among the firaple and innocent natives ; who had no poul-
try, oxen, fheep, goats, fwine,^ horfes, alTes, camels, elephants, cats, nor
dogs, excepting a dumb unbarking creature, refembling our dogs. Nei-
ther had they any lemons, oranges, pomegranates, quinces, figs, olives,
melons, vines, nor fugar-canes ; neither apples, pears, plumbs, cherries,
currants, gooleberries, rice, nor any other corn but maize, on which,
and on caflada and other wild roots, and on fifh, they ufually fed-, and
occafionally on worms and other vermin bred in rotten trees ; neither
knew they the comforts of fire-fight, either by oil, wax, or tallow-can-
-djes; nor had they any iron inftruments. Yet (fuch are the almoft mar-
vellous effeds of commerce and navigation, joined to a tropical climate)
thofe very ifles are, in our days, plentifully fiocked with all fuch conve-
niencies, (the vine only excepted, which does not ufually thrive fo near
the equator), which are long fiace naturalized to their climate. It is
true, that on the middle continent of America (which was not difcover-
ed till the former part of the next century), the Spaniards found the na-
tives of Mexico and Peru much more civilized tlmn in any other part of
America, whether iflands or continent ; they had better houfes and tem-
ples; they made a fort of cotton cloth ; they had wooden fwords and
(pears, hnrdened by fire, and pointed with tiint ; and although they
had no iron, yet in Peru they had copper tools, inftruments, and veflels.
* To lir.d tlic \Yay to the Eaft Indies was un-. pofition of the,caft«rn parts of Afia in the maps of
doubtcdly the objcft of Columbus ; and he was en- Ptolemy, who h.is extended them eaft ward to a pro-
coliraged'to expect thfe acGomplifhment of it by the digloiis dillance beyond th^ir trne fituation. M.
A. D. 1492. ^
Herrera, the great Spaniflihiftorian of America, exprefsly affirins, ' That
' neither on the continent, nor ifles of the Weft-Indies, (the name the
* Spaniards ufually give to all America), were there either filk, wine,
' fugar, oKves, wheat, barley, or pulfe ; all which, and many other
' things, have been tranfplanted thither from Spain.' Their own
original produilions were only tobacco, indigo, cochineal, cotton, gin-
ger, cocoa, pimento, fundry ufeful drugs and woods for dying, fur-
niture, phyfic, and fhip and houfe -building. Our Britifli colonifts haVe
fince found plenty of ironftone, as alfo copper and lead mines. And it
is from thofe two countries of Spain and Portugal, that Europe has been
fupplied with that immenfe quantity of treafure, which has fo much en-
riched and improved it. From Peru and Mexico, as alfo from fome
Weft-India ifles, Europe has been fupplied with great quantities of ex-
cellent materials for dying, (and above all, with that incomparable one
of cochineal, hitherto peculiar only to Mexico), drugs, gums, colours
and minerals for painters, preferved fruits of their own growth, ginger,
Jamaica pepper (called pimento), tobacco, furs, ikins, and many excel-
lent timbers ; all which were originally in thole countries, but whiqh
have, by the cultivation of the Europeans, been fince improved in qual-
ity, and much increafed in quantity: So that, upon the whole, it may
be faid, that, even abftrafting from the gold and filver of America,
there has really been a greater accefllon of rich and ufeful materials for
commerce introduced into it by the Europeans (their great improve-
jnents of American produd:ions jointly confidered) than all America
afforded, before it was known to Europe ; all which, through the be-
nignity of the climate, and the fertility of the virgin foil of America,
have long iince repaid, and do ftill continue to fupply Europe with im-
menfe ufury. This, it is true, was alfo moftly the cafe with refped to
many of the colonies fettled in ancient times by the Arabians, Egyp-
tians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, though perhaps not in fo emi-
nent a degree as in the modern cafe of the plantation of America.
Columbus, in his way homeward, called at the great and fine ifland
of Efpanola (or Hifpaniola), where he bartered bits ofglafs, fmall hawks
bells, and fuch other trifles, with the natives, for plates of virgin gold,
which they wore as ornaments, beaten into fiiape with a ftone, and made
without melting or refining the ore, of which they were totally ignor-
ant. Here he loft his beft ftiip ; and, leaving forty-nine of his men in a
wooden fort, he returned to Spain, full of glory, having been no longer
than fix months'and an half in making thefe difcoveries, from his let-
ting out to his return.
That America could not have been much longer hid from the Europ-
eans feems at leaft probable, by reafon that the ufe of the magnetic
needle in navigation was general, if not univerfal ; more efpecially after
the Portuguefe went fo far Southward in their difcoveries on the weft
A 2
4 A. D. 1492.
coafls of Africa, which, lying fo near to Brafil, any ftrong eafterly wind
would have brought them on that coafl, as was ad;ually the cafe in the
year 1500. There is alfo one part of our old continent which lies yet
nearer to America than the mofl weflerly part of Africa does to Brafil,
viz. the north part of Norway-Lapland, oppofite to New-Greenland,
which is now known to be a part of the American continent : But the
ifland of Iceland, known and peopled from Norway many centuries prior
to the difcovery in queftion, is yet nearer to another part of America.
Thus have we endeavoured, as briefly as confifted with perfpicuity,
to exhibit the original grounds and actual accomplilhment of the difco-
very of America by Columbus.
1493. — Loaded with honours, titles, and applaufe, that now great man
fet out in the following year on his fecond voyage to Hifpaniola, which
continued to be the principal colony of Spain in America, until Cortes
conquered the kingdom of Mexico in the year 1519. Thither Columbus
now carried fifteen hundred men in feventeen fliips, with provifions and
ammunition in abundance, and alfo feeds of various kinds, horfes, cows,
hogs, &c. implements of hufijandry, and tools for working filver and
gold mines ; commodities for barter, and many other neceflary things.
And as his forty-nine men, with their fort, were deflroyed, he now built
feveral new forts, and founded the prefent capital city of that ifland,
which he named St. Domingo ; but the numbers he brought with him
now excited a jealoufy in the minds of the Indian caciques or princes,
which engaged him in a bloody war with the numerous natives, a third
part of whom were, it feems, deflroyed by the Spaniards in three or
four years. By a tax of gold-duft, to be gathered by the natives out of
their rivers and brooks, he amafled a good deal of treaiure, which he
fent home to his Catholic Majefty ; and he returned home in 1496, to
anfvver the accufations raifed againft him by the Spanifti fettlers at Hif-
paniola ; which ifland, however, had not hitherto made Spain gainers
upon the whole, by reafon of the very expenfive embarkations to it, and
the maintenance of garrifons, &c. Pope Alexander VI, upon applica-
tion from King Ferdinand the Catholic, granted him the fovereignty ot
this new world ; and to prevent difputes between Spain and Portugal,
he particularly confirmed to the 'Spanifli crown all the countries which
they already had, or which they afterward fliould difcover, weftward of
a line drawn from pole to pole, at the diftarice of one hundred leagues
wefl; of the Azores and Cape Verd ifles ; but the king of Portugal, ob-
jefting to that divifion, it was this fame year agreed between the two
crowns, that the line of divifion fliould (according to Herrera, &c.) be
I'emoved 270 leagues farther weft ; and that all that fliould be difcover-
ed eaft of it fliould belong to Portugal, and all wefl of it to Spain ; thofe
two nations thus modeftly claiming an exclufive right to both the In-
dies, and thereby effedually barring the reft of Chriftendom from all
A. D. 1493. 5
future hopes of making any new difcoveries, eafl, weft, fouth, or north,
in the whole habitable world !
In the fecond voyage Columbus vifited the confiderable ifle of St.
John de Porto Rico, where there was plenty of timber, but no Europ-
ean grain ; their bread being chiefly caflada root. There were faid
to have been wild grapes, but they never made wine of them ; they had
alfo pimento and cotton. The Spaniards are faid to have deftroyed moft
of the natives, very few now being left in that fine ifle, of late much
negleded by Spain, although its fituation be extremely happy, between
Hifpaniola on the weft, the Virgin and Caribbee ifles on the eaft, and
Terra Firma fouthward ; and its produ6lions, natural and naturalized,
faid to be equal to any of the other ifles, were they equally cukiva.ed.
From this year 1 493, when they firft began to bring home any confi-
derable quantity of treafure from America to Spain, to the year 1724,
Uftariz, an eminent modern Spanifli author, alTerts, that the gold and
fih^er brought home amounted to five thoufand millions of dollars or
pieces of eight, being above twenty-one and an half millions yearly on
a medium, equal to upwards of five millions Sterling yearly : Yet as all
•this treafure neceflarily goes out every year to other European nations
for their manufadures and produd, with which Spain and its Indies are
fupplied in immenfe quantities, fome have been of opinion, that it had
been happier for Spain if flie had never planted in America, without
fhe had at the fame time cultivated manufadures of all kinds, where-
by fhe might have not only kept much of her American treafure with-
in herfelf for the fupport of her manufactures, but alfo thofe manu-
fadures would, by a necefl'ary increafe of people, have contributed to
make up the lofs of the native Spaniards tranfplanted in great numbers
to America.
Authors compute, that foon after the planting of Mexico and Peru,
the quantity of money in Europe was doubled, in refped to what it
was before ; wherefore the rates or prices of all things were alfo doubled :
which proportionably decreafed the profits of Spain by her Ameri-
can colonies. Baron Montefquieu is of opinion, that in about little
more than 200 years, the fpecie or money of Europe has been doubled
five times ; and that it is now, to what it was before the Indian treafure
came amongft us, as 32 is to r. Yet this computation will probably feera
much exaggerated to many, who knov/ that a very great part ot the
filver annually brought from America has been every year tranlported
to Eaft-India, from whence no part of it ever reiurns to Europe ; nei-
ther do the advanced prices of provifions, &c. at this time, bear any
-near proportion to that author's fuppofition. Before this grand dilcov-
ery, the courts of princes in Europe had not the luftre of modern times,
though more crowded with attendants, who however were iuftained at
a much fmaller charge than could be done in our days. But when
6 A. D. 1493.
Spain poured into Europe thofe American treafures, Europe foon put
on a new face ; for Spain, having little produd, and lefs manufacture
of her own, could by no means keep thofe treafures to herfelf, but was
obliged to difperfe them among the more induftrious nations of Eu-
rope, to pay for their own wants at home, and more efpecially for al-
moft the whole of their cargoes for America ; iniomuch that it foon
appeared that the far greater part of the treafures of America centei-ed
in the manufaduring and trading countries of Europe.
The archduke Philip, fovereign of the Netherlands, having made
peace with France, feemed lefs regardful to keep due meafures with
Henry VII king of England, with refpeft to the encouragement given
by the duchefs dowager to the pretender called Perkin Warbeck. This
provoked Henry to break off all commerce with the Netherlands, and
to banifli the Flemings out of England ; whereupon the archduke ba-
nifhed the Englilli out of Flanders, which carried all the Englifh trade
direftly to Calais ; but this could not hold long, the trade being of
equal conveniency to both parties.
This fufpenfion of a direct commerce with the Netherlands gave the
German Steelyard merchants a very great advantage, by their import-
ing from their own Hanfe towns great quantities of Flemifh merchan-
dize into England, to the confiderable detriment of the company of
Englifh merchants-adventurers, who were wont to import fuch direcStly
from the Netherlands ; whereupon the London journeymen, appren-
tices, and mob, attacked and rifled their warehoufes in the Steelyard ;
but thofe rioters were foon fupprefled, and duly punifhed.
The manner of making prefents to ambafladors in thofe times was
different from the modern more elegant one, though probably more ex-
penfive. We find the ambaflhdors of Denmark, at their audience of
leave of king Henry VII, were ordered the following prefents, viz. To
the chancellor of Denmark L. 1 00 ; to the doctor L. 40 ; to the chan-
cellor's brother L. 20 ; to the herald L.io. — [F(£d^/-a, V. \i\,p. 516.]
The fame year the alUance between England and Spain was renewed;
and the marriage-contradt, made three years before, between Arthur
prince of Wales and the infanta Catherine (with her portion of 200,000
crowns), was now alfo confirmed. \_Fciedera, V. xii, p. 517.]
An ad of the Scottifti parliament, this fame year, directs that fliips
and bufles for the fifhery be built in all fea-ports, fo as none of them be
under 20 tons burden ; and that they be provided with nets, &c. And
that the magiftrates of thofe towns compel all idle perfuns to ferve m
them.
1494. — The Hanfeatic hiftorian Werdenhagen \y. \\, part 4., p. 10.]
acquaints us, that the powerful dukes of Brunlwick andLunenburg, having,
with a great force invefted the city of Brunfwick, the Hameatic league
A. D. 1494. 7
fo ei&(fiua11y fupported that famous member of their confederacy, that
they effected an amicable compofition between both parties.
In this fame year (according to Sir James Ware's ^//Wj- o/Jz-f/^w^,
p. 29.) the Irifli ftatutes were firfl: written in Englifh ; whereas the laws
of former parHaments were in the old French tongue, and digefled into
rolls.
The Scottifh parliament now made a law, obliging all workmen and
tradefmen to fubmit to the regulations of the civil magiftrates, with re-
gard to the prices of things fold by them, more efpecially of eatables
and drinkables. Another Scottifh law of this year obliged all freehold-
ers to put their eldeft fons to fchools to learn Latin, and afterwards for
three years to fludy philofophy and law.
Toward the clofe of this century, the excellent fcience of algebraical
arithmetic began to be known in Europe ; a fcience which has proved
extremely ufeful in many parts of the mathematics, and in all-calcula-
tions for intereft, annuities for lives and terms, reverfions, difcounts,
&c. The earlieft printed author on it was Lucas de Burgo, an Italian
friar, whofe work was printed at Venice this year. It is laid an Arab-
ian, named Geber, was the inventor of this noble art, about the year
950 ; though fome think that the Perfians, Indians, and Chinefe, had it
much earlier ; while others again afcribe its invention to the Greeks, as
far back as Plato's time.
King Henry VII, for the accommodation of fuch of his fubjeds as
fhould trade to Italy v;ith their fhips and merchandize, appointed Bene--
did: and Laurence Bomuci, jointly and feparately, to be confuls and
preiidents of the Englifli merchants at Pifa, and the places adjacent in
Italy, upon the fame terms or allowance with former confuls, viz. one-
fourth part of a ducat upon every 100 ducats. \Yoedera, V. xii, p. 553.]
1495. — Upon the death of Don Juan, the heir of the crown of Caf-
tile, the people of all ranks clothed themfelves in white ferge ; which,
(fays Herrera) was the lail; time that white mourning was ufed in Spain.
Emanuel king of Portugal, about this time ordered all the Jews and
Moors to leave his kingdomby a prefixed time,or elfe to be perpetual Haves.
The Moors immediately withdrew into Africa ; but from the Jews he
took all their children under fifteen years old, and baptized them ; and
the old ones were fo perpetually harrafled, perfecuted, and defignedly
obflruded in their journey out of that country, that, to avoid the per-
petual flavery intended, they outwardly confented to be baptized, but
invv^ardly retained their old religion, and therewith doubtlefs an irrecon-
cileable hatred to their perfecutors. {Puffendorfs Introduciion to the H'lJ-
tory of Europe J\
This year was aufpicious to the Britifli empire by a treaty being con-
cluded for a marriage between James IV king of Scotland, and the lady
Margaret, daughter of Henry VII king of England, which laid the
8 A. D. 1495.
foundation of an happy union of the two kingdoms ; yet the dowery
and portion were not adjufted till the year 1500, nor the confummation
till 1504. [F(£dera, F. \\\,p. 572.]
1496. — After many mutual complaints and differences, and a long fuf-
penfion of commerce between England and the Netherlands, during
which, (fays Lord St. Albans), the merchants-adventurers, being a
rtrong company at that time, and well underfet with rich men, held out
bravely, taking off the commodities of the kingdom, though they lay
dead upon their hands for want of vent, a new and folemn treaty of
peace, commerce, aad alliance, was concluded between king Henry
VII and the archduke Phihp, fovereign of the Netherlands, whi(^,
for its excellency and importance, was dignified by the Netherlanders
with the name of intercurfus magnus, both becaufe it is more complete
than preceding ones, and alfo to dignify it from the treaty that follow-
ed in the 2ifl year of the king (1506), which they called intercurfus
mains ; in fubllance as follows.
I) Mutual liberty allowed on both fides to trade to each others do-
minions, without aftcing for licence or paffport. — To carry all manner
of merchandize, whether wool, leather, viduals, arms, horfes, jewels,
or any other wares, either by land or water, from Calais, England, and
Ireland, to the countries of Brabant, Flanders, liainault, Holland, Zea-
land, and Mechlin, and from thefe provinces to Calais, England, and
Ireland ; and that both parties may freely refort to and unload at all
the cullomary ports, and reload, and thence freely depart.
II) Merchants, mariners, &c. may, on both lides, carry weapons of
defence in their fhips, and bring them on fhore to their lodgings, where
. they fliall leave their fwords, daggers, &c. till they go onboard again.
III) The fifhers on both fides may freely fifh on the Teas, without
any fafe conduft afl^ed ; and when driven into each others ports, by
tempeft or other neceffity, they fhall be fafe there, and have free liber-
ty to depart at pleaiure, paying the cuf^omary dues.
IV) Pirates, and fliips of the enemies of either party, fhall not be
permitted to rob, or otherwife injure the fubjecls of either party in
their reipeclive havens and countries ; nor to land nor fell there the
goods or fhips taken from either party.
V) And to the end that captures of fliips, perfons, and goods, may
hereafter ceafe between both parties, it is agreed, that fecurity, to
double the value of fliip and goods, be given by fhipmaflers fetting
out on a voyage, that they fhall not commit any piracy or robbery on
the fubjefts of the other party.
,»j^i, VI) The fliips of either party, driven into the ports of the other
party, by florm, enemies, Sec. fhall remain there fafely, and may de-
part again freely ; but they fliall not open nor unload their merchand-
A. D. 1496. 9
ize, without a vifible neceflity, and without the ' prefence and confent
of the cuftom-houfe officers.
VII) The merchants, mariners, &c. of both parties ihall not import
into the other party's country the goods of an enemy to that party.
VIII) If it fhall happen, that a fhip of either of the contrading parties
be wrecked on the fhores of the other party, though there iTiall not be
found therein aUve either man, woman, cat, dog, or cock *, yet the
goods in the faid fliip fhall be preferved, and laid up for a year and a
day, by the proper officers of the place ; within which time the proper
owners may come and make out their claim, and receive the goods,
paying the requifite expeiifes for recovering and keeping the fame.
IX) The merchants of both parties fhall have proper houfes for them-
felves and their merchandize, in the feveral towns and cities of the
other party, with the fame privileges and immunities as have been
cuftomary before the laft fifty years ; and fhall, in all refpefts, be as
kindly treated as any other foreign nation refiding there.
X) The officers in either country, appointed for I'earching for con-
traband goods, fliall perform it civilly, without fpoiling them, or break-
ing the cheffs, barrels, packs, or facks, under pain of one month's
imprifonment. And when the fearchers fhall have opened them, they
Ihall aflxfl in the flmtting and mending of them, &c. Nor lliall they
compel the owners to fell or difpofe of the fame againfl; their own in-
clinations.
XI) If the Englifh refiding in the Netherlands fliall fufpccT: a debtor
there to intend an elopement, the debtor may be compelled to give
fecurity there for paying the debt ; and the Netherlanders in England
ihall enjoy the fame benefit.
XII) Upon any damage or violence done to the fubjeds of either of
the contracting parties, the damaged party fliall not immediately take
aut letters of marque or repriials, nor arreft either the perfon or goods
of the accufed party ; but flaall firit warn and fummon him before his
refpedive prince, who alone ought to give redrefs to the injured party.
XIII) All lettei-s of marque and reprifals fhall be called in, and ihall
remain i'ut'pended on both fiJes, unlefs it fhall be otherwiie determined
by a future congrefs of both parties.
XIV) And as it is forbidd.:n to the Englifli and others to enter tli;i.
caflle of Sluys in Flanders ; it is now ftipulated, that in cafe, through
ignorance, or any other caufe not appearing to be fraudulent, any
jnerchants, or other fubjeds of the king of England, fhail happen to
enter the gate of the faid caftle, they fhall not, merely for that caufe,
be injured in their perfons nor goods.
* Thio is an eul.irrjctne.it of i].e Cov.T.^r wreck- law in favour oftl-.c fufTcrers.
Vol. II. B
lo A. D. 1496.
XV) The Engllfli fliall freely bring bullion of gold and of filver
through the Netherlands from other countries, in order to carry the
fame into England, provided they bring certificates from the proper
officers of thole other countries, of the quantity of buUion fo bought
or otherwife lawfully acquired.
XVI) None but the public and anciently known and received weights
fhall be ufed in either country.
XVII) For confervators of this peace and intercourfe of commerce,
there were appointed by king Henry VII, on the part of England,
fundry lords therein named, and likewife the mayors and aldermen of
London, York, Briftol, Winchefter, Canterbury, Rochefter, South-
ampton, Sandwich (Zandwic), Dover, Lynn, Dartmouth, Plymouth,
Hull, Winchelfea, Bofton, Yarmouth, and Berwick ; who alfo bound
themfelves to the archduke Philip, under the obligation of all their
goods, prefent and future, to endeavour to the utmoft of their power,
that their fovereign king Henry VII fliould faithfully keep it inviolable
in all its parts : And on the part of the archduke there were likewife
bound feveral lords of his countries, and alfo the burgomaftersof Gaunt,
Bruges, Ypres, Dtmkirk, Newport, Antwerp, Bergen-op-zoom, Doort,,
Delft, Leyden, Amfterdam, Middelburg, Zirikzee, Terveer, Mechlin,
and Briel, to fee the faid peace and intercourfe of commerce faithfully
kept.
Signed at London, 24th Feb. 1495-6; ratified April 1476.
Wheretipon (fays Lord St. Albans, in his hijlory of king Henry VlT),
the Englifii merchants returned to their manfion at Antwerp, where
they were received with proceffion and joy.
The reader, who knows the hiftories of thofe times, will, we appre-
hend, plainly perceive the reafons for the Netherlanders filling this
treaty the intercurfus magnus ; as it is, indeed, a very diftind and ample
one for the prevention of all depredations and wrongs on either fide, as
well as for a free and undifturbed fiftiery and commerce.
We need not here remark, that the ancient way of cautionary con-
fervators, both of nobility and cities, for the keeping of fuch treaties,
is long fince laid afide between princes and ftates, as not anfwering any
valuable end : Yet, in treating with the Hanfe towns, and other popular
governments, fuch confervators might have poffibly added fome force
to their treaties. For this very treaty is declared to be made not only
between ihe fovereigns of both countries, but alfo between the vafi"als,
cities, and fubjeds ; and that thofe alone who fhould do any injury fhould
be puniihed, and none others ; the peace, neverthelefs, remaining in
full force. And this treaty was not only figned by the plenipotentiaries
of both princes, but was likewife figned and fealed by the burgomafters
of the cities of the Netherlands above mentioned ; all which is thereby
declared to be for the greater fecurity of amity and commerce.
A. D. 1496. 1 1
We now come to the firfl attempt by England fof the dilcovery of
unknown countries. King Henry VII, perceiving his error in neglect-
ing the propofal of Columbus, thought to retrieve it by his grant on
the 5th of March 1495-6, to John Cabot (or Gabota), a citizen of Ve-
nice, then fettled at Briflol, and to his fons, Lewis, Sebaftian, and
Sanches, authorifuig them to navigate all the parts, countries, and bays
of the eaftern, weftern, and northern feas, under the Englifh flag, with
five (hips, and as many men as they fliall judge proper, at their own
fole colls and charges, to difcover the countries of gentiles or infidels,
in whatever part of the world they may be fituated, which have hither-
to been unknown to all chriftians * ; with power to them, or any of
them, to fet up our banners in any town, caftle, ifland, or continent
of the countries fo to be difcovered by them : And fuch of the faid
towns, caftles, or iflands, fo found out and fubdued by them, to occupy
and pofl^fs, as our vaflals, governors, lieutenants, and deputies, the
dominion, title, and jurifdidion thereof, and of the terra firma or con-
tinent fo found out remaining to us ; provided (fays this wary king)
that out of all the profits, emoluments, advantages, gains and produce
arifing from this navigation or expedition, the faid Cabot and fons fliall
be obliged to pay us, for each voyage they fliall fo make, on their re-
turn to our port of Briflol (to which port they are hereby abfolutely
bound to fleer), after all needful cofts and charges are deduded, one
fifth part of the whole capital gain, either in merchandize or in mo-
ney The faid Cabots to be free from all cufloms on the goods they
fliall fo import The lands they fliall fo difcover and fubdue ftiall not
be frequented nor vifited by any others of our fubjeds, without the li-
cence of Cabot and his fons, under forfeiture, &c. \_FGedera, V. xii, p.
595-]
Here was a fufiicient charter to the Cabots for taking poflefllon of
all the continent of North America, had they had refolution and means
fufllicient for planting what they the following year difcovered ; or ra-
ther, had this king had fpirit and generoflty enough to fupport iuch a
plantation at his own expenfe, whereby the Englifli would not only
have been the firfl difcoverers, but would have kid the ftart of all other
nations, in being the firfl planters of the American continent. They
fet out (fays lord St. Albans) with one Briflol fliip, and three from
London, loaded with grofs and flight wares, and went as far as the
north fide of Terra di Labrador, in 67^ degrees of latitude.
Captain Fox, in his book called the North-Wefl Fox, printed in the
year 1635, fays he took the way towards Iceland from beyond the Cape
of Labrador, until he found himfelf in 58 degrees and better; thence
he failed fouthward along the fliores of America, as tar as the iflc of
• King Henry evidently pays no regard to the Pope's divlfion of tlie ui.difcoved parts o£ the
world between Spain and Portugal.
B2
12 A. D. 1496.
Cuba ; and fo returned back to England ; where, king Henry VII be-
ino- engaged in a war with Scotland, there was no inclination to any
farther difcoveries of the new world ; fo that Sebaflian, the moft aftive
and ingenious of the Cabots, entered into the fervice of Spain, and was
inftrumental in farther American difcoveries. Hakluyt (in the dedi-
cation of the 2d volume of his voyages to Sir Robert Cecil, fecretary
of ftate to Queen Elizabeth, 1599), aflerts, with juftice, that not only
the principal Spanifh writers, as Peter Martyr ab Angleria, Francis Lo-
pes de Gomora, and the moft learned Venetian, John Baptifla Ramu-
iio, as alfo the French geographer Popliniere, &c. all acknowlege, with
one conient, that of the great tracl of land, from 67 degrees northward
to the latitude of Florida, was fir ft difcovered by England, as above.
The prefident De Thou, or Thuanus, (1. xliv.) fpeaking of the firft dif-
covery of Florida, about the beginning of the next century, which the
Spaniards abfolutely claim to themfelves, has this expreflion, viz. ' But
' what is more certain, and which very many affirm, long before this
' time, Sebaftian Cabot, a Venetian navigator, not unfldlled in aftro-
' nomy, under the authority of Henry VII, king of England, and in
' emulation of Columbus (whofe fame at that time was fpread abroad),
' did, in the year 1496, firft of any arrive in this province.' Herrera
' likewife, in his general hiftory of America, fays of Cabot's expedition,
' That he advanced as far as 68 degrees of north latitude, and finding
' the cold very intenfe, even in July, he durft not proceed any farther;
' but that he gave a better account of all thofe parts than any other had
' done.' How weak then are the pretenfions of France to the prior dif-
.covery of North America, alleging that John Verazzani, a Florentine,
employed by their king Francis I, was the firft difcoverer of thofe
coafts, feeing that king did not come to the crown till above nineteen
years after Cabot's difcovery of the whole coaft of North America, be-
tween 68 degrees north and the fouth end of Florida ? So that, from
beyond Hudlbn's bay, (into which bay alfo Cabot then failed, and gave
Englifti names to fundry places therein), fouthward to Florida, the
whole extent of North America, on the eaftern coaft, does, by all the
right that prior difcovery can give, belong to the crown of Great Bri-
tain ; excepting, however, what our monarchs have, by fubfequent trea-
ties with other European powers, given up or ceded. Thefe authentic
authors are a cloud of evidences, greater than which cannot perhaps be
matched in hiftory ; and even Columbus himfelf faw not the continent
of America till the year 1497 : Yet, as fundry new interefts, claims, and
encroachments have been made fince the times in which they flouriftied,
the nations to which they belonged would not probably be forry that
their teftimonies were buried in eternal oblivibn. The main end ot the
above attempt of Cabot's from England was faid, by the writers of and
near thofe times, to have been to difcover a north-weft palTage to the
A. D. 1496. 13
Indies or fpice-iflands, or China, then called Cathaya, whither fome tra-
vellers had gone over land in the nth, 12th, and 13th centuries. Ca-
bot having failed as far north as 674- degrees, the land which he firfl:
faw was the country between the mouth of the river of Canada and
Hudfon's Strait, and which he therefore named Prima Vifta [i. e. firfl
feen] which name it foon loft, and next got the name of Corterealis
from a Portuguefe, who, from Lifbon, fell in with that coaft in the year
1500, calling alfo the north part of it Eftotiland. After the French had
fettled in Canada, they called the whole country New France. Laftly,
from the Englifh difcoveries on the north parts of that country, deep
into the bay of Hudfon, it was called New Britain ; thou?;h the Portu-
guefe, in fome of their maps, call it Terra di Labrador, its only pro-
dud: hitherto being peltry, furs, and feathers *.
The firft ftatute made in England, giving any particular diredions
concerning impotent beggars [i i. Hen. VII, c. 2.] direds, that every beg-
gar not able to work, fhall refort to the hundred where he laft dwelt, is
beft known, or was born ; and fhall there remain, upon pain of being
fet in the ftocks three days and three nights, with only bread and wa-
ter, and then fhall be put out of town. A poor relief this for thofe im-
potent people ! Yet as there were raonafteries and nunneries every
where, which had good incomes and warm kitchens, the poor had then
a nruch better chance than if they were now to be referred only to fuch
precarious relief.
Foreigners refiding in England, having frequently been made deni-
zens by letters-patent from the king, whereby they had the fubftantial
benefit of paying no higher cuftoms, &:c. than natural born fubjeds,
they greatly abufed that privilege, by colouring the merchandize of o-
ther foreigners or merchants-ftrangers, by entering their merchandize
at the cuftom-houfes as their own proper goods.
To obviate this fraud, a law was made [r 1 , Hen. VU, c. 14.] that all
merchants-ftrangers, made denizens by letters-patent or otherwife,
fhould hereafter pay fuch cuftoms and fubfidies for their goods and
* As Mr. Anclerfon builds fo much upon the ' A. D. 1497, John Cabot, a Venetian, and
priority of the difcovery of the continent of Ame- ' Seballian \\\i ion, with an EnghTli fleet, fet
rica by Cabot in the fervice of England, it is a ' fail from Briftow, dilcovered that ifland, which
pity that authors do not agree in the date of it. ' before that time no man had attempted, on
But, without repeating the difcordant authorities ' the 24 ot June.'
of thofe who date it in 1496, 1498, and 1499,
we may depend on the contemporary tellimony of Tins date (1497) has accordingly been adopt-
aldeiman Fabian, who fays, tliat he failed in the ed by the judicious authors, Raynal, Forllcr,
beginning of May, in the mayoralty of John Henry, Robertfon, &c.
Tate (i. e. 1497), but returned in the fubfequent Without paying any attention to priority of
mayoralty of William Purchafe, with three ya/tu- diicovtry, the jLuglifli could found their right, at
^('j- from Newfoundland. Fox alfo quotes the fol- leall to a very great part of their lenitotics in A-
lowing infcription, engraved near Newfoundland, meiica, on the much more honourable title of a
in a map pubhfhed by iicbaitian, the fon of John purchafe from the abor^Vinal proprietors. M.
Cabot.
14 A. D. 1 496.
merchandize, inward and outward, as they fliould have paid if fuch de-
nization had never been granted them.
This year (or the beginning of the year 1497) Colunnbus arrived at
the port of Venezuela ; but not being then certain that it was a part of
the continent of South America, and Americus Vefpucius going foon
after on that coaft, he (fays Herrera) artfully gained the glory of the
difcovery of the continent; although, when Columbus came again on
that coaft, he made it appear that it was the fame he had difcovered be-
fore.
An ad; of parliament [1 1. Hen. VII, c. 4.] gives diredions for making
weights and meafures,as a public ftandard all over England, to be taken
from thofe in the exchequer, and to be lodged in the principal cities
and towns ; from which ftandards other weights and meafures were to
be made, fealed, and marked, for private uie. Thofe cities and towns
were the fhire-towns, and moft frequented places in each county, and
therefore needlefs to be here particularized, as being the fame as at this
time.
1497. — The Portuguefe, fmce the difcovery of Africa as far fouth as the
Cape of Good Hope, feem to have contented themfelves with what they
had already done, till the year 1497, when king Emanuel determined to
pufh his inquiries farther. He therefore fent out Vafco de Gama with
three (hips and a tender, who, in five months time, got to the north-
eaftward of that famous promontory, and at Mozambique (where they
fpoke Arabic) he got a Moorifh pilot for Quiloa and Mombaza on the
fame coaft, where he found large fliips from Arabia and India ; and
here he found the Moors pofleffed of fea-charts, quadrants, and even of
the compafs ; and at Melinda he got a Guzerat pilot for Calecut in In-
dia, which he found to be a large and populous place, v;here there were
above 1500 fail of fliips, ill built, and worfe fupplied with proper tack-
Hng, &c. for long voyages ; neither had they as yet there got the ufe of
the compafs ; but they carried on a great trade in fpices and other In-
dian merchandize ; and here he found fome Moorifh merchants and
one Italian. Thence he returned back to Melinda, and fo home, in
about twenty-fix months, to Lifbon. So here was a furprifing new the-
atre for commerce opened for Portugal to ad on, which we fhall fee
they for a long time improved to good purpofe, till riches brought on
pride, prodigality, and effeminacy amongfl the people, whereby a door
was opened for other nations to flrip them of their large pofTelfions and
trade in India.
We have an ad of parliament [12. Hen. VII, c. 6.] intitled ' Every
* Englidiman fliall have free recourfe to certain foreign marcs, without
' exadion to be taken by any Englifli fraternity ;' which very much
helps to clear up the difputes which took up lb many pages of pamphlets,
and even of entire books, from this time downward for near 200
A. D. 1497. i^
vears, between the feparate merchants-adventurers * or traders, from
many parts of England, on one fide, and a feled company of mer-
chants, which had exifled for 200 years, and about thefe times began
to give themfelves the pompous title of the Company of Merchants- Ad-
venturers of England, though they were not dignified by royal charter
with this title till the year 1 505. The preamble to this rtatute, of which we
here give the fubftance, fets forth (loy way of petition to the Houfe of
Commons, from the merchants-adventurers refiding in divers parts of
England out of the city of London), That whereas they trade beyond
fea with their goods and merchandize, as well into Spain, Portugal, Bre-
tagne, Ireland, Normandy, France, Seville, Venice, Dantzic, Eafhland,
Frifeland, and many other parts f; there to buy and fell, and make
their exchanges, according to the laws and cuftoms of thofe parts ; every
one trading as feems mofl to his advantage, without exadion, fine, impo-
fition, or contribution, to be had or taken of them, or any of them, to,
for, or by any Englifli perfon or perfons : And in like fort they, before
this time, have had, ufed, and of right ought to have and ufe the like
commerce into the coafts of Flanders, Holland, Zealand, Brabant, and
other adjacent parts, under the obedience of the archduke of Burgun-
dy ; in which places are ufually kept the univerfal marts or fairs, four
times in the year ; to which marts all Englifhmen, and divers other na-
tions, in time paft, have ufed to refort, there to fell their own commo-
dities, and freely to buy fuch merchandize as they had occafion for ;
till now of late, that the fellowfhip of the mercers, and other merchants
and adventurers, dwelling, and being free within the city of London,
by confederacy amongfl: themfelves, for their own fingular profit, con-
trary to every Engliihman's liberty, to the liberty of the faid mart
there, and contrary to all law, reafon, charity, right, and confcience, have
made an ordinance among themfelves, to the prejudice of all other Eng-
liflimen, that no Englifhman, reforting to the faid mart, fhall either
buy or fell any merchandize there, unlefs he fliall have firft compound-
ed and made fine with the faid fellowfhip of merchants of London, at
their pleafure, upon pain of forfeiture to the fiid fellowfhip of fuch their
faid merchandize : Which fine, impofition, and exaction, at the begin-
ning, when firft taken, was demanded by colour of the fraternity of
St. Thomas Becket ; at which time it was only an old noble Sterling :
And fo, by colour of fuch feigned holinefs, it hath been fuffered to be
taken of a few years paft. It was afterwards increafed to ico (hillings
Flemifh ; but now the faid fellowfliip of London take of every Eng-
lifliman or young merchant, being there, at his firft coming, L.40 Ster-
ling for a fine, to fuffer him to buy and fell his own goods. By reafon
* A merchant-adventurer was one who adventured his merchandize to foreign countries,
f The old acfls of parliament are often very inaccurate in their recital of forei^jn countries.
i6 A. D. 1497.
whereof, all merchants, not of the faid fellowfliip, do withdraw them^
felves from the faid marts, whereby the woollen cloth of this realm,
which is one of the greateft commodities of the fame, as well as fun-
dry other Engllfh commodities, are not fold nor got off as in times paft,
but are, for want of fale thereof, in divers parts where fuch cloths are
made, conveyed to London, and there fold at an undervalued price,
even below what they cofl the makers. Moreover, the merchandize of
thofe foreign parts, imported by the faid fellowfliip, is fold to your com-
plainants and other fubjeds, at fo high a price, that the buyers cannot
live thereupon ; by reafon whereof, all the cities and towns of the
realm are fallen into great poverty, ruin, and decay, and the king's cuf-
toms and fublidies, and the navy of the land, greatly decreafed. It was
therefore now? enaded, That all Engliflimen from henceforth fhall
and may freely refort to the coafts of Flanders, Holland, Zealand, Bra-
bant, and other parts adjoining, under the obedience of the archduke ;
and at their marts or fairs there, fell their merchandize, and buy and
make exchange freely, without exaction, fine, impolition, or contribu-
tion, taken or received of any of them by the faid fraternity or fellow-
fhip, excepting only the fum of 10 merks(L.6 : 13 : 4) Sterling, on pain
of forfeiting L. 20 Sterling for every time they take more, and fliall al-
fo forfeit to the party fo impoied on, ten times fo much as contrary to
this ad is taken of him.
By this memorable law we are informed of the extent of the foreign
commerce of the Englifh merchants at this time ; and v.e are acquaint-
, ed with the gradual fteps of the fociety ot London merchants-adventur-
ers, for increafing their freedom-fines from 6/ dd to L. 40 Sterling.
Thefe freedom-fines are now, by ad of Parliament, fixed at L. 6 : 13:4.
Neverthelefs, as this fine was hereby permitted to be demanded and
taken by the London fociety of m.erchants-adventurcrs, who foon after
alTumed the appellation of the merchants-adventurers of England, ic
Vv'as thereby in efTcid eflablilhed by law, altliough the fiiae was thereby
thus limited, wliich, in fome meaiure, claihes v/ith the preamble of this
Itatute.
A fupplv^mental treaty of commerce was concluded between king
Henry VII and the archduke Philip, fovereign of the Netherlands,
v.'hereby it was flipulated,
I) That the new duty of one florin on every Englilh woollen cloth,
and alfo whatever other new impofition had been laid thereon, fliould
nov/ be abfolutely annulled ; and Englifli cloth be freely imported and
fold in all the archduke's countries, Flanders only excepted ^, free of
lliat duty of one florin, and of all the other new irapofitions.
II) And in cafe at any time the archduke or his fucceffors fliall
* This exception v.aj 'n f:;vci;r of tlie vail wcclkii ir.aiiuLduics of Flanders.
A. D. 1497- 17
again lay on the duty of one florin on Englitli cloth, or any other new
impofition, then it Pnall be free for the king of England cither to keep
or to break this and all fornier treaties or intercourfes of commerce with
the Netherlands.
Ill) As to the duty of one mark per fack of wool, which the Nether-
landers are obliged to pay at the ftaple of Calais, that point iliall be due-
ly confidered at the eniuing diet or congreis, to be held at Bruges, be-
tween the two contradling parties. [Foedera^ V. xii, p. 654.]
1498 In the year 1498, LouisXIIking of France, ratified and con-
firmed the treaty made by his father Charles VIII with Henry VII king
of England, wherein it had been ilipulatcd, that fhipmaflers, or owners of
fliips, fliould give fecurity to double the value of fliip and cargo, not to
commit piracy, nor to niolefl the fubjedls of the other party ; and fun-
dry other fhipulations were now made for preventing pirates from fell-
ing their fpoils in the ports of either party, 8tc. All which ftipulations
between England and other nations plainly ihow, that in thofe times
there mufl have been much robbing and violence on the leas, even
whilfl peace exifted between nations in general. \F(xdera, V. xii,/>. 690.]
This year the city of Riga, as a free and independent ilate, entered
into a treaty with Henry VII, whereby, I) The mutual intercourfe of
commerce was renewed. • . ; vd ' -i'-ioo/
II) The Englifh, trading to Riga and its territory, were to pay no cuf-
tom, duty, or toll whatever.
III) But Riga traders, with their fliips and merchandize brought from
Riga, coming to England, were to pay the fame duties, &c. as the mer-
chants of the Teutonic Hanfe towns do ; and for merchandize from
other parts the fame duties as other merchants-ftrangers pay.
IV) Laftly, Riga hereby remits all former claims of money due to
her from England, or for which England was any way engaged to the
mafter-general and knights of the crols of Pruflia ; particularly the fum
of 10,637 g°^'^ nobles, [2/2^ Sterling eacli] the written obligation for
which is hereby promiled to be delivered up into the hands of the maf-
ter of the fociety of Englifli merchants refiding at Antwerp or Bruges *.
\Foedera, V.x\\,p. 701.]
1499. — ^^ feems to have been about the middle, or perhaps nearer to the
beginning of this century, that the Scots began to have a confiderable
fifhery for exportation to foreign markets, which their Parliaments con-
tinued for fome time to encourage by well-judged laws, although their
corporation-towns were ftill defirous to confine it to themfelves. The
forty-ninth ad: of the fourth parliament of king James IV, now takes
notice of the vaft riches ftill loft to Scotland for want of a fufficient
number of convenient fliips and bufles to be employed in the fiflicry.
* Tliougli tin's treaty may fcem fcarcely wortli nodes in the prcfenl Rate of affiir^, it may convey
fome infumiatlon to ftatcfmen or merchants. i 'I'l.f;!
Vol. II. ^ C
1 8 A. D. 1499.
Wherefor, on account of the great advantage which thereby might be
had, and to caufe idle men and vagabonds to labour for their livings,
for the common profit and univerfai welfare of the realm, the Parlia-
ment appointed, that filhing fliips and buffes, of twenty tons burden oj-
upwards, fhould be made in all [fea-port] towns of the realm, m pro-
portion to their ability.
Such regulations brought their fifliery, and confequently their naval
llrength, as well as feveral other improvements, to a confiderable height ;
but their fubfequent ill-judged laws of reftraint and prohibition threw
all things retrograde. For, by the 98th ad: of the feventh Parliament
of king James V, 1540, they enabled, that none fliould fend any white
fifh bevond fea ; but that ftrangers be permitted to come and buy them
of merchants and freemen of burghs with ready gold and lilver or mer-
chandize. And the 60th ad of the 4th Parliament of king James VI,
enjoins all fifliers of herring, or other white fifh, to bring their fiih to free
ports, there to be fold, firfl: in common to all fubjeds, and afterward the
remainder to freemen; that the king's own fubjeds may be firfl ferved ;
and that if abundance remain, they may be faked and exported by free
burgeffes, under forfeiture of fjiip and goods. How much wifer would
thole law-makers have been, had. they permitted the fifh to be imme-
diately exported by any perfons whatever, as it leems had formerly been
pradiied, and without any particular regard either to free ports or free-
men ? Thus the Scots now entirely loll to the Netherlanders their former
exportation of fifh, which imprudence was firfl begun by the reflrain-
ing by-laws of what they call their royal burghs about 70 years before,
which they now at length got confirmed by Parliament.
I-Cing Henry VII now concluded a new commercial treaty or inter-
courfe with the archduke Philip, fovereign of the Netherlands ; in
fubftance as follows, viz.
I. That, for twelve years to come, a duty of only half a merk (inflead
of one merk as hitherto) fhall be paid by the Netherlanders, on every
lack of wool fold to them at the flaple at Cakis ; unlefs it fliall at any
time happen that there may be a great mortality amongfl the flieep in
England (of which certificates, properly vouched upon oath from Eng-
land, fliall be produced), in which cafe the whole duty of a merk fliall
be taken.
II. On the other fide, the archduke remits, in favour of the Englifli
merchants, the one florin per Englifli woollen cloth imported into the
Netherlands.
III. The Englifli fhall not, as formerly, be obliged to bring all their
woollen cloth to the flaple of Antwerp or Bruges, and no where elfe,
there to be fealed before removed ; but they fhall now be at full liberty
to carry their cloth, and to fell it in every part of the archduke's do-
minions, Flanders alone excepted.
A. D. 1499. ^9
IV. The chief of the Englilli merchants at the fairs of Antwerp and
Bruges, called the court-mafler, fliall nor, as formerly, fix a fet price on
the merchandize they are to buy at thoic fairs.
The other articles relate to the packing of wool in England, wherein
we find the mayor and conftables of the ftaple at Weftrainifter for the
fouth parts of England, and the like officers at the ilaple at Bofton for
the north parts of England, were to be judges and certifiers of the
■package of wool to be brought to the fiiaple at Calais. Other articles
related to the recovery of debts in both countries, and to the efFeds of
perfons dying inteftate, &c. All which (the half merk per fack of
wool excepted) were to remain in force during the joint lives of both
contracting parties, and one year after the death of the firft. \_Foe(hra,
V. xii, p. 711.]
Americus Vefpucius, a Florentine, in the fervice of Spain, now failed
from Port St. Maries in Andalufia, and made fome difcovery on the
coaft in South America; and as this was by Spain deemed the firfi: dif-
covery of the continent, that whole country had its name from him,
who did very little towards any material difcoveries, and undoubtedly
was not the firft difcoverer of that continent, as we have abundantly
fhown under the year 1496.
1 500. — Emanuel king of Portugal, encouraged by the fuocefs of the firft
voyage to Eaft-India, lent out Cabral with 13 ftiips and 1200 men, to
make a fettlement there ; but a violent ftorm drove him on the coaft
of Brafil, of which he immediately advertifed his king, by a veflel
fent home on purpofe ; and there he left two Portuguefe to explore that
<:ountry *. Every one knows that this noble province has ever fince
proved an almoft inexhauftible fund of riches to Portugal, and that all
parts of Europe, which have any commerce with that kingdom, do, in
fome meafure, reap the benefits of this fortuitous difcovery. In ano-
ther ftorm near the Cape of Good Hope, they loft feveral ftiips, and
with only fix remaining, they arrived at the town of Sofala on the
fouth-eaft coaft of Africa, which they took poiTeflion of, and fortified.
They afterwards poflefled themfelves of the ifland of Mozambique on
that coaft, where they built and fortified, and v\'here thev alfo refitted,
and went thence to Quiloa and Melinda, forther north-eaftward on that
coaft. Travellers obierve, that there is fuch plenty of gold along part
of the coaft of Africa, that it is juftly fuppofed to have beeri the Ophir
of Solomon: Befides, this coaft affords filk, ambergreafe, ivory, and
•Haves ; and Mozam.bique has ever fince proved a feafonable port for the
Portuguefe fliips to refrefii and refit in their voyages to and from India.
Thence Cabral lailed to Calecut, and having contrailed friendftiip with
* Thus, as has already been obferved, America after the P.irtugiicTc bcttdii"t'd'ttav'gate the foiith
ouU not poffibly have long reinained unknown part of t!ic Atlamii; ocean.
Ga
20 A. D. 1500.
the kings of Cochin and Cananor, he at length returned home, loaded
with the richeft Indian merchandize, to Lifbon, now crowded with
commerce. Portugal was now, indeed, in its meridian glory ; lb that
it was laid the golden age was revived in the reign of Emanuel ; which
profperous flate continued to the year 1578, when the fatal death of their
romantic king don Sebaflian turned their fortune very much to the re
verfe, and it has never yet recovered that moil profperous fituation it
was in before that period.
The fuccefs of Spain, in difcovering America, occahoned about this
time fundry attempts from different countries for farther difcoveries.
One Cortereal difcovered a coafh in upwards of 50 degrees of north lat-
itude, fouth of the entrance into that lince called Hudfon's Bay, which
country the Engliflr afterward named New Britain, and the French
would fain have included in New France ; but in the firft maps it is
called Corterealis. Other voyages of difcovery were, at different times,
made from France, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark on that bleak coaft,
from whence the various names of Eflitoland *, Terra di Labrador,
Efkimaux, &c. are given to it, or to fome part of it, by the maps of
different nations ; but finding no kind of wealth, but what could be got
nearer home, viz. by the fiOiery (nor a pailage that way to India),
they all feemed to have no farther inclination for fo inhofpitable a
coaft.
In the treaty for the marriage of Arthur prince of Wales with the
king of Spain's daughter, there is a renewal of the intercourfc of com-
merce between England and Spain, wherein there is nothing particular,
but a claufe in thofe days much ufcd in treaties of commerce (not
"much to the credit of that age), viz. That the fliipmafters of both na-
tions Ihould thenceforward give fecurity, on their fetting fail for foreign
parts, in double the value of Ihip and cargo, not to commit deprada-
tions, nor any kind of violence nor injuftice, againft any of the fubjeds
of the other contracting party. It was hereby alfo in general ftipulated.
That fpecial care Ihould be taken of the merchandize of fhips wrecked
on the fhores of either party, to be faved and kept for the right owners.
\^Fcsdera, V. xii, p. 741.]
1 501. — Emanuel king of Portugal, flufhed v/ith the fuccefs of the dif-
coveries of India and of the fouth continent of America, now fent out
three fhips to India. In their way they difcovered the ifle of Afcenfion,
lying eight degrees fouth of the line, and other ifles on the fouth coaft
of Africa. On their return from India they difcovered the uninhabit-
ed ifle of St. Helena (in fouth latitude 16°, and about mid-way be-
tween Africa and America), which has fince been long and moft ufe-
* Eftotiland is mentioned in the middle of the related and ilUillratcd in Forjler's Hiftory of Voy^.
fourteenth century by Zeiio, vvhofe voyage was aga, i^e. in the North. M.
gtfbliftied in Ramufio's CoUeAions, and is alfo
A. D. 1501. 21
fully in the pofleflion of the Englifh Eafl-India Company, as a refrefh-
ing place for their fhips returning homeward. The Portuguefe ftored
it with hogs, goats, and poultry ; and for many years after this, they
were wont to flop at it in then- homeward-boimd Eaft-India voyages, to
fupply themfelves with thole provifions and frefh water ; but it is very
difficult to find in their outward-bound voyages, becaufe of the trade
winds. The next year Vafco de Gama was fent to India with ten fhips,
and was the firfl who crofTed over direilly from Mozambique to India
and Soderias, with fifteen (hips. The following year they built a fort at
Cochin, fubdued the king of Mombaza and others on the eafl coaft of
Africa, and fent fhips to cruife at the entrance of the Red Sea againfl
the Moors, who were their greateft enemies in India. In brief, they
puflaed on fo numerous and great conquefls in commerce to India, that
a viceroy was foon eflablilhed there ; and afterward, under the condud:
of their great general Albuquerque, they became mafters of the ifle of
Ormus in the Perlian gulf; of Goa, and many other ports on the
coafls of Malabar and Cormandel, and alfo the coafts of the ille of Cey-
lon, where the befl:, and almofl; the only true, cinnamon is produced ;
they alio maflered the peninfula of Malacca; and, to complete all, the
famous Moiuccos, or fpice-iflands, were fubdued : Infomuch that the
princes of India began to court their favour. Thus was Portugal, from
a very moderate condition, in a very few years greatly exalted and en-
riched, by the fole enjoyment of the commerce to India, which that na-
tion then probably flattered themfelves tlrey were never to be rivalled
in. ■
1502. — Whilil fuch great acquifitions were making by Portugal in the
eafl, Columbus and Baftidas were making many ufeful dilcoveries in the
Wefl Indies for the future benefit of Spain.
We fhould here alfo note, under this year 1502, that Cabral, the Por-
tuguefe admiral, in his return from India, fettled fadories at Melinda,
Quiloa, Mombaza, and Quirimba, on tiie Zanguebar coaih On the
coafl of Ajan alfo, the Porttiguefe reduced mofl of the princes to be
their tributaries ; infomuch that they foon became mafters of the whole
fouth-eafl: coafl: of Africa, as far as the entrance into the Red Sea. Be-
fore the Portuguefe came thither, the Arabians carried on a great com-
merce on this coafl, upon which they had made many lettlements ; but
how long they had been there does not appear. They alfo had traded
thence to Perfia and India ; but the Portuguefe ruined that commerce,
and got it all into their own hands.
About this time alfo, Emanuel king of Portugal turned his arms a-
gainft the Moors of Barbary ; on which coaft he took and garrifoned
fundry ports, fuch as Magazan, Agadir (called alfo Santa Cruz by the
Europeans), A?amor, &c. ; moft of which places, and thole they had
before on that coaft, they have long fince lofl or abandoned. Neither.
22 A. D. 1502.
did Portugal ever reap much advantage from thofe port-towns, in point
of commerce, any farther than they helped to curb the Moorifli pirates;
whom, however, neither they nor Spain ha^e ever been able efFedually
to fupprefs.
In this year was finally concluded the mofl; aufpicious marriage of
Margaret, eldeft daughter of king Henry VII of England, to king
Janaes IV of Scotland. The lands afligned by James for her dowery of
L.2000 per annum, in earldoms, lordfhips, manors, forefts, with the pa-
laces and caftles of Linlithgow and Stirling, are at this time probably
more than ten times their value at that time.
A treaty of friendfhip and intercourfe of commerce was concluded
between king Henry VII of England, and Maximilian king of the Ro-
mans, &c. where it is in general terms ftipulated, ' That the merchants
on both lides may freely refort and trade to each others dominions.'
In another treaty, in this fame year 1502, between thofe two princes,
there is a grant of L, 10,000 Sterling from king Heiiry VII to Maximi-
lian, for enabling him to make war againfl the Turks on the fide of
Hungary, where at this time they were pufiiing on their conquefis ; on
v,'hich account the popes laboured to excite all Chriftian princes to con-
tribute. And it mufi; be owned, that, confidering the charafter of king
Henry VII, this was a large contribution for thofe timea. [^Foedera,
V. xiii, p. 6, 9.]
King Henry VII, by a charter, licenfed Hugh Elliot and Thomas
Afhhurft, merchants of Briftol, John Gunfalus and Francis Fernandus,
natives of Portugal, to fail with fuch fliips and mariners as they fhall
judge proper, under Englifli colours, into all the parts and countries of
the eaftern, weftern, fouthern, and northern feas, in order to difcover
any iflands, coails, and countries of heathen and infidel parts of the
world ; and to ered: king Henry's banners and enfigns at v/hatever
town, cafile, iiland, or continent, they fhall fo difcover, and to hold the
fame (fays the king) for our ufe, as our lieutenants there ; Provided
they do not concern themfelves with, nor offer to moiefi; fuch heathen
and infidel countries as are already difcovered, and reduced to the obe-
dience of the king of Portugal, or of any other prince our friend or
confederate.
Whenever any dlfcovery fiiall be made, it is our will that men and
women from England be freely permitted to fettle therein, and to im-
prove the fame under the protection of thele grantees, whom we here-
by empower to make laws, &c. there.
The feven remaining claufes relate to the fettling, failing, and trad-
ing to fuch fuppofed, and to be difcovered country ; the cuftoms to be
paid, and the reflridions of the trade thither to his own fubjeds, £cc.
And he thus concludes :
A. D. 1502. 23
And whereas we hnve, by other letters-patents of the i6th year of
our reign [/. e. two years before, but not to be found in the Fred-ra],
granted to Richard Ward, John Thomas, and John Fernandas, toge-
ther with the four grantees herein named, a Ucence to go and difcover
new countries and iflands; yet we will not have the faid three firfl; nam-
ed perfons to attempt or meddle with any fuch new difcoveries, without
a licence from the four grantees of this prefent charter *. \Fo£dera.,
F. xiii, p. 37.]
At this time there were differences between John king of Denmark
and the Hanfe Towns ; the latter, like true merchants, ftriving to have
commerce wherever they could obtain it ; the former being driven out
of Sweden by Steen-Sture the regent, infilled that the Hanfe-Towns
{hould forbear trading to Sweden ; in which (fays the Hanfeatic hiflo-
rian Werdenhagen, Vol. I. par. iii. cap. 17.) king John was feconded by
the ambaifador of his uncle James IV king of Scotland (who alfo, accord-
ing to Meurfius's Hiftoria Danica, fent John an aid of two flout (hips
of war), at a general aflembly of the deputies of the Hanfeatic league
at Lubec : Yet the general alTembly at length convinced the Danilh
king of the unreafonablenefs of that demand, as it would be very un-
reafonable that they, who had great concerns in Sweden, ihould be ob-
flruded in their commerce by the quarrels between Denmark and Swe-
den.
King Henry VII of England now caufed the chapel of the Virgin
Mary, and a tavern adjoining, at the eafl end of the abbey-church ot
Wellminiler, to be taken down ; on the fite whereof he erected the
prefent moll beautiful and magnificent chapel which goes by his name,
at the expence of L. 14,000, which at this time would probably at leaft
coil five times that fum.
1503 In Scotland, the 70th adl of the fixth parliament of king James
IV confirmed that of 1406, and direded that none Ihall beg, but lame,
fick, and impotent people, under a penalty on the magiftrates fuffering
any others to beg.
By another Scottifli law of that fame year, all lords and lairds (land-
ed gentlemen) were enjoined to have parks with deer, alfj Hanks (fifii-
ponds), conningares (rabbit-warrens), dove-cots, orchards, and hedges,
and to plant at leaft one acre of woodlands, where already there are no
great woods or forefts. The wars with England had occafioned their
woods to be deftroyed, fo that they were in great M^ant ot timber and
firewood ; they had alfo much negledled inclofures and parks. Some
* Here, again, Henry pays no regard to tlie who in thofe days feldom liaJ abilities and pa>
pope's prefumptuoiis diviiion of the world between tience to accomphfh fuch enterprifes. This expe-
Spain and Portugal. And he equally neglefts dition, therefore, fucceeded no better than Cz-
giving any pecuniaiT' afilftance to the adventurers, bot's.
24 A. D. 1503.
of thefe points were pretty well profecuted ; but others of them, and
the moft important too, very much neglefted, though enforced by many
fubfequent laws.
The fame year we firfl find mention, in a Scottifh adl of parliament
(c. 81), of the office of confervator of that nation's mercantile privi-
leges in the Netherlands, though the office was apparently of an earlier
date than this time ; when it was now enaded, that for the well of
merchants, and becaufe of the great exorbitant expenfes made by them
upon pleas in parts beyond the leas, the confervator of this realm fhall
have jurifdidion to do juftice between the faid merchants (being the
king's fubjecls) in the parts beyond the feas. But the confervator fliall have
fix, or at leaft four, Scottifli merchants to lit, and determine all matters
jointly with him ; and that no Scottifh merchant beyond Tea iliLill fue ano-
ther Scottifii merchant there before any other judge than the confervator.
By another ad; of the fame year (c. 82), the confervator is direcled to
come home yearly to Scotland, or elfe to fend his refponfible procura-
tor to anfwer for his condud in his office beyond fea. This office of
confervator nearly refembles that of the Englifti confuls in foreign
ports ; and although in neither of the above-quoted ads the place of
his refidence be mentioned, yet it is well known that he always did, and
ftill does refide in the Netherlands, where the principal foreign com-
merce of Scotland had always centered. And in a Scottifh ad of par-
liament, anno 1535, which confirms certain former laws, prohibiting
petty merchants from going beyond fea to France, Flanders, &c. with
lefs than half a lafi of merchandize, he is called the confervator of the
nation in Flanders, and is thereby direded to fend home the names of
all merchants going thither in every fhip, contrary to the tenor of this
ad.
Under this year we may tranfiently remark, that the acceflion of
Spain to the houfe of Auflria, by a marriage at this time, paved the
way for great alterations in the commercial as well as in the political
fyftem of Europe ; v/hich conjundion had like to have been an over
match for all the refl of Chriflcndom, had not England and France
been vigilant on the oppofite fide.
According to Morifot [Grbis Maritimus, L. ii, c. 13, p. 410.], there ar-
rived two Zealand fliips at Campveer, loaded with fugars, the produce
of the Canary iflands. As yet no fugar-canes were produced in Ame-
rica ; they were tranfplanted foon after this time from the Canaries.
We have already feen, that the firft fugar-canes, weft of the Mediterra-
nean fea, were planted at the ifle of Madeira, which had them from Si-
cily, from whence, or elfe from the coafts of Africa, they might be
brought to the Canaries. ' The boiling and baking of fugars,' (fays
X3r. Heylin in his Cofniography, vvhofe firfl edition was printed anno
A. D. 1504. 25:
J624), ' as it is now ufed, is not above 200 years old* ; and the refin-
ing of it more new than that firft found out by a Venetian in the days
of our forefathers, who got ico,ooo crowns by the invention. Before
which art of boiUng and refining it, our anceflors made ufe of it rough
as it came from the canes. But they mofl commonly ufed honey in-
flead of it,'
1504. — It was not till the year 1504, that any French fhip arrived oiv
the coafi:s of North America, even according to their own accounis ;
which was eight years later than the Englifh difcovery thereof by Ca-
bot, &.C. ; but it was not till two years later that one Denis difcovered
the entrance into the river of Canada or St. Laurence. So that the)
priority of difcovery is undoubtedly on the fide of England for all-
North America y and confequently England, beyond all the other na-
tions of Europe, had the befh claim to the whole, until fhe gave up part
of it by her fucceeding treaties with other European nations.
The renowned city of Antwerp was at this time arrived very near to
the fumniit of its wealth, and glpry, which it had acquired by the two-
following confiderations, viz.
I.) By the grants of free fairs for commerce, made formerly by the
fovereigns of the Netherlands (two of which fairs lafled each time fix
weeks), whither merchants reforted from all parts of Chriftendom with
their merchandize, cufl:om free. At thefe fairs vafl: concerns were ma-
naged, not only in merchandize, but in bills of exchange, with all parts
of Europe.
II) But what more immediately and fuddenly brought about the-
wealth, -grandeur,, and renown of Antwerp, was when Portugal now
brought home, in immenfe quantities, the fpices, drugs, and other ricb
produdions of India, firft to Lilbon, and thence to Antwerp, as to an
entre-port or half-way port, between the north and fouth parts of Eu-*
rope. This drew the German and other merchants to fettle at Ant-
werp, which brought great riches to it ; and the merchants of Bruges.
alfo removed thither, after the archduke Maximilian had, about the year
1499, reduced their city.
Louis Guicciardin (in his judicious defcription of the Netherlands),
was of opinion, that the fpices alone, brought from Lifbon to Antwerp,
one year with another, amounted to above a million of crowns yearly.
In thofe days the people of Europe were much fonder of the ufe of
Ipices in their cookery, &c. than they have been in later times.
An Englifli ad of parliament (19. Hen. FII, c. 21.), for the advance-
ment of the fmaller filk manufactures in England, prohibited the im-
* It appears by the atToun/f 0/" f.6c chamberlain land at the price of if <)\ (above an ounce of
of Scotland, piiblifhed from the originals in tiie ex- itandard filver), by the pound. So Dr. Heylin is
chequer by John Davidfon, Efq. that, fo early as furely miftaken at leall in the date of the iaven-
rhe year 1329, haves affu^ar were fold in Sect- tion of fugar-baking. M,
Vol. II. D
26 A. D. 1504.
portation of any manner of Hlk wrought either by itfelf, or with any
other (luff, in ribbands, laces, girdles, corfes, and corfes of tifllie? or
points, upon pain of forfeiture of the fame. Alfo (on the other hand),
it was made lawful for all perfons, as well foreigners as Englifh, to im-
port all other kinds of filks, as well wrought as raw and unwrought, the
above excepted. The I'cader here may plainly fee, that at this time
there was no broad manufacture of filk made in England, as my lord
Bacon alfo notes, in his hiftory of king Henry VII under this ftatute.
Another ftatute paffed (<?. 23), for confirming to the merchants of the
Hanfe in Almain, having the houfe in the city of London, commonly
called Guilhalla Teutonicorum (i. e. the German merchants of the ileel-
yard), all their ancient liberties, privileges, free ufages, and culloms,
granted either by the kings of England, or by authority of parliament;
and annulling all ads, ftatutes and ordinances, made in derogation of
their faid liberties, &c. The Englifh merchants, increafing in their fo-
reign commerce, had probably occafioned the Hanfeatics to procure this
confirmation of their ancient privileges, for which, pollibly, they might
gratify the avarice of the monarch.
In another ftatute made in this fame year {c. 17), for regulating the
company of {hearmen of the city of Norwich, it is [inter alia) remark-
ed, that in Norwich, time out of mind, there had been ufed a certain
craft called fhearmen, for fhearing as well worfteds, ftamins, and fuf-
tians, as alfo all other woollen cloth, &c. This ftatute fliows us a ge-
neral lift of their woollen manufadures, which were even then fo con-
fiderable (efpecially the thinner forts), that we find more ftatutes hither-
to for regulating the manufadures in Norwich, and its neighbourhood
of Norfolk and Suffolk, than of any other part of England.
The by-laws made by corporations or fellowftiips of crafts, guilds,
and fraternities, were, at this time, found to be many ways againft the
king's prerogative, the common law of England, and the liberty of the
fubjed, being (fays lord Bacon) fraternities in evil : Wherefore an ad
of parliament (19 Hen. VII, c. 7), reftrains the mafters or wardens of
fuch fellowftiips from making any new by-laws or ordinances concern-
ing the prices of wares and other things, for their own fmgular profit,
until firft examined and approved of by the lord chancellor, lord
treafurer, or king's juftices, on pain of forfeiting £\o for every fuch
offence.
An Englifti ad of parliament paffed this fame year {c. 5), for pre-
venting gold and filver coins from being carried into Ireland, and Irifli
money from being brought into England *, and for calling all clipped
and diminifhed money into the mint. Neither (fays lord Bacon in his
hiftory of king Henry VII) was it a fmall matter that the mint (/". <?. the
* Thev had then a mint in Ireland.
A. D. T504. 2^
king) gained by thus recoining the groats and half-groats (being, it
fecms, as large as our modern fhillings and fixpcnces, which furcly they
could not be, if they were not of bafer allay than the old Sterling fine-
nefs). His lordfliip here likewife recounts many other ways which that
king had of getting vaft fums into his coffers, even in time of profound
peace ; fuch as extorting 50CO merks from the city of London for con-
firming their privileges ; his fubfidies, benevolences, and cafualties ; the
marriage portion from Spain, &c. but thefe are foreign to our fubjedl.
1 505 — We have remarked, under the year 1 497, that the ftatute which
reduced the exorbitant freedom-fines of the company of merchants-ad-
venturers did, at the fame time, by a flrong implication, legally efla-
blifh that company, though they were not then precifely fo called ; yet
in fa6l they were, and had long before been, what this king made them
by his new charter. But now king Kenry VII, in the 20th year of his
reign, confirmed by charter ' to the merchants trading in woollen cloth
' of all kinds to the Netherlands their former privileges.' And in this
new charter of confirmation they were firft properly ftiled the fellow-
fhip of merchants-adventurers of England. They had alfo hereby au-
thority given them to hold courts and marts at Calais ; provided, how-
ever, that they exadled no more (as by the ad of parliament of 1497)
than ten marks of any merchant whatever for his freedom in their fel-
lowfhip, for trading to Flanders, Brabant, Holland, Zealand, and the
countries adjacent, under the archduke's government ; hereby enjoin-
ing all merchants-adventurers to come into the freedom of this fellow-
iliip. Wheeler, fecretary of this fellov/fhip, in his vindication of it,
under the title of a Treatife of Commerce (4to, 1601), acknov.leges,
that at this time we are now upon, as well as in the reign of king Henry
IV, (as alfo in his own time) the like complaints were made by the clo-
thiers, wool-growers, dyers, &c. againft this fcllowihip, viz. ^hat they
obftruded the free courie of commerce by reilraints. Yet, adds he, af-
ter due examination of the complaint, the ifTae procured great favour
to the company, and occaiioned the enlarging of their former cliarters,
with an exprefs reih-aint of all ftragglers and intermeddlers (/. e. ieparate
traders). And whereas the Eafterlings (the German merchants of the
fleelyard) at this time had entered into the fame trade, king Henry VII
not only ftridly prohibited them from the fame, but likewife obliged
the aldermen of the fteelyard in London to enter into a recognizance of
2000 merks, that the fteelyard merchants ihould not carry any Englifh
cloth to the place of refidence of the merchants adventurers in the Low
Countries. Neverthelels, the complaints againft the merchants-adven-
turers' monopoly grew afterward louder aj the manufadurers increafed,
and the general trade of the nation became more enlarged.
In this 20th year of king Henry VII a few filver fhillings or twelve—
pences were coined, being about the fortieth part of a pound weight of
D 2
28 A. D. 1505.
filver, fair and broad pieces. Thefe were the firft real {hillings in Eng-
land, the fhillings of former ages being merely ideal, as the pound is
now. They are now only to be found in the cabinets of the curious.
The Portuguefe now firft landed on the ifland of Ceylon, where they
were ftrenuoufly oppofed by the Moors, who had long before been fet-
tled there, and had fupplied all Europe with cinnamon by the way of
Alexandria: Yet, in the end, the Portuguefe got the better; and having
fortified the principal ports of that ifland, they, in their turn, totally en-
grofi^ed the cinnamon trade till the year 1639, when they were fupplant-
ed by the Hollanders. This fpice was well known to the ancients, ever
fmce the commerce from Egypt to India was pradifed ; whereas the
fpices from the Moluccos, and more efpecially the places producing
them, were not generally known fo early.
1506. — King Philip of Spain and his queen, on their voyage from
Flanders to Spain, being, by ftrefs of weather, driven into Falmouth,
Mrere invited by Henry VII to Windfor and London, where they were
entertained with much feafting and fplendour. King Henry on this oc-
cafion concluded a new commercial treaty with king Philip for his do-
minions in the Netherlands, which treaty the Flemings termed inter-
curfus malus, for that there be fome things in it (feys lord Bacon) more
to the advantage of the Englifti than of them ; efpecially for that the
free filhing of the Dutch upon the coafts and feas of England, granted
in the treaty of the year 1496, termed by the Flemings intercurfus
magnus, was not by this treaty confirmed.
This new treaty follows, in fubftance, viz. That whereas the Englifti,
refiding in and trading to the Netherlands, had made grievous com-
plaints of new and unprecedented tolls and duties Jaid on their mer-
chandize there, contrary to treaties fubfifting ; and that there were pro-
hibitions of felling Englifti cloth in many places there ; alfo that there
were feizures made of fliips and merchandize, and the imprifonment of
their perfons, &c.
For redrefs therefor of all grievances on both fides, it was now fti-
pulated,
I) That former treaties be confirmed, particularly thofe of 1495 and
1499 (that of 1496 being artfully omitted), except fo far as altered by
this treaty, and all new tolls and exadions utterly aboliflied.
II) The Englifti merchants may freely refort to Bruges in Flanders, as
alfo to all the other provinces of the Netherlands, with their ftiips, cloth,
and other merchandize, freely to buy and fell. But, in the province
of Flanders (and there only), they fliall not iell their cloth by retail, or
in a fmaller quantity than an entire piece ; neither fhall they be per-
mitted either to drefs or to dye their cloth in the faid province of Flan-
ders.
And III) For prevention of all impofitions for the future, a table of
A. D. 1506. 29
all the duties, fubfidies, tolls, and other payments, which may be le-
gally demanded in either country, {hall be affixed on the doors of the
cuftomhoufes of London, Bruges, Antwerp, Berg (Mons), and Middle-
burg. [Foedera, V. xiii, />. 132.]
King Henry VII mofl unjuftly (and probably for his own private pro-
fit) granted a licence to Auguflini Chigi, a merchant of Sienna in Tuf-
cany, to import from Flanders or elfewhere, 1300 quintals of alum, and
prohibited all others to import any, until he fhould have fold off all his
faid quantity ; provided, however, that neither he nor his factors fliould
fell the alum at a higher price than ;^i : 6 : 8 per hundred weight.
{Foedera, V. xiii, ^, 159.]
In this year the ever-famous Chriftopher Columbus died. About this
time fugar-canes, brought from Brafil and the Canaries, were planted
in the ifland of Hifpaniola, where (fays Herrera) many fvigar-mills were
gradually ereded. — Leave alfo was granted to all native Spaniards to fend
merchandize to the Weft Indies ; — and even foreigners were permitted
to trade in partnerfhip with native Spaniards, in Spanifh bottoms only. —
The contratacion-houfe lately erected at Seville, tor the managemeut of
all the American commerce, was now enlarged and its conftitution fet-
tled. The Spaniards alfo, at this time, improved their pearl fifliery at
the iile of that name, and other parts of the Weft-Indies. Before the
Brafil fugar was brought into Europe, that commodity was very dear,
being only ufed in feafls and phyfical neccflities; honey being, till then,
the general ingredient for fweetening meats and drinks.
1507 — King Henry VII remitted to fix Venetian merchants, and to
all other fubjects of that republic, all forfeitures, tranfgrefTions, and
offences committed by them before the firlt day of March in this year
1507, againft any adts of parliament or orders of council, &c. alfo all
manner of ufuries, corrupt bargains, buying, felling, and bartering
of wool, tin, lead, cloth, &c. alfo all illegal entries at the cuftom-
houfes ; all payments of gold againft law, &c. all deceptions in the ma-
nufacture of woollen cloth, and in flretching the fame ; all exporta-
tions and importations of the before-named and other commodities
againft law ; all changes, exchanges, and rechanges (cambia, excambia,
et recambia), between the faid Venetians and others; — as alio mifpri-
fions, confederacies, riots, &c. — all condemnations, pains of death, and
all other pecuniary and corporal pains which they may have incurred,
&c — And granted them his fecure peace : as alfo all goods and chattels
they might have formerly forfeited, and which were in the cuftody of
his officers, &c. to be reftored to them, withoiu their rendering any ac-
count, provided that the faid Venetians be not forgiven any debt to the
Idng, for which there were written iecurities.
The king alfo granted licence to the Venetians to buy and fell, %t
London and elfewhere, in England, Ireland, and Calais, woollen cloth,
6
o A. D. 1507.
lead, tin, leather, &c, with the Englifli, Genoeie, Venetians, Floren-
tines, Luccans, Spaniards, Portuguefe, Flemings, Hollanders, Brubant-
ers, Burgundians, German Hanfeatics, Lombards, and Eafterlings, and
all other foreigners, as well as natives, for ten years to come.
Moreover, the king granted the like privileges, pardons, &c. to all
pther fhrangers in England dealing with the Venetians there. And if
all this fliould not be judged fufficient by the Venetians, they flioiild
have other m.ore ample letters-patent for that effect, provided that the
Venetians, &c. imder colour of this grant, do not, within the laid term,
import into England any goods from the dominions of the archduke
of Auftria. This provifo was in favour of the merchants-adventurers
privileges*. [Foedera, K xii'i, p. i6i.]
By the whole tenor of this patent, we fee how many different nations
then traded to or redded in England, the French and Scots excepted.
The difputes about the new tolls exacT;ed in the Netherlands, from
the Englifli trading thither, ran fo high, that the commerce between
the tv/o nations was, in a manner, quite interrupted, to the very great
damage of both ; to remedy which, Maximilian, king of the Romans,
jointly with Charles his grandion (afterward emperor, by the ftile of
Charles V), granted a provilional charter, whereby all the new tolls
were abolifhed ; and made a declaration, that the Englifh fhould enjoy
all the privileges of comm.erce in the Netherlands, and the Netherland-
ers in England, Ireland, and Calais, as flipulated in the intercourfe of
1495. [Fcedera, V. xiii, />. 168.]
The Portuguefe, under Albuquerque, fortified the famous ifle of Or-
mus in the Perfian gulf, commodioully fituated for the trade between
Turkey, Arabia, and Periia, on the one hand ; and India and China,
on the other ; there being two caravans yearly be!;ween Aleppo and Or-
mus, for exchanging the carpets, camlets, drugs, dried fruits, pearls,
horfes, &c. of the three firfl named countries ; for the fpices, cotton
cloths, precious ftones, &c. of India and China ; which commerce cen-
tered with the Portuguefe at Ormus till the year 1622, as will hereafter
be feen.
1508 Although the numerous wars in Europe during this centiu-y
are not properly within our cognizance, yet, for the glory of the illul-
trious commercial republic of Venice, we cannot avoid briefly to com-
memorate its great deliverance from rhe famous leagu,e of Cambray, be-
ing a confederacy of the greateft part of Europe, viz. the emperor
Maximilian I, Louis XII of France, Ferdinand king of Spain, and pope
Julius II, by whofe inftigation this league was fecretly projeded for the
deftrudion of the republic. Thofe powers, in conjunction, eafily flrip-
^' Great and illegal grants having been made to which the people made lond complaints, it was
ihofe Venetian merchants for tlie king's private thought neceflary to grant them this charter of in>
emolument, to the injury of the native traders, of demniricaliou to fcreen them from profecutions.
A. D. 1508. 31
ped the Venetians of all that they poITefTed on the continent of Italy ;.
yet, with all their power, they were not able to conquer the noble ca-
pital city of Venice. And, in fine, the pope being brought (or bought)
over, and the reft of the confederacy disjointed, the republic foon re-
covered much of her former territories : To the pope, however, they
were fain to leave Ravenna ; to Spain, the five towns which the republic
had till now pofl^efied in Calabria ; and to the emperor, Triefte and
Friuli.
Aubart, a Frenchman, fir ft failed up the great river of St. Laurence
to the country of Canada, from whence he brought home to France
fome of the Indian natives.
Although the marriage agreed on between Mary, the daughter of
king Henry VII of England, and Charles, grandfon of the emperor
Maximilian, did not take place ; yet it is fomev\'hat curious to fee the
formality of thofe times for fecuring the lady's dowery, and her mar-
riage portion of 250,000 gold crowns : For many lords were folemnly
bound for the fame, as were alfo the following cities and towns on Maxi-
milian's part, viz. Bruflels, Antwerp, Bruges, Ypres, Courtray, Nieu-
port, Dort, Leyden, Amfterdam, Middleburg, Zirickzee, and Mechlin;
and on the part of Henry, the cities and towns of London, Coventry,
Norwich, Chefter, Worcefter, Exeter, York, Briftol, Southampton, Bof-
ton, Hull, and Newcaftle uponTyne*. [Foedcra^ V. xiii, />. 173.]
From the Foedera [/'-''. xiii, ^. 216] we learn what king Henry VII
made by his office of change, exchange, and rechange (cambii, excambii,
et recambii) of money, paid by all perfons going, or fending money, to
foreign parts, and from thence back to England. Henry now grants
this office to Peter Corfy, a Florentine, for one year, who, by the king's
authority, was to take 3a' for the exchange and rechange of every gold
ducat. For this office Corfy was yearly to pay the king L. 250 Sterling.
The record calls this office ' the cuftody' \^et appruamentum, polfibly writ-
ten by miftake inftead of aperimncntum, or opening] ' of the increafe of
the change, exchange, and rechange.'
Sir Robert Cotton \_Ranains,p. 197.] fpeaking of the antiquity and ufe
of this cambium regis, or office of exchange, in a curious and judicious
treatife, intitled, ' The manner and means how the kings of England
have from time to time fupported and repaired their eftates,' written in
the year 1609, lays, ' It is as ancient as before the time of king Henry
III, and continued in ufe till the middle of king Henry VIII's reign,
the profits of it being now (in 1609) engrofTed among a few goldlmiths,
and would yield above L. 10,000 yearly to the crown, would he ered it
• We thereby alfo ieani, which were then thofe days, the faith of trading communities was
clieemed the moft importmit cities and towns in the held at kail equal to tiiat of foveicigns. M.
domiuiujs of the coatrafting princes ; and that in
32 A. D. 1508'.
again, and then fhould the king himfelf keep his mint in continual-
work.' Of this we have no very diftind; conception in modern times.
Herrera, the Spanifli-American hiftoriographer, relates, that in or
about this year, the gold brought from the ifland of Hifpaniola in one
year, amounted to 460,000 pieces of eight ; by which, together with
the cotton, fugar, ginger, &c. and the ihipping employed between Spain
and America, the Wefl-Indies now began to promife fome recompenfe
to Spain for the great charge of the firft fettlement, and the lofs of fo
many lives. They had, it feems, by this time found that the miferable
Indian natives, whom the Spaniards had compelled to work in their
mines and fields, were not fo robufl and proper for thoie purpofes aa
negroes brought from Africa ; wherefore they, about the fame time, be-
gan to import negroes for that end into Hifpaniola from the Portuguefe
fettlements on the Guinea coafts, and alfo afterward for their fugar
works, as already obferved.
The Portuguefe in India, ftill under their great commander Albu-
querque, took the town and port of Goa on the coaft of Malabar ; and
although its prince Hidalcan foon recovered it, yet Albuquerque retook
it in the year 151 o. The commodioufnefs of its fituation, and good^
nefs of the country, induced Albuquerque to fortify it ftrongly, and
to make it the capital of the Portuguefe dominions in India, its
walls being faid to have been twelve miles in compafs, and many of its
ftrudures magnificent ; but it is long fince much decayed, both with
refped to wealth and number of inhabitants, which, fome fay, are re-
duced to 20,000, of all nations and religions. Albuquerque, in order
to breed up foldiers, very wifely got the Indian maids made chriftians,
and married them to Portuguefe, that they might not always Hand in
need of fre(h fupplies of men from Portugal.
It is not our province minutely to particularize all the Portuguefe
conquefts in India, whereby they gained immenfe riches and great glory
to that crown and nation. It is fufhcient for our purpofe in general to
obferve, that they went on from year to year in difcovering more coun-
tries, even as far eallward as China and Japan ; and fouthward to the
great archipelago of iflands in the Indian ocean. They fubdued the
kingdoms of Decan, Cambaya, and Guzaratte, with the forts of Diu,
Suratte, and Cambaya, and many other places and iflands for 200 miles
along the Malabar coaft, and on that of Cormandel, and in the king-
dom of Bengal, MacafTar, and Malacca, and alfo the ifles of Timor and
Solor, with the famous Molucco and fpice iflands, befide the great ifle
of Ceylon already mentioned. Their conquefts and fettlements (already
noted) on the north-eaft fliores of Africa, beyond the Cape of Good
Hope, were alfo very profitable to them, where they traded with negro
nations for much gold, brought from the far inland countries to the
Portuguefe fettlements on the coaft. In Arabia Felix they once got pof-
A. D. I qo8.
33
feflion of Mafcate ; alio of fimdry ifles in the Perfian gulf, and the
important town and port of Balfora at the upper end of that gulf.
They, in brief, were become very formidable to all the princes of In-
dia, many of whom they made tributary ; and as their fleets were very
powerful and numerous, (b was their dominion on the Indian feas ex-
tremely arbitrary, infomuch that no fliip whatever could fliil thereon
without their permilTion ; and if any did prefume fo to do, they feized
on fhips and goods, and imprifoned their failors : Likewife, they almofl
every where committed great cruelties and mafllicres on the conquered
people at land, and thought to expiate all their crimes and enormities
by building a great number of churches and monaflcies wherever they
weffe mafters. This great profpeiitv they held throughout all the fix-
teenth century, and were conflantly increafmg in power, fame, and
riches ; yet whoever well confiders the prefenc fli.te of the fmall king-
dom of Portugal, will be almofl apt to marvel how they got to fuch a
pitch of grandeur and power both by lea and land, and to hold it for
near a century and an half, in fpite of the emulation of their European
neighbours ; on which point, though we do not here undertake to en-
large, we may, however, curforily obferve, i. That Portugal was then
much more populous than at this day, and that their prefent feeble ftate
(for want of manufatSures) is owing to the draining of their people to
colonize Africa, India, and Brafil. 2. That the Portugnefe conquefts
were made partly over effeminate Afiatics, in warring with whom they
had great advantages, and no P^uropean rivals, and partly over the mi-
ferable favages of Brafil and Africa, utterly unacquainted with fire ar-
tillery, iron, warlike weapons, and the European art of war. But when
the Hollanders once got to India, we (liall fee how pitifully thofe mighty -
Portuguefe conquerors defended their numerous conquefls there and in-
Afnca.
1509 — Rnflia was now aggrandized and fh-engthencd by the conqueft'
of the city and territory of Pleflcow (hitherto an independent lordihip),
by the great duke, or czar, Bafilius IV, who alio conquered from the
Poles the flrong frontier town of Smolenlko. As Rulfia had long be-
fore this time fallen under the fubjedion of the Crim-Tartars, and had.
been divided into many petty principalities, whofe princes were tribut-
aries to the Tartars, this czar, Bafilius IV, by reducing and uniting
many of thofe principalities, and by his other lucceisful wars againfl: the
Tartars,, has occafioned chronologers to commence the fuccelfion of the
czars of Ruflia or Muicovy from him.
This year is alio remarkable for the death of Henry VIT king of
England. How diiTjvently Ibever his conduct or charader may be ani-
madverted on by various authors, it is enough for our prefent purpcfe-
to confider its conlequences in a politico-commercial view. We may,
therefore, jullly remark, that feveral laws made in his reign, and hr-
Vo^.II, E
34 A. D. 1509.
his influence, were very conducive to the advancement of agriculture
and commerce, as particularly,
T) By an adt for the encouragement of hufbandry, in the year 1489.
II) By gradually reducing the exorbitant power of the nobility, who
had lately raifed fuch dorms in the nation, particularly againft himfelf.
Leave was granted to all freeholders, who went with the king in his
wars, to alienate their lands at pleafure, without fines for alienation,
which was a good means to make landed eftates change proprietors the
more eafily and frequently, as the commerce and wealth of the nation
gradually increafed. He wifely confidered the old maxim. Dominium
fequitur tcrram, and that king John's barons were often too hard for
him, becaufe mofi: of the lands were poirefled by them or by their vaf-
fals ; and that, as he himfelf had been raifed by the nobles, he might
poflibly be caft down by them. This ad was renewed or confirmed by
one of the third year of king Henry VIII, c. 4.
III) By an ad of his 19th year, c. 14, direding a penalty for all giv-
ers or takers of any livery, or for any perfons retaining or being re-
tained with another, during that king's life, the nobility were deprived
of their great retinues. This law was, indeed, but a more extenfive
confirmation of the laws againft retainers (more properly to be called
retained) of great men, made in the reigns of king Richard II, Henry
IV, and Edward IV ; for, by the great numbers of men (as well
knights and efquires as yeomen or common men) who wore the liveries
and hats of the nobility, and were at their devotion in thofe idle and
lefs opulent times, became formidable to the crown, and formed the
beft of the Englifh cavalry in the wars between the houfes of York and
Lancafter, fo jealous a prince as Henry VII would, therefor, naturally
lay hold of fuch means to break the ftrength of the nobles ; and this
law anfwered the end very well, fmce we hear very little of retainers
and liveries from this time. In this only fenfe, therefor, may he be
faid to have altered the balance of the nation (as fome authors phrafe
it), viz. in depreffing the nobility, and enabling the com.mons freely
to purchafe their lands. But it is an almoft univerfal miftake of our
hiftorians, to afcribe to him a kind of total revival of our woollen ma-
nufadure, as if, according to them, it had been gradually funk and ne-
gleded ever fince king Edward Ill's time ; the contrary whereof is ap-
parent, from fo many ads of parliament, and fo many treaties with
foreign princes in the intermediate reigns, in favour of that manufac-
ture, which not only profpered at home, but was conftantly exported
beyond fea in all thofe reigns before his time.
IV) Forefeeing the bad confequences of the noble and great province
of Bretagne being annexed 'to France (in a great meafure owing to his
avarice and pufillanimity), he had love enough left for his country
(and for his own credit in fucceeding times), to induce him now and
A. D. 1509. ^5.
then, in his parhamentary fpeeches, earneftly to recommend matters of
commerce to his people. This good prince (fays Hall's Chronicle), by
his high policy, marveloufly enriched his realm and himfelf, and left
his fubjeds in high wealth and profperity, as is apparent by the great
abundance of gold and filver yearly brought into the realm, in plate,
money, and bullion, by merchants pafling and repafling, to whom the
king, * of his own goods, lent money largely, without any gain or pro-
' fit, to the intent that merchandize, being of all crafts the chief art«
' and to all men both mofl profitable and neceflary, might be the
' more plentifutler ufed, haunted, and employed in his realms and do-
* minions *.'
Lord Herbert, and all other hiftorians, agree, that this king left a
treafure of L. 1,800,000 Sterling f in fpecie, in fecret places of his pa
lace at Richmond, he himfelf alone keeping the keys. ' This,' fays
that noble Lord, ' was doubtlefs a greater fum than any king of this
* realm before had in his coffers, and fuch as might be thought effedl-
* ively quadruple to fo much in this age,' \i. e. in the time of king
Charles IL] Which computation of his lordfhip's is extremely mode-
rate, when we have feen and confidered the rate of living at that time,
when the ulual price of wheat \anno 1504] was but c^f^d{i. e. S/6dof-
our money) per quarter, and ale not quite ^d per gallon.
Laflly, it is faid by fundry authors, that there were very few brick
buildings, and fewer of ftone in England till this king's reign, except-
ing the palaces of the prime nobility, cathedral, and parilh churches,
and the greater monafteries ; the reft were either the mud-walls of the
cottagers, leffer farmers, and villagers, the timber and lath buildings
in cities and towns, or houfes built with ftrong oaken pofts, interlaced
with bricks and mortar, of fuch fubftantial duration as (fire excepted)
generally lafted feveral hundred years, and of v/hich fome have remain-
ed to our- own days.
In this firft year of king Henry VIII, we have a fliil plainer account
of the now improved royal office of exchange between England and
foreign parts, in the king's grant of that office to fir Thomas Boleyn •
(the father of the unfortunate queen Anne Boleyn), in the terms fol-
lowing, viz^ ' We grant to him the cuftody of our exchange at Calais,
* and alfo the cuftody of our exchange in England towards foreign
*• parts, he to take and receive of every perfon going to Rome or other
' foreign parts, (either for devotion or for bufinefs, or who fends his
* This eulogiiim is merely a traoilation from kiDg'spirfiniony, and the national opulence, we may
Polydore Virgil. almo'l w nture to pronounce inciedible. After the
f Others have eftimateJ his treafurr fo high as importations of Spain and Portugal had made the
L. 5,300,000, a fum, confiderirvg the value of precious metals comparatively plenty in Europe,
money in thofe days, which, notwithftanding e- fir 'AlUiam Petty tlliniated the whole money of
Very allowance we may bedlfpofed to make for the England only at fix millions. M.
E 2
36 A. D. 1509.
• agents or attorneys thither, or who may fend moneys for payments to be
' made), all fuch fums of money as they are minded to fend, and to de-
* liver to them fufficient letters (bills) of exchange to the faid parts, as
' is cuftomary, making fuch agrements for the faid bills as confcience
' and the various circumftances of diilance, and other hazards, require,
' and to receive fuch fums out of the faid exchangings as are due to us,
' he paying anually to us ^50 : 6 : 8, and no more.' [Foedera, V. xiii,
p. 258.]^
We find frequent orders made by the crown againfl making ex '
changes any where but at the faid royal office; yet the frequent repetition
of thefe orders fufficiently (IjOWs that they had been frequently evaded.
Admiral James Columbus (fon of the great Chriftnpher) now fettled
and planted the ifland of Jamaica. The next year they fixed at Nombre
de Dios in Darien, the firfl plac^' .v^here th.y got permanent footing on
the continent. In 1511, they fettled on the great ifland of Cuba, and
in 151 2 they landed on Florida, In 1513, they crofTed the ifthmus of
Darien, near where Panama was afterward built, and now firfl difcov-
ered the great South fea. In 15 15, John Dias de Solis landed at Brafil,
and loaded his two fliips with Brafil wood for Spain. In 1516, the
Spaniards fettled at Panama, and with incre iible labour carried thither,
over land, from the bay of Darien, the timber, iron-work, and rigging
of two brigantines, which produced the fubfequent difcovery of Peru,
&c. In 1 5 17 and i>i8, the Spaniards difcovered, on the coafls of
Yucatan and Mexico, many ftrudures built with lime and fione ; and
it is laid that Montezuma king of Mexico, had ordered his officers to
treat the Spaniards kindly, who already began to trade with them for
gold, &c. All thefe matters, for the fpace of about ten years, we have
curforily thrown together, as being very little material to be enlarged
en; for as, in their many attempts to make new Settlements, they met
with various loffes from the native Indians (whom they often treated
cruelly), as alfo from florms, and the change of climates, fo, upon the
whole, it may be truely faid, that, until the year 15 19, when they maf-
tered the empire or kingdom of Mexico, and thereby gained an im-
menfe fun.d of treafure to old Spain, all their expeditions and fettle-
.nrents were rather promiling, than immediately profitable to Spain.
It is well worthy of remark, how much England has improved in
gardening, fruits, roots, and pot-herbs, within the two lafl centuries.
In the former part of king Henry VIII's reign, it feems there were no
fort of what we ufually call fiiUads to be found in Engl. ad, nor any car-
rots, cabbages, turnips, or other fuch edible roots, bui thofe roots were
brought from Holland and Flanders. This we find in fundry autuors,
how much foever fome moderns may be furprized thereat. And [ac-
cording to the author of a laboured fcheme (printed at London anna
172^ iu 8vo,) for relief of the poor, and for paying old debts without
A. D. 1509. 57
new taxes], even queen Katharine herfelf could not, at this time, have
a fallad for dinner, until the king fent over to the Netherlands for a
gardener, to cultivate thofe herbs and roots here, where we are now
better fupplied therewith than perhaps any other part of Europe.
1510. — In this year we find, by Meurfius's Hiftorica Danica [L. ii,
part 3,] that the Baltic fea was much frequented by fliips from France,
England, and Scotland ; for king John of Denmark's dominions being,
at this time, invaded by a fquadron of Ihips from Lubeck, which burnt
-feveral towns on his coafls, he, in his urgent neceflity for gettmg ready
the bed fleet he could, prefTed all the (hips of thofe three nations into
his fervice. But the Swedes joining the Lubeckers, and king John
thereby finding himfelf ftill inferior at fea to the Hanfeatics, purchafed
fhips of England, France, and Scotland, his allies, at a great expcnfe ;
lb that, in the year following, his fleet, now fuperior to that of the Lu-
beckers and Swedes, ranged over the Baltic, took all the Hanfeatic
fliips they could meet with, burnt the fuburbs of Travemund (the port
of Lnbeck), and would have deflroyed all the fliips there, had not the
Lubeckers, in good time, drawn them farther up into the town.
Next, the Danifla fleet boldly invaded the haven of Wilmar, burnt its
fuburbs, and carried off fourteen of their fliips. After this they de-
ftroyed Warnemund, and burnt many villages belonging to Roftock
and Straelfund, &c. So great was the lofs of the Hanfe towns in the
fpace of one year, by this great diligence of the Danifli king. The
Hollanders alio are (by other accounts) faid to have fent fliips to the
afliftance of the king of Denmark againft the Lubeckers, who had
taken eight of their fliips ; and, in this war, the province of Hol-
land lofl: fifty fliips, according to Penfionary De Witt's Intereft of
Holland.
So great a plenty or cheapnefs of provifions was there in this year,
1 510, in the province of Zealand, ' That the eighth part of a mealure
' of wheat, a fat goofe, a pound of butter, and a pot of Poidou wine,
' were altogether fold for fix ftivers.' {Meterani HiJI. Belg. L. i, p. 8,
ed. 1597.] '^'^ inftance of plenty of provifions, or of fcarcity of money,
fcarcely to be paralleled in hiflory in fo late an age.
A new treaty of peace and friendlhip was concluded between Henry
VIII and Louis XII of France. All that relates to commerce therein is,
I) That all imports or tolls hid on merchants or others, in either
country, within the lafl; 47 years, fliould be utterly aboliflied.
IT) That all merchants, even Venetians, Florentines, and Genoefe,
might freely navigate the feas, armed or unarmed, either with their
own fliips, carracks, and gallies, or with thofe of other nations ; and
that the Venetians might freely and fafely refort to England, and de-
part thence at pleafure, during the term of this treaty, which was for
the lives of both kings, and one year afi:cr him who fliall firfl: deceafe ;
38 A. D. 1510.
Alio the Florentines and Genoefe might hereby freely refort either to
France or England ; provided the Venetians did no injury to the fub-
jeds of either king, in their going or returning.
Ill) That no letters of marque or reprifal fhould beiflued from either
country, but folely againft the principals themfelves and their cffedts,
and this not till juftice had been manifelHy denied. [Fcedera, V. xiii,
p. 270.]
About this time flourifhed the famous and eminent philofopher and
aftronomer, Nicholas Copernicus, of Thorn, in Polifh PrufTia, who tra-
velled to Rome and other parts of Europe, to converfe with the moft
famous men of the age, on the true knowlege of the appearances, po-
fitions, and motions of the planets, fixed ftars, &c. fo ufefiil to navigat-
ors and cofmographers ; and introduced fuch a new and excellent
fyftem of aftronomy, as, with fundry great improvements fince made,
remains univerfally approved of by all nations to this day. He was
born in the year 1473.
1 5 1 1 . — Whilft tlie Lubeck fleet (fays Meurfii Hiftoria Danica) was fly-
ing from the fuperiority of the Danifli one, a Dutch fleet, homeward
bound from Livonia, confifl:ing of 250 merchant-fliips, and four fliips
of war, appeared in fight of the Lubeckers ; who, it feems, thought
this a fair opportunity to be revenged of the Hollanders for invading
the commerce of the Eafl: lea, which the Vandalic towns flill imagined
they ought entirely to engrofs to themfelves, as they had, indeed, done
for feveral centuries pafl: ; for the old controverfies between them and
the Hollanders, cf)ncerning the rights of commerce in thofe feas, fiiill
iubfifted. So vaft a prize then allured thofe monopolizers of commerce
to fall on the Dutch fleet, many of which they took, and others they
burnt ; the refl; fled to Bornholm, where the vidorious Danifti fleet
then lay ; and the Hollanders imploring their afllftance to revenge the
injury juft done by the Lubeckers, the Danes readily complied, and
purlued the Lubeckers, who, to avoid falling into their hands, were
forced to let go fome of the fiiips they had taken from the Hollanders,
and were glad to efcape into their own port of Traveaiund, with a few
of the Dutch prizes; the refl:, which the Danes had recovered from the
Lubeckers, they reflored to the Hollanders, who neverthelefs loft a
good part of this large fleet. This fliows how early the Hollanders had
a confiderable commerce in the Baltic fea, and, at the fame time, how
infolent it was in thofe Vandalic Hanfe towns, who were alfo under
the protedion of the Gerii^an empire, to attack the fubjedls of the em-
peror Maximilian in fo outrageous a manner ; no wonder, tlicrefore,
their downfall was now approaching ; for the Danes, at this time, rode
triumphant in the Baltic, and feized the Vandalic fliips every where*.
* A valuable Scottifh (hip, commanded by John return from Sluys in Flanders, by two Portuguefc
Sartan, had been taken in the year 1476, on her armed ft'.ips, in fight of a Portuguefe fleet, vrhith
A. D. 1511. 35
King Henry VIII having it much at heart to revive the claims of
his predeceflbrs on the kingdom of France, it will, we apprehend,
be no very bad entertainment to an Englifh reader, to learn how early
fome clear-fighted perfons at court faw the ill tendency of the perni-
cious fchemes of England making conquefts on the continent, in fub-
ftance (from lord Herbert) as follows, viz. If, when all Guienne,
Anjou, Touraine, and (for a long while) Normandy was ours, and
when the duke of Bretagne was our friend, and the houfe of Burgundy
an aflured ally and confederate, we yet could not advance our defigns
in France, what hope is there now to attain them ? Let it be even
granted, that as many battles as we fought againft the French were al-
moft fo many vidories, what was this kingdom the better for them ?
Had we ever a more glorious time than that of king Edward III, and
was yet the country then ever more poor or weary of the wars ? — You
will (in our records and hiftories) find, that the kingdom was then
much exhaufted of its treafure (he might have added alfo of its men),
and {hall we truft now to better days ? What though, with our 12,000
or 15,000 men, we have often defeated their armies of 50,000 or 60,000,
ftands it with reafon of war to expedl the like fuccefs flill ? efpecially
fince the ufe of arms is changed, and for the bow (proper for men of
our ftrength) the caleever (or hand-gun) begins to be generally receiv-
ed ; which, befides that it is a more coftly weapon, requireth a long
pradHce, and may be managed by the weaker fort. Let us, therefore,
in God's name, leave off our attempts againft the terra firma, as the
natural fituation of iflands feems not to fuit with conquefts of that kind.
— Or, when we would enlarge ourfelves, let it be that way we can, and
to which, it feems, the eternal providence has deftined us, which Is
by fea. — The Indies are difcovered, and vaft treafure brought from
thence every day ; let us therefore bend our endeavours thitherwards ;
and if the Spaniards or Portuguefe fufFer us not to join with them,
there will be yet region enough for all to enjoy.
had juft failed from the fame port. After a re- miral of England) was thereupon fent out with
prefentation of the injury to the king of Portugal, two armed fhips agamll the Seottilh cruifers. In
James III had granted letters of reprifal to the the Downs he fell in with Andrew Barton return-
fons of the injured commander: but no aftive ing to Scotland in his fiiip the Lio-i, aticnded by
fteps were taken to proftcute the affair till the a fmall veffcl called the /,(V.7c 7«.7;y (June 1511).
reign of James V, when the lettei-s of reprifal An obftinate cngagtineiU enliied, wherein Bar.an
were renewed, and many rich prizes were taken was mortally wounded ; and both his veffels were
from the Portuguefe, whofe drips were at this time carried into the Tliamcs. The Lion was takea
by far the moft valuable of any upon the Wellern into the fervice of the king of EiiiTland, who till
ocean. The vindication of their own, and the na- now had only one (hip of war belonging to him-
tion's wrongs, thus committed to the Bartans as felf (or to the public), called the Great Barry:
a private patrimonial inheritance, was perhaps and thus by the acceflion of the Scottillr Liot:
found too profitable to be willingly relinquilhed ; the royal navy of England was dc-ubkd. {^Ebifi.
and there h reafon to apprehend, that the retalia- rcgum. Scot, f \, pb. 91, et frqq.-~L,Jly, pp, j^-id,
tion was purfiied after fufficient fatisfadiou was 340. — Herlert''s HiJL of Hen. VWl, p. 15.] .The
obtamtd, and at laft degenerated into piracy. The capture of tlscfe vefTels interrupted the anuty and
Bartans are even acculcd of plundering Englidi commercial intercotirfe, which had fubfiiled be-
veffels, on pretence of fearehing for Portuguefe twcen the Britifli kingdoms fince the marriage of
property; and Edward Howard (afterwards ad- James IV with the daughter of Henry VH. M.
4© A. D. 151 r.
The great and fine ifland of Cuba, in the Weft Indies, was not en-
tirely fubdued by the Spaniards till this year, when it is laid, they had,
by various cruelties and tortures, totally deftroyed the numerous na-
tives ; and as it never could be repeopled in any reafonable degree by
Spain (being 660 miles in length), it ftill remains, in a great meafure,
a defert to this day, unlefs it, be in and near the few towns they have in
it, which likewife are but poorly inhabited, excepting the famous town
and port of Havannah, which may poffibly contain near 5000 Spa-
niards (exclufive of negroes), being about half the white inhabitants of
this great illand ; inlomuch that it would probably be totally deferted
by Spain, were it not for its important fituation ; more efpecially for its
nioft important haven of the Havannah, near the weft end of it, com-
manding the entrance into the gulf of Florida, through which their
treafure fleets muft necelfarily fail home to Spain. And as the Havan-
nah has always been, and muft ever be, the general rendezvous of their
fleets homeward bound, both from new Spain and from Vera Cruz,
Carthagena, and Porto Bello, it is juftly called the key of the Spanifh
Weft-Indies. This noble ifland produces tobacco much efteemed, fu-
gar (though in no great quantity, for want of hands), ginger, long
pepper, and many ufeful drugs, copper mines, excellent fruits and
vines, timber of various kinds, vaft multitudes of black cattle, brought
originally from Spain, — but there not being people fufl&cient to eat
them, the Spaniards employ their negroes to kill them (as they alfo do
in Paraguay, &c.) purely for their hides, which they fend over to Spain
in great quantities.
We find, by the moft laborious and judicious Hakluyt, in his fecond.
volume, that there was fome commerce from England,, and in Englifli
fliips, up the Mediterranean lea, as far as Scio, in the Levant, even as
early as this year, chiefly from London, Briftql, and Southampton.
King Henry VIII of England and king Ferdinand the catholic, of
Spain entered into a league againft France, &c. wherein they ftipulated
to maintain a maritime force fufl[icient for proteding the commerce of
both nations, viz. each king 3000 men, armed and equipped for naval
war ; and king Ferdinand was to fend his quota of 40 lliips, fome of
which were to be of 300 tons burden, and the reft fmaller, down to
100 tons, to rendezvous at Southampton, where Henry's forces were to
embark, though his quota be not therein fpecified. [Fcedera, V. xiii,
/. 311.]
1512. — Tlie next year we have a very particular indenture (in Eng-
lifli) between king Henry VIII and his admiral fir Edward Howard,
which affords us great light into the manner of letting out fleets for war
in thofe times, viz.
1) Befide the 30CO men (as in the preceding year above related) arm-
ed for fea,war, there wei-e to be 700 foldiers, mariners and gunners in
A. D. 15 1 2. '41
king Henry's fhip, named the Regent. The above 3000 men confifted
of the I 8 captains of the EngUfh Ihips, 1750 foldiers, and 1232 mari-
ners and gunners.
II) The admiral to have, for the maintenance of himfelf in diet, and
for wages and reward, iq/" daily pay during the voyage; and each
captain if 6 per day.
III) The foldiers, mariners, and gunners to have, per month of 28
days, 5/^ wages, and 5/ more for viduals.
IV) The admiral undertakes to manage this armament for thefe al-
lowances, he receiving three months expenfe always beforehand. Item,
for the coat of every captain and foldier 4/, and of every mariner and
gunner 1/8.
V) For the dead fliares of the faid 18 Englifh fhips, the admiral was
to have as follows, viz.
For the Regent, being of 1000 tons burden, 4 pilots, 8cc. 50 dead
(hares,
— the Mary Rofe 500 34^
— the Peter Pomegranate 400 28
— John Hopton's ihip 4007
— the Nicholas Reede 400 > (Dead ihares needlefs to be named).
— the Mary George 300 j
The reft of the fhips were, one of 200 tons, three of 160 tons, one
of 180 tons, two of 140 tons, three of 1 10 tons, one of 100 tons, and
one of 70 tons. Moreover, for re-vidlualling and watering the fhips,
the admiral was allowed two crayers, one of 65 tons, and the other of
55 ; in the former 12 mariners and a boy, in the latter 10 and a boy,
befide their commanders ; each of the mafters and mariners to have
10/" per month (as before) for wages and viduals.
VI) All the foldiers and failors to have 6d per day for conducl-mo- .
ney, allowing a day's journey to be twelve miles only.
And foraimuch as our fovereign lord, at his cofts and charges,
vidualleth the faid army and navy, the faid admiral fhali therefore re-
ferve for the king the one half of all gains and winnings of the war,
which he and the fleet, or any of them, fhall fortune to obtain in the
voyage, either on land or water ; and alfo all prifoners being chieftains,
and one fliip-royal of 200 tons or upwards, with the ordinance and ap-
parel of every prize to be taken' by them. [^Foedera, V. xiii,/». 326.]
This Englifh fleet was, by agreement, to guard the leas from the
channel- to the ftreights-mouth of Gibraltar ; and king Ferdinand's
fleet was to do the like in the Mediterranean. It was about this time
that fliips firft began to be reckoned by guns and tonnage jointly ; 'gun-
ners being now for the firft time mentioned in the Fcedera.
In this fame year, king James IV of Scotland equipped a fleet,
which he intended to fend into France, under colour of prefenting it
Vol. II. F
42 A. D. 151 2.
to queen Anne, wife of Louis XII. But this fleet, in which was the
largeft fliip that had yet been feen on the fea *, was loft or difibled by
a ftorm, and the admiral's ill condud.' King James's real intent was
to aid the French king againft his brother-in-law, king Henry VIII of
England.
Whoever will attentively confider the gradual increafe of the trade,
manufactures, and people of England, muft at the fame time acknow-
lege, that from fome of the old atts of parliament it appears that the
true condition and increafe thereof were far from being fairly or juftly
ftated, and often egregioufly mifreprefented either in the preamble, or
in the main bodies of fuch ftatutes ; fometimes probably to ferve the
temporary and finifter purpofes of men in power, and perhaps fome-
times only from mere inadvertency and ignoi-ance of the true ftate of
the time compared with elder times ; proceeding alfo from a humour,
at all times more or lefs prevailing, of unreafonably depreciating the
prefent, and exalting former, times. Of this we have furely a pregnant
inftance in a ftatute [3 Hen. VllI, c. 8.], intitled, ' Of the alUzing of the
price of viduals when a vicftualler is chief officer,' (i. e. in a corpora-
tion), which proceeds thus :
Whereas, by a flatute [12 Ed%v. II, c. 6.] in the year 1319, intitled,
' No oflacer of a city or borough fliall fell wine or viduals during his
office,' it was enabled, that no officer, who, by virtue of his office, was
bound to keep the aflizes of wines and vidual, fhould, during his office,
fell wines or victuals, either by wholefale or retail ; ' Now, fince the
making of which ftatute, many, and the moft part, of all the cities,
burghs, and towns-corporate within this realm of England, be fallen in
ruin and decay, and not inhabited with merchants and men of fuch
fubftance as they were at the time of the making of the forefaid fl;a-
tute ; for at this day the dwellers and inhabitants of the fame cities and
burghs be moftly bakers, brewers, vintners, fiflimongers, and other
victuallers ; and few or no other perfons of fubftance be v.'ithin many
of the faid cities and burghs at this day able to bear office within the
iame, and to content, anfwer, and pay unto the king's grace his fee-
farm, v/herewith they (i. e. the cities and burghs) be charged f. It is
now enaded, for the eafe, comfort, and relief of rhe forefaid poor cities,
burghs, and towns-corporate, that whenfoever, and as often as any
* This vaft fliip delcrves more particular notice, which, fhe carried 300 fmall artillery, called my-
beeaufe fhe was not indeed the lar^;cft thit ever and, culverias, doiible-dogs, &c. Her comple-
liad been feen, but lari^^er tl.an any vtfTel (that we ment, befides ofilcers, conlilled of 300 feamen,
know of) that ever was biilt fince the days of i 20 gunners, and looo foldicrs. \_PitJcottle's h'ifl.
Ptolemy Phllopator king of Egypt. Her length /. 167. ed. 1778. — MS. Harl. No. 46^7. — Ej>\j}.
was 240 feet, and her breadth 36 feet within and reg. Scot. V. \, pp. 39, 137, 214 MS. Cott. Ca-
56 witliout ; her fides, which were proof againft lig. B. vi./. 70 a.] M.
ftiot, being 10 feet in thicknefs. As yet lliips car- f How abfurd are thefe words, as if the bulk
ncd gnus only on the upper deck, and this prodi- of a city fliould confift of fuch trades, the rcit bc-
gious flup carried only 35 great guns, 16 on each ing reprefented as perfons unable to fiipjjort ihofc
fide, 2 in the ftern and J in the bow ; befides trades !
A. D. 15 1 2. , 43
vidualler is chofen to bear any office which {liould have the aflizing
and corredtion for the felling of victuals, that then two difcreet and ho-
nefl perfnns of the fnne city or burgh, not being vicT:uallers, ilin.ll be
chofen by the commonalty of the fame city or burgh ; which two per-
fons (jointly), with the faid officer, fhall be fworn to fet the affixes or
prices of viduals during the faid victualler's office ; and then it Ihall be
lawful for the faid victualler in office to fell wines and viduals by whole-
fale and retail.'
' Provided that this aft ffiall not extend to difcharge any mini-
fler (aforefaid) of the cities of London, York, and Coventry, for any
wine or victual to be fold by retail within the faid cities.'
Now, will any one ferioully believe, that 200 years farther backward,
and prior to the reign of king Edward III (who firft gave the great and
mofl advantageous turn to the Englifli commerce and manufactures),
the cities and towns of England were richer, or indeed near fo rich, as
at this time, when the exports of the native product and manufactures
of England were greatly increafed, an infallible mark of increahng
riches, and that the mod part of the cities and towns of England were
fallen into ruin and decay fince the i 2th year of king Edward II ? Cer-
tainly quite otherwife. It is rather to be fuppofed that forae other la-
tent reafon produced this law ; but whether it was intended for the eafe
of the other more wealthy inhabitants of the faid cities and burghs, to
bring back the maglftracy to the victuallers, and perhaps alfo for fome
other political purpoie, or for what other reafon, we fliall not abfolute-
ly determine, any more than why York and Coventry, and not Briftol,
Norwich, &c. (though luperior to them) are (with London) the only
places excepted out of this act.
And we have fufficient demonflration of the truth of what we have
advanced by another ftatute [c. 7.] ' for reflrainmg the exportation of
' woollen cloths before they be fully manufactured ;' Vi/herein we find,
that the cloths calkxl veiTes, rayes, failiug cloths, &c. which in the time
of king Edward IV fold for 40/*, were now fold for four inerks (and
two years after were ibid at five merks), and that the prices of wool and
workmanfhip were confiderably advanced in about fifty years, purely
occalioned bv the increafe of commerce and people.
In this fame year, king Henry VIII built the greateft fliip ever known
in England before, at \yoolwich, which is faid to be oldefl; royal dock
of any place in England. This is the fnip called the Regent, of 1000
tons, already m.entioned to be this year fitting out againft France.
An expired fiatute [3 Hen. Vlll, c. i.] merits remark. Its title is,
* Every perfon that fnall carry over the fea any money, plate, jewels,
&c. fhall forfeit the double value.' Plate and jewels are in our age
deemed as much a commodity as any other merchandize, and fo are
foreign coin and bullion. And in faCt, the only folid reafon for prohi-
2 F 2
44 ^' D. 15 1 2.
biting the exportation of our own coin is, when (like our crown-pieces
at prefent) it happens to be too weighty ; for it would be impracticable
to be continually altering our coins, in order to keep pace with the cur-
rent prices of gold and filver on the continent. Moreover, notwithfland-
ing this prohibition, we know that our crown-pieces are melted down,
and carried beyond fea, fo that few or next to none are to be feen cur-
rent ; which fhows that it is the intrinfic value alone of our coins which
is at all times regarded, and not their nominal value.
From this year we may properly date the commencement of what
may be called an Englifli royal navy, i. e. a number of flout fliips for
war, acftually belonging to, and permanently kept on foot by the crown
for national defence ; king Henry VIII being the firft Englifli king
who effedually purfued this plan, and for that end firfl: eflablifhed a
navy-office, with commiflioners, &c. nearly as at prefent. He certainly
employed great funis of money on his marine affiiirs, as well for the
conftru6lion of fhips of war, as of docks, yards, wharfs, florehoufes, &c.
Before his time there was no fixed and permanent royal navy, but, on
ordinary occafions, the Cinque-Ports fupplied the crown with a deter-
mined number of fuch fliips as they had in thofe times ; and on great
emergencies, we have alfo feen that all the m.aritime towns of the king-
dom were bound, on due notice, to fend their quotas of fhips and ma-
riners tor a determined time, commanded either by the king or his ad-
miral ; fuch as was the fleet of king Edward III at the fiege of Calais
in the year 1347, and other capital expeditions.
Bifliop Gibfon, in his additions to Cambden's Britannia, obferves,
that king Plenry VIII, in the fourth year of his reign, for the advance-
ment of navigation and commerce, eftabliflied a corporation for exa-
mining, licenfhig, and regulating pilots, and for ordering and directing
beacons, lighthoufes, buoys, 8cc. which is fliled ' The corporation of the
trinity-houfe of Deptford Strond', and has proved of great benefit for
accomplilhing the valuable ends of its foundation. Another fociety, for
the like good purpofes, he afterwards eftablifhed at Hull, by the name
of the trinity-houie at Hull ; and alfo another at NewcaiVle upon Tyne,
in the year i 537 ; which three eflablifhments (fays Hakluyt) were in
imitation of that which the emperor Charles V had erected at Seville in
Spain, who, obferving the many fliipwrecks in the voyages to and from
the Weft Indies, occahoned by the ignorance of feamen, eftablifhed, at
the contradation-houle, lecftures on navigation, and a pilot-major for
the examination of other pilots and mariners ; he alfo directed books to
be publiflied on that fubjecl for the ufe of his mariners. The king, by
his charter, confirmed to the Deptford trinity-houfe fociety all the
ancient rights, privileges, &c. of the fliipmen and mariners of England,
and their feveral pofTeflions at Deptford ; whereby it is plain they had
A. D. 1512. ^.
been a fociety long before, though no where recorded liow long. This
corporation (whofe powers, &c. have been Imce confirmed and aug-
mented by fucceeding kings) have alfo the power of appointing pilots
for the king's fhips, and tor examining and fixing their wages, and cer-
tifying their qualifications, and thole of the mafters of fhips of war ;
alfo for clearing and deepening the Thames by ballafl-hoys, with which
ballad they fupply the fhipping. They have alfo the examination of
the forty inathematical boys of Chrifl's Hofpital ; they have likewife
power to hear and determine complaints of officers and failors in the
merchant fervice ; fo that this corporation is eminently ufeful to the
nation.
That finery, or gaiety of apparel, was much increafed with the in-
creafe of commerce in England, appears plain from an ad; of parlia-
ment of this year [c. 6,] reciting part of an ad of the i 2th of Ed-
ward IV (not printed), whereby the cuftom-houfe officers are prohibit-
ed to take any thing whatever for ftamping imported cloth of gold and
cloth of filver, vaudekin, velvet, damafk, fatin, farcenet, tariton, cam-
let, and other cloths of lilk, and of filk and gold and filver. It is in'
this new ad faid, ' That many times the merchants import, in one (hip
only, three or four thoufand pieces of thole merchandize, which (fays
this ad) amounts to L. 30 or L. 40 to thole ofiicers, thus againft law
ftill extorting 2d for fealing each piece.'
John de Solis, failing from Spain, along the coafl of Brafil, fouth—
ward, firfl difcovered the great river which they named Rio de la Plata,.
in g^ degrees fouth of the equator, in the country of Paraguay.
1513.— King Henry VIII, bent on war againfl: France (fays lord Her-
bert, p. 50. in his life of that prince), thought fit, in the firft place, to
clear the fea from the French navy. He therefore fent out his fleet to-
ward Breft, confining of 42 fail, befides lefler barks, without fpecifving
(as the preceding year, unlefs indeed they were the identical fleet of
that year) their tonnage, or their guns, or rates ; neither indeed, with
relped to the laft, can we conceive that it (viz. the rate of the fhip)
had been as yet, nor even long after this time, brought into ufe any
where in Europe : And his lordfliip probably would have given po-
fterity the tonnage, and number of guns on the French fide alfo, had
they been left upon record ; but either fo incurious, or elie fo negli
gent, were the hiftorians of thofe times, that they have too often ne-
gleded fach matters, which in our times w^ould be reckoned unpardon-
able, whilll they often, with the greateft exadnefs, entertain us with a
tedious detail of a public entry, or other trifling ihow or cavalcade.
Burchet, however, in his naval hifl:ory, acquaints us, that the largeil of
king Henry's fhips, nan:ied the Regent, grappled (before Brefl) with
the largelt of the French fliips, named the Cordeher, which being ac—
46 A D. 1513.
cidentally fet on fire, both fliips were confumed, with all their crews * ;
the fisrht of which fo terrified the refi; of the French fleet, which had
jufi: come out of Brefi:, to the number of 39 (hips, that they all retired
again into that port, and fo put an end to this marine campaign ; though
others give a very different account of this matter, and reprefent the
French to have been fuperior to the Englifh fleet, which (after lofing
their admiral Howard) was forced to retire home.
Under the year 151 1, we have obferved (from Hakluyt), that the
Englifli began to have fome commerce in the Levant fea. We now
find king Henry VIII appointing one Juftiniano to be mafi:er, gover
nor, protedor, or conful, of all the merchants and other Englifli fub-
jeds, in the port and ifland of Scio, or Chios, in the Archipelago, ftill
poflefled by the Genoefe, with powers to govern them, and receive the
profits of his office. This ifland is celebrated for the drug called ma-
fl;ic. [Fadera, V. xiii, /5. 253]
The fame year king Henry VITI farther confirmed the privileges of
the company of merchants-adventurers of England, with refpedl to their
exportation of Englifli woollen cloths, &c.
On the very next page of the Foedera, we find king Henry VIII en-
tering into a league with the emperor Maximilian, king Ferdinand of
Spain, and pope Leo X, againft king Louis XII of France, under the fcarce-
ly-fpecious fhow of defending the pope and the church, and agreeing
to allow I 00,000 gold crowns for fupporting this fham holy war. And
in the fame year i^p. 381), he ftipulates to pay 200, oco crowns to Maxi-
milian, for keeping up 4000 horfe and 6000 foot in the Netherlands
for the fame purpofe ; as alfo for enabling Henry's garrifon of Tour-
nay to defend that place from the French.
A magazine and florehoufe for the royal navy was now firft eredied
at Deptford, near London, which has fince become a large town, more
populous than many corporation-towns, occafioned by the noble royal
docks, ftorehoufes, dock-yards, wharfs, &c. fince erected there.
King Henry VIII, confidering how much the river Thames was ex-
pofed to infults from foreign enemies, now ereded a platform of can-
non at Gravefend, and another oppofite to it on the Efl'cx fliore, where
Tilbury fort was aflerwards built.
The king, to repair the lofs of his fine fliip, named the Regent, cauf-
ed another to be built (fays Hall's chronicle), fuch an one as had never
before been feen in England, and named it the Henry Grace de Dieu !
1514. — Guicciardin, in his defcription of the Netherlands, acquaints
us, that the city of Antvv^erp being, by its vail commerce, greatly en-
larged v.'ith new buildings, was now furrounded alfo with a new and
* lu l!ie Eiijrlifii llu'j) 700 men, and in the for, that the Frencli (liip was Hill larger than the
Ficncb one 900, periflicd. It is probable, there- Regent. \^St,;-iv's annales, p.^zi, ed. iCioo.']^ M,
A. D. 15 14. 47
more exienfive wal], being the fecond wall that had been built round
that city.
Notwithftanding the preparations made in the preceding year for a
confederate and pretended religious war againfl king Louis XII of
France, a treaty of peace was concluded between king Henry VIII and
him, for both their lives, comprehending alio an intercourfe of com-
merce ; whereby it was flipulated,
' I) That all duties or burdens on commerce, in both countries, im-
pofed within the laft 52 years, fhall be abfolutely repealed,
' II) And that all foreign merchants, and particularly the Venetians
and Florentines, fhould be at full liberty to fail to either kingdom, arm-
ed or unarmed, with their fhips and merchandize.
' III) No letters of niarque or reprifal to be ilTued by either of the
contrading parties againft any but the principal delinquents, and their
effeds and abettors, and not even againft thofe until juftice has been
denied, after being formally demanded.
IV) In another article of this treaty, the two kings engaged mutually
to afTift each other with land and fea forces ; the ailiilance by lea, on
either fide, being ftipulated to be 5000 armed men, with fhips fit for
war, cannon, gunpowder, ftones (for they had not as yet ftllen into the
vife of iron bullets), dans, provifions, arms, and other neceflaries for
war, fuitable to the number of men above i'pecified, at the expenfe of
the party demanding fuch afliftance. But here is no fpecitication of
the precife number, or of the burden of the fhips.
• V) Louis obliged himfelf to confirm to the Englifli, trading at Bour-
deaux, all the privileges and immunities granted either by himfelf or
his predecefTors kings of France.' [Foedera, V. xiii,/>. 412.]
The portion of Mary, fecond daughter of the late king Henry VII,
to be married to king Louis XII of France, was fixed at 400,000 gold
crowns ; of which ium it was agreed that one half fliould go towards
the lady's equipage, gold and filver plate, jewels, clothes, &c. and the
other half v.as to be deducted out of a million of crowns, which Louis,
by another treaty with Henry, of this fame year, llipulates to pay him
for deferting the confederacy ; although the plaufible pretence for this
ftipulation was exprefl^ed to be for fundry old claims of the crown of
England on that of France. {Foedera, V. xiii, pp. 428, 433.]
In this year alfo, we fee the form of a manunaiflion granted by king
Henry VIII to two perfons, viz. ' Whereas, originally God created all
men free; but afterward the laws and cuftoms of nations fubjeded fome
tinder the yoke of fervitude. We think it pious and meritorious with
God, to make certain perfons abfolutely free from fervitude, who are
at prefent under villenage to us. Wherefore we do now accordingly
manumit and free from the yoke of fervitude, Henry Knight a tailor,
and John Erie a hufbaiidman, our natives (i. e. our flaves), as being
48
A. D. 15 14.
born in our manor of Stoke-Clymmyflande, in our county of Corn-
wall, together with all their ifTue born, or hereafter to be born, and
all their goods, chattels, and lands already acquired, or hereafter to be
acquired by them ; fo as the faid two perfons, with their iifue, (hall
henceforth be deemed by us and our heirs free, and of free condition.'
[Foedera, V. xiii, p. 470.]
1515. — Meurfius \_Hiftona Danica, L. iii.] obferves, that the Danes had
for a long time complained of the arbitrary proceedings of the Hanfe
towns in commercial matters ; and particularly that when they carried
their merchandize to thofe towns for fale, they were not permitted to
afk what price they thought fit for the fame ; but the magirtrates of
thofe Hanfe towns aflumed a power of arbitrarily fetting a price there-
on ; and thofe magiflrates, being generally merchants themfelves, took
great advantage thereof, whereby the Danes were frequently obliged to
fell at a lofing price, they not being permitted to re-export their mer-
chandize from thofe towns, after they had once expofed them to fale ;
but at beft, if not compelled to fell them at the price firft fixed or of-
fered, they had no other remedy but to lodge them in the citizens
warehoufes till the prices fliould change in their favour. The great
quantity, moreover, of corn, butter, fifh, &c. thereby carried out of
Denmark, rendering proviiions much dearer, and diftrefling to the poor,
king Chriftiern II therefor directed, that for the future all thofe mer-
chandize fhould be expofed to fale only at Copenhagen, whither alfo he
brought the richefl merchants from other parts of his dominions. Thus
this prince (though in other refpedts a cruel tyrant) brought Copenha-
gen to be the emporium or ftaple for all Danifh merchandize, to the
great detriment of Lubeck, Wifmar, Roftoc, Straelfund, Stetin, &c.
This was one great blow to the commerce of the Hanfe towns, whofe
arbitrary proceedings put other princes and ftates upon the like mea-
fures ; and as men grow wifer by experience, it alfo put them upon
manutaftures and other branches of commerce at home, which gradual-
ly brought on the farther decay of thofe Hanfe towns.
In England new meafures were projected for the farther prevention
of frauds in the manufadure of woollen cloths ; and by two ftatutes
[cc. 8, 9] the weight of thofe cloths is direded to be afcertained, and
orders made to prevent ftrelching in their meafare, as alfo fhrinking ;
and other regulations touching the wool, yarn, &c. And Blackwell-
hall is firft n^imed therein, though doubtlefs of a much longer fi:and-
ing, as a repofitory for woollen cloths.
A new treaty of peace and commerce was concluded between Hen-
ry VIII and Francis I, in nearly the fame terms as the former one in
the year 15 14, with Louis XII, now dead, viz. for both their lives ; and
one year after (the common manner of treating in thofe times), with
an additional claufe, prohibiting the privateers of either nation to fet
A. D. 15 15. 49
fail, without giving fecurity not to injure any of the fubjefts of the
other contracfting party, and to prevent them from felUng their booty in
the ports of either party, or receiving fuppUes of provilions. [Fa'dera,
V. \\\i, p. 476.1
Henry \'ill having complained to the fenate of Genoa againfl: the
new duty laid on the merchandize of his i'ubjeds in their illand of Scio,
they, in the year 151 7, informed him, that the heavy annual tribute
which they were obliged to pay to the grand fignior for the ifland,
obliged them to impole the duty which his fubjeds complained of:
Wherefore they humbly hoped his Majefly would not any more liften
to the complaints of his fubjects there, lince they were no higher taxed
than the other inhabitants ; adding, that by that grievous tribute to the
Turks, they contraded a debt of 120,000 ducats, which they could no
othe'-wife difcharge but by thofe new duties. [Foedera, V. xiii, pp. 493,
589]
A new treaty of peace and intercourfe of commerce was concluded
between Henry VIII and Ferdinand the CathoUc, for himfelf as king
of Arragon, and alio as adminiftrator of the perfon and dominions of
his daughter Joanna, queen of Caflile, &c. which is much the fame
with former treaties with Spain ; with this addition, that in cafe the
fhips of either party fhould be wrecked on the coads of the other party,
the magiflrates fhould fecure and fequeftrate the goods, &c. of fuch
wreck for the proprietors, if within twenty months they Ihould make
out their claim, and perifhable merchandize fhould be fold for the be-
nefit of the owners : But if no claim were made within twenty months,
then the laws of the country, where fuch wreck fhould happen, fhould
take place. \Foedera, V. xiii,/». 520.]
1516. — In this year king Ferdinand the Catholic died at Madrid,
which place (fays Guicciardin, in his Hiflory of the wars in Italy) was
then but an obfcure village. Spain, before the union of its ieveral
kingdoms, had as many different capitals as kingdoms ; but Madrid be-
ing the ufual refidence of Ferdinand's fuccellbrs (though flill an open
town without walls) is become a very large city.
Hakluyt \yoya:ies, V. \\\, p. \<^%?^ mentions a voyage made in this year
by fir Thomas Port vice-admiral of England, and Sebaftian Cabot, ,
from England to the coafls of Brafil, and other parts of South Ameri-
ca, by order of king Henry VIII ; yet he gives us no particulars of it.
In many different periods we find the Hanfeatic hiftorians almofl
conftantly complaining (and particularly the Lubeckers) of the vio-
lences committed by the Danes: For inflance, in the year 1507, the
king of Denmarkr-juft after having concluded a peace with the Hanfe
towns, feized on nine Lubeck merchant fhips, richly laden, from Ri-
ga. On the other hand, the Danifh hiftorians paint the Hanfe tow.is,.
and efpecially Lubeck, in very odious colotirs, and as being ever the
Vol. IL G
50 A. D. 15 1 6.
implacable enemies of Denmark : But as at this diftance of time we are
not well able to judge of the grovmds of many of their quarrels, fmce
both fides fet off their refpeftive caufes plaufibly, we (hall not deter-
mine thereupon, any farther than hiflorically to note, that the feizure
•produced an eight years war between them, till this year 1516 ; during
which fpace the city of Hamburgh alone carried on a trade with Nor-
way and Denmark, without any regard to Lubeck and the other Van-
dalic cities at war with that crown ; whereby, and by their trade with
England and the Netherlands, Hamburgh marvelloufly incrcafed in
wealth. [JVerdenhagen, refp. HnnJ. V. i, part 3, c. 17.]
The commercial intercourfe between England, and Charles, fovereign
of the Netherlands, was renewed for five years to come ; when it was
.farther fl:ipulated,
I) That the Englilh, carrying their merchandize to Antwerp, which
is in the province of Brabant, fliall not there be obliged to pay the
tolls of Zealand ; neither when they carry their merchandize to Ber-
gen-op-zoom *, or to Midclleburg, Ihall they be obliged to pay the tolls
of Brabant, but folely thofe of Zealand.
IT) That the merchants of either country (hall not make by-laws and
ftatutes amongfl themfelves, for agreeing not to buy the goods of cer-
tain towns or perfons of the other country ; neither fliall either fide fet
a fixed price on the merchandize of the other fide, at their fairs and
markets, but all perfons ftiall be free on both fides, to buy and fell as
they beft can.
Lafi:ly, Within one year from the date hereof, a formal congrefs fhall
be held, for terminating all complaints of the fubjeds of both princes,
either general or particular, relating to tolls, cufloms, the llaple, &c.
IFoedera, V. xiii, pp. 533, 539.]
Thus were the traders of England and the Netherlands perpetually
:Complaining and treating about grievances ; and yet both parties fl;ill
found it their interefi; to go on trading with each other.
This year put an end to the famous monarchy of the Mamelucs in
Egypt, after it had lafi;ed upwards of 300 years. It feems thatCampfon
Gaurus, their fifteenth monarch or fultan, had, about or foon after the
year 1501, unhappily joined with Ifmael, fophy of Perfia, againfl; Selim
I, the Turkifli emperor, who proved too hard for them both, and found
means to dethrone and kill Tonombeius, the fon of Campfon Gaurus.
The Mamelucs, however, made refifi:ance to the power of Selim for
fome years after ; yet he at length reduced, firfi, the port-towns of Sy-
ria, as Tripoli, Sidon, &c. and next the city of Damafcus. Laftly,
he reduced the entire country of Egypt, after taking the vafi: city of
Cairo, in the year 15 16. This was a great blow to the balance of power
* In the original Berghes, which may perhaps be the Dutch name of Mona-
A. D. 1516. 51
in the Eaft, by throwing two fuch noble countries as Syria and Kgypt
into the Icale of the Turkilh empire, ah-eady too ponderous ; whereby
the fiiltans were enabled to give the law in the Levant feas, and to dif-
trefs the commerce and territories of Venice and Genoa in thofe parts,
as they foon effedually did. It alfo gave them the dominion of both
fides of the Red fea, and on the coaft of Africa without that fea, and
fouth-eaft on the Arabian fliore. It likewife gave the Turks the means
of going by fea to Eaft-India, to the great annoyance of the Portuguefe
in thofe parts, as may be feen in the hiftories of their Indian conquefts.
The city of Antwerp conftantly increafing in wealth and commerce,
and the city of Bruges as conftantly declining, fuch foreign meixhants
as had not before left the latter, removed in this year to Antwerp. The
Englifh had removed thither in the preceding year : So there now only
remained a few Spaniards at Bruges ; yet the flaple for Englifh wool
was not as yet removed thence.
151 7. — Four Portuguefe fliips, attended by four Malayan fliips, failed
from Malacca for China, with an ambaflador to the Chinefe emperor,
who travelled from Canton to Pekin, all the way over land.
The firfl; account we have of the grand cod-fifhery on the banks of
Newfoundland was in this year, when an Englifh fhip of 250 tons ar-
rived at the ifland of Puerto Rico, pretending flie came with another to
difcover a pafFage to Cathay, and had been at Newfoundland, v/here
there were fifty Spanifh, French, and Portuguefe fhips on the fifhery.
Thence fhe failed for Hifpaniola, but being fired at from the caftle,
returned to Puerto-Rico, and departing thence, was never heard of
more. [Hakluyt's Voyages^ K iii, p. 499.. Hererra dales it two years
later.]
So great an event, and fo fraught with interefting confequences, as
was the reformation of a great part of Chriftendom from popery, can-
not altogether be pafled over in filence for iundry obvious reafons ; yet,
as ecclefiaftical hiftory is not our province, it will fufhce that we briefly
obferve, under this year 1517, that Pope Leo X, being, or feeming to
be, alarmed at the conqueft of Syria and Egypt from the Mamelucs,
by Selim the grand iignior, publifhed a croiiade againll the Turks ;
and, fbr that feeming end, difperfed his mdulgences all over Chrillen-
dom, which were fo fliamefully difpofed of in Germany, that the bene-
fit of thofe indulgences were even to extend to the dead, whofe fouls,
upon payment by their heirs, &c. of a fum of money, were imme-
diately to be redeemed out of purgatory ; and Guicciardini, in his wars
of Italy, relates, that thofe powers for releafing fouls put of purgatorv
were openly played for in taverns : which fcandalous proceedings ex-
cited Martin Luther, a monk, and profeflbr of divinity at Wirtenberg
in Saxony, to attack the papal power, wherein being fupported by Fre-
derick eledor of Saxony, &c. a reformation of religion was gradually
G 2
52 A. D. 1517-
brought about in feveral kingdoms and flates of Europe. That great
event has proved very beneficial to thofe countries wherein proteflant-
ifm has been firmly eftablifhed ; fince, by fupprefling the idle drones in
the convents, and putting a flop to the great fums annually remitted to
Rome, and carried to other parts for pilgrimages, &c. their people are
more increafed and more profitably employed for the general benefit,
and their money, before fo unworthily diflipated, is now employed in
trade and commerce. Much more might be faid on this fubjed, to
Ihow the many benefits which have accrued to thofe feveral countries
which embraced the reformation of religion ; but as thefe general re-
marks may be fufficient for our prefent purpofe, we fhall leave our
readers to fupply the reft, as their feveral inclinations fhall diredt them.
151 8. — On May-day 151 8, there was a fhameful riot (fays Hall in his
life of king Henry VIII, p. 62.) committed by the London appren-
tices, fervants, watermen, and priefls, againft foreigners, by pulling
down, and rifling their houfes, &c. The complaints againft them were,
' That there were fuch numbers of them employed as artificers, that
the Englifh could get no work : That the Englifh merchants had little
to do, by reafon the merchants-ftrangers bring in all filks, cloths of
gold, wine, oil, iron, &c. that no man almoft buyeth of an Englifh-
man : They alfo export fo much wool, tin, and lead, that Englifh ad-
venturers can have no living : That foreigners compafs the city round
about, in Southwark, Weftminfter, Temple-bar, Holborn, St. Mar-
tin's (le Grande), St. John's ftreet, Aldgate, Tower-hill, and St. Ca-
therines ; and they foreftal the market, fo that no good thing for
them Cometh to the market, which are the caufes that Englifhmen
want and ftarve, whilft foreigners live in abundance and pleafure :
That the Dutchmen bring over iron, timber, and leather ready ma-
nufadured, and nails, locks, bafkets, cupboards, ftools, tables, chefts,
girdles, laddies, and painted cloths *.' Dr. Bell's Spital fermon on
Eafter-Tuefday, had greatly increafed the people's jealoufy of foreign-
ers. I faw, faid John Lincoln (the chief inftigator of the people), on
a Sunday this Lent, 600 foreigners fhooting at the poppinjay with crofs-
bows. This riot was over by dawn of day, called Evil May-day. Se-
veral of thofe rioters were hanged, and the king pardoned the reft.
The pretended crimes of thofe foreigners were probably their working
cheaper, and being more induftrious than our own people, whole ex-
clufive privileges within the city kept the foreigners in thofe out-parts
above named out of the freedom ; thereby getting much of the trade,
&c. from the freemen f .
A treaty was now concluded between king Henry VIII and Francis I,
* Thefe actufations throw fome h'glit on the riot is given by Stow, who dates it in 15 17, in liis
commercial condition of I^ondon at this time. Annales, p. 84^, cJ. 1600 ; Survey of L'liiJuii,
f A very circiiniRautial account of tin's great p. i^i,ed. 1618. M.
A. D. 1518, S3
the French kmg, for the marriage of Mary, Henry's daughter, with the
dauphin of France ; wherein Henry flipulates to pay 330,000 crowns,
of 35 fols Tournois each, as the lady's portion ; but it did not take
place. [Foedera, V. xiii,/*. 632.]
And vcip. 642 we have a treaty, whereby Henry flipulates do deliver
to Francis the city and territory of Tournay, with Mortagne and St.
Amande ; for which Francis flipulates to pay him 600,000 crowns, of
35 fols Tournois each, at fundry diflant payments.
By a commercial, or rather maritime treaty, between king Henry
VIII and king Francis I, the title of which is TraSiatus Depredationis,
it appears there were in tliofe times many violences, robberies, and pi-
racies committed on the feas of Europe. For the prevention whereof
it was now ftipulated,
' I) That at London, the admiral, vice-admiral, and mafter of the
rolls, for England, and at Rouen, the like officers for France, fhould
reciprocally be the judges of fuch enormities.
' II) Thefe curity which mafters and owners of fhips gave (by former
treaties), on their letting fail, not to injure the lubjeds of the other
contrading party on the feas or in the port, was by this treaty made
general, viz. That they fhould not injure any nation whatever.
' III) Ships, on their return home, were to undergo a flrid: examina-
tion, and to give a jufl account how they came by any fhips, mer-
chandize, or prifoners, which they might bring home as booty.' [^Fce-
dera, V. xiii,^. 649.]
Since all the powers of Europe keep up a flanding maritime force
even in times of peace, fuch piratical violences amongft nations in ami-
ty have ceafed, becaufe they would be fo eafily deteded, and fo fpeedily
punifhed.
And here it may be proper to remark, that in almoft all the general
treaties between England and France, for about 100 years backward
from this time, England (along with fuch other powers as are compre-
hended by her in thofe treaties) generally has comprehended, and now
exprefsly comprehends, the community and fociety of the Teutonic
Hanfe.
We may alio note, that king Henry VIII was the firfl king of Eng-
land that had any correfpondence with the Swifs cantons, whom he
therefore generally comprehends in his treaties, under the title of the
Helvetic Lords (' Domini Helvetii,five Suetenfes.''')
In this year, according to Thuanus [L. li.], * fourteen of the Hanfe
towns were cut off from their general confederacy,' (for irregularities,
doubtlefs, in their condud.) Who adds, that there flill remained, un-
to his own time, 66 cities in that confederacy, viz. 6 Vandalic cities, 8
of Pomerania, 6 of Prullia, 3 of Livonia, 13 Saxon cities, 10 of Wefl-
phalia, 7 of Cleves or Marck, 3 of OverylTel, 7 of Guelderland, and 3
54 A. D. 15 1 8.
of Frifeland. By this account, there mvift have been in all 80 Hanfe
towns in that confederacy ; yet their hiftoriographer Werdenhagen,
makes but 64 cities who ever paid annual contributions for the expence
of that confederacy.
The Scottilli parliament pafled an a6l, with proper penalties, againfl
thofe who negleded to plant woods, hedges, and fences; though this, like
former laws for the fame purpofe, has never been well executed, even
to the prefent times: But they are in our days fetting effedlually, though
but gradually, about what their owai ftatutes long fince enjoined them
to do.
15 19. — The Spaniards went on with their difcoveries on the continent
of America, and particularly on the coaft of what is called Terra Fir-
ma, Darien, &c. although (as elfewhere obferved), what with ftorms
and fhipwrecks, and the refiftance of the native Indians, it may be
thought doubtful whether, upon the whole, they were hitherto really
gahiers until after the year 1519 ; when the emperor Charles V, king
of Spain, received news of the difcovery and commencement of the
conquefl: of the famous Indian empire of Mexico by Hernando Cortesj
who failing, in the year 15 18, from the ifle of Cuba, with about 400
foot foldiers, 7 fmall cannon, and 15 (fome fay 50 horfemen) laid the
foundation of a very great dominion for Spain in America, by the im-
menfe treafures which to this day are annually brought from America
into Spain, more efpecially after they had from Mexico invaded Peru,
Paraguay, and Chili, fouthward, and New Mexico northward. 1 he
mention of this particular (lays Mr. Rapin de Thoyras judicioufly, in
his hiflory of England) is the more neceffary, as it was the gold and
fjlver wherewith the new world farniflied Spain, that contributed moll;
to render Charles V fo powerful, as he will hereafter appear ; bcfide,
money growing more plenty by the trade carried on by other countries
with Spain, th.e reader muft not be furprifed hereafter to find more nu-
merous armies, greater magnificence in princes courts, and the doweries
of princeflls much larger than before.
Ferdinand Magellan, who had ferved under Albuquerque, the great
Portuguefe commander in Eaft-India, having (through fome difcontent)
entered into the fervice of ;>pain, now fignified to the emperor Charles
V, King of Spain, that by the imaginary line of divifion or partition,
which king John of Portugal had agreed on with King Ferdinand and
Queen Ifabella, all the Banda and Molucco illes muft fall to the flwre
of Spain ; of which rich ifles he propofed to him to make a complete
difcovery, by a bold, and till then unheard-of, navigation weflward.
The emperor joyfully embraced his propofal, giving him five fhips and
300 men for its execution ; yet, through ftorms, fcarcity of provifions,
&c. he did not get through that famous ftrait (to which his name was
thereupon given) till November 1520; thence failing by the Ladrones
A. D. 15 19. g^
ides, he arrived at the ifles which he called the Philippines, where he
loft his life in a Ikirmifli; but the fhips failed on for Tidore, one of the
Molucco ifles, where they arrived in the 27th month after their firll
fetting out from Spain, and where (contrary to what the Portuguefc
had given out, to deter others from coming thither) they found the fea
1 02 yards in depth, though the Portuguefe had (as fome write) fpread
reports of its being io ihallow, that there was no navigating it, befide
continual darknefs, rucks, &c. Here the Spaniards firft tafted the fpices
at their fountain-head, and traded with the king and people of Tidore
for them, in exchange for their own cargo of cloth, glafles, &c. to a vaft
profit ; thence they returned home, with only one of their (hips, by the
Cape of Good Hope (one fhip being taken by the Portuguefe, and the
other left leaky) and arrived at Seville in September 1552 ; being the
firft who had ever failed quite round the globe.
There having probably been fome diflference, before this time, be-
tween England and Genoa, on account of commerce, or perhaps partly
for the partiaUty of the Genoefe to France, under the protection and
vaflalage of whofe kings they had for fome time paft put themfelves,
the French king, amongft his other titles, now ftilmg himfclf lord of
Genoa, matters were in this year accommodated ; and we accordingly
meet with king Henry VIIl's paflport or fafe-conducl to Luke Spinola,
ftiled mafter of the fociety of merchants of Genoa refiding in Eng-
land, and to all other Genoefe merchants and their fadors, &c. toge-
ther with their carracks, galleys, and ftiips,to refort to any part of Eng-
land and its territories, there freely to fell their merchandize, and to
buy wool, woollen cloth, tin, lead, &c. ; provided they do not export
any merchandize of the ftaple of Calais to any port but to Calais, un-
lefs it be through the Straits of Morocco ; any letters of marque, or re-
prifals, againft the community, dominion, and city of Genoa, their vaf-
fals or fubje6ls, &c. to the contrary notwithftanding. Laftly, this fafe
conduct was to continue for five years, even although it ftiould happen
in the interim that war flaould break out between England and France.
[Fcedera, V. xiii, p. 700.]
According to Sandoval's hiftory of the civil wars of Spain, in the
beginning of the reign of the emperor Charles V, when almoft all the
cities of Spain, in this year 1519 (et feq.), made infurredions, on ac-
count of the exorbitant exadions of that emperor's Flemiflr favourites,
and their carrying much money out of Spain into Flanders, &c. we find
-mention made of fundry clothworkers amongft thole rebels, whole army
had drawn up articles or conditions to be agreed to by the emperor :
Some of them are as follows, viz.
I) That the cloth imported from other countries fliall be of the fame
fize and goodnefs as the cloths wrought in theie kingdoms (of Spain.)
II) That the merchants and clothiers of the kingdoms (of Spain),
56 A. D. 15 19.
may take, (feize) to work and fpend therein, one half of all the woolsf
bought, either by natives or by ftrangers, to be fent out of the king-
doms, paying the fame price as they had done for them. And that the
officers of juflice may take the faid wools either from the fliepherds or
from the buyers, and deliver them to be manufidured, as above.
Hence it is plain, that there was once a confiderable manufacture in
Spain *, though it was afterwards r.egleded, chiefly owing to the influx
of gold and filver from America, very foon after this time, whereby
the nation grew lazy with their riches, and carelefs of the labour requir-
ed in manufadures ; and to the temptation of getting fuddenly rich,
which allured fuch numbers of people to emigrate to America, that
there were not induftrious hands enough left in Spain to carry on fuch
manufadures.
Spain has fince made feveral unfuccefsful efforts for the revival of
that manufadture ; and fuch meafures are in our days purfuing by his
prefent Catholic Majefty, as are very likely to reftore it in fome confi-
derable degree, though the country fl;ill labours under the great misfor-
tune of a want of induflrious hands : fo extremely difficult it is for a
nation to recover a negleded and loft manufadure.
1520. — The commercial treaty, named by the Netherlanders intercur'
Jus magniis, concluded in 1495-6, was now renewed between king Hen-
ry and the emperor Charles V, fovereign of the Netherlands, for five
years certain. [Fcedera, V. xiii, p. 714.]
King Henry ilTued a commifllon for a congrefs at Bruges in Flanders,
to treat with comniiflioners from the Hanfe towns, concerning the
abufes, unjuft ufes, extenfions, enlargements, interpretations, and reftric-
tions, made by the Hanfeatic merchants, concerning the feveral privi-
leges at any time granted to the Hanfeatic league by the king or his
predeceflbrs, and to remove all the faid abufes ; alfo to demand and re-
ceive whatever fums of money, and how large foever they may be, due
to him on that account. And finally, to renew and conclude an inter-
courfe of commerce between England and the faid Hanfe-league ; but
the iflue of this congrefs does not appear. {Foederii, V. xiii, p. 722.]
The Genoefe obferving the various ways of eflaying to get to Eaft-
India, befides the common way by the Cape of Good Hope ; as that
now by Magellan's ftraits, the fuppofed north-weft paflltgCj that fuppof-
ed from New-Spain, and the hoped-for north-eaft pafiligc, every nation
feeking to excel in induftry in this age of difcoveries ; they, because
not fo much accuftomed to voyages in the ocean, fent Paul Conterano
to the czar of Mufcovy, with a propofal for carrying the merchandize
of Eaft-India overland into Ruflia ; but the difficulties of this under-
* The treaty between Charles V king of Spain, under the year 1526, affords a better evidence of
and Fiantis I king of France, which will be found the exiftenceof woollen manufadures in Spain. Jf.
A. D. 1520. 57
taking were fo many, that the czar rejeded their propofal. [Monfori's
Naval traBs, p. 480.]
"According to Nicholfon, {ErigUP) bljloricnl library, p. 6, ed. 1696.]
' fince the beginning of King Henry VIII's reign, our eldeft general
* geographer or antiquary is faid to have been Thomas Suhno, a Guern-
' fey man, who died at London, anno 1545 ; the year followhig, a
' much greater man of the profeflion. Sir Thomas EUiot, one of King
' Henry's ambafladors, and of Sir Thomas Moore's friends, died alfo.
' Contemporary with thofe two, was George Lilly (fon of William the
' famous grammarian), who lived fome time at Rome with Cardinal
' Poole, and piiblilhecl the firfl exaft map that ever was till then drawn
' of ihis illand.'
1521 The great fuccefs of theTurks at this time juftly alarmed the
princes of Europe ; for in the year 1 5 2 1 , the lliltan Solyman the Magnifi-
cent not only took the fortrefs of Belgrade from. Louis king of Hungary,
but likewife foon after, the city of Buda, the capital of that kingdom.
In the year following he alTaulted the famous ifle of Rhodes, fo long
poffelled by the knights of St. John of Jerufalem ; and although the
city of Rhodes had but 6000 Chriftians in garrifon, they held out fix
months againft the whole power of the Turks, who loll 64,000 men be-
fore they were able to take it. Solyman alio, out of the Black Sea and
other parts, having got together near 600 galleys, &c. attempted the ille
of Corfu, and ravaged the neighbouring coafls and ifles, proving too
hard for the united fleets of the emperor, Venice, and the pope. This
proved a great detriment to the naval commerce of England in the Le-
vant feas, where, till novv', thofe zealous knights of St. John had been
the common protecT:ors of all Chriftian fnips, and a great obflruclion to
the Turkifh depredations. When thofe knights got away from Rhodes,
with 50 of their galleys, they carried much riches with them, and many
people ; yet, (that v.'e may not any more recur ro this article) in about
eight years following, during which they moved about between Candia,
Naples, Sicily, Villafrar.ca, &.c. their numbers and riches were much di-
minilhed ; until the year 1530, when the Emperor Charles V beilov,-ed
on them the ifles of Malta and Goza in tlie Sicilian fea : Here they
again foon became the terror of the Mahometans, as they ftill continue
to be. Captain Pviorg.m acquaints us, that the naval torce of Malta, in
his time, coniifted of feven flout Ihips of war, none carrying fewer than
50 guns, beflde galleys and privateers of all fizes, with which they are
perpetually harafliiig the coafls of Barbary, and bringing home prizes
to Malta. [Hi/l. of Algiers, V. i, p. 315. e'd. 1728.]
In thofe times, wlien commerce was but in its childhood, there was
too much of a monopolizing fpirit throughout all Europe. The ciiy of
Hamburgh pretended (and partly ftill pretends^ to an exclufive domi-
nion on the river Elbe. Tliis.had been. connived at in the early davs
Vol. \}, H
58 A. D. 1521.
of commerce, when they even claimed a ri,2;ht to exclude all the other
towns lying between it and the fea from a free navigation on that great
river, by virtue of grants from fundry emperors ; which, they alfo al-
leged, enabled them to oblige the fubjeifts of Danifh Holftein to import
their merchandize no where elfe but to Hamburgh, for which, it was
faid, they were to take what price the Hamburghers pleafed to allow
them. King Chriiliern II of Denmark, in the year 1521, oppofed their
exorbitant claims, in refentment of which oppofition, Hamburgh, in
the year 1523, actually declared war againfl Denmark ; yet King Chrif-
tian III, being of a mild difpofition, permitted Hamburgh to keep up
thofe claims during his whole reign, which ended in the year 1558, af-
ter which we ihall trace thofe difputes farther.
There being at this time a great decay of hufbandry in England, by
reafon of the many inclofurcs, which, within the preceding fifty years,
had turned much arable land into pafture, thereby leflening the num-
ber of hufbandmen, &c. mofl capable of defending the country, where-
by alfo towns and villages were depopulated, and both wool and flefh
meat were enhanced, becaufe engrofled by the nobility and gentry, who
were not necelTitated to fell ; King Henry VIII therefore now iflued out
his commiiTions to the magiftrates for putting in execution the laws
againfi: inclofures.
In the fame year \vas firft introduced the ufe of hand-guns or muf-
kets, whereby, in little more than 100 years later, the pradice of bows
and arrows in war was quite laid afide.
In the fame year there was a great breach from the fea in the dikes
or fea-walls of Holland, whereby 72 villages, and upwards of 100,000
people, were faid to be drowned ; but we dare not afcertain this for
fact without more authentic vouchers of time, place, &c. than merely a
general report.
King Henry (by his favourite Cardinal Wolfey') aded as mediator at
the treaty of Calais between the two great rivals for power, the Empe-
ror Charles V and King Francis I of France. What relates to commerce
is as follows.
Whereas the fierce war carried on between thofe two princes had oc-
cafioned many maritime depredations, to the grievous damage of the
innocent fubjeds on both fides, and it being now the proper feafon for
the herring-fifhing, — to prevent thofe depredations, it was now ftipu-
lated.
That the fifliers, both of the emperor and France, may freely fiOi for
herrings, &c. from the date hereof (i ith Odober 1521) to the end of
January following, even though the war fliould go on between thofe
princes, and they may return home in fafety.
It was alfo ftipulatcd (much for the honour of King Henry), that dur-
ing the war between Charles and Francis, none of their fubjeds fhould,
A. D. 15 2 1. ^9
in the harbours, bays, rivers, or mouths of rivers, roads or ftations for
fhipping, and particularly the ftation called the Downs, nor in any other
maritime places belonging to the jurifdiction of the king of England,
take, fpoil, rob, or plunder any fhip or merchantman, loaded or unload-
ed, armed or imarmed, of whatfoever burden or nation they may be;
nor rob any fuch fhip of its merchandize, arms, &c. nor injure the fame
any other way : but both fhips and mariners, of whatever nation, fliould
be abfolutely fecure in thofe places, and remain at anchor there, with-
out obflrudion or moieftation from either of the faid two princes or of
their fubjecis.
Laflly, the ratification is memorable, viz.
' We having feen the above named articles, and being defirous to
' gratify the faid moR reverend cardinal, our moft dear and
' mofl beloved friend, do hereby ratify and approve the fame.
(Signed) ' Charles, emperor.
' Francis, king.
We have feen, tliat fb early as the year 1508, the Portuguefe had
become in feme meafure maflers of the fpice or Molucco ifles, and that
the emperor Charles V had encouraged Magellan to fail to them by a
vveftern courfe in the year 1518 ; }et the Spaniards proved unfuccefsfui
in all their attempts to poflefs thofe iilands. At length, King John III
of Portugal, in the year 1529, fent the emperor, his brother-in-law,
350,000 ducats (v/nen about this lime he went into Italy to be crowned
emperor), on condition of not being dillurbed in the poifeflion of thofe
iiles till repayment of that fum ; which being never done (fays Sir AVil-
liam Monfon in his Naval tracts), Spain has never fnce pretended to.
thofe ifles.
The Portuguefe now brought thofe fpices home to Liibon in great
quaniiiies, whereby, fays Penfionary De Witt {Irdej-eji of Holland, part
III. r. iii.] the king of Portugal got above 2co,oco ducats yearly.
' Thofe ifles,' fiys the fame able author, ' before they thus loft their
* independency, were ariftocratical republic?, and then drove a. great
' trade in their cloves, m.ace, and nutmegs; and although fcarcely a
* third part thereof was carried by lliipping to Calecut, that great flaple
' of India, which being there fold, were carried to Baffora ami Egypt
' by caravans, and thence tranfported by fnippiiig to Europe ; yet the
' fultans of Syria and Egypt, through whoie lands they were biought,
' were wont to receive yearly above 80,000 ducats cuftom for the fame.
' No wonder then if the princes of thofe countries, as well as the {late
' of Venice, were very much offended with the Portuguefe for divert-
' ing this profitable channel of that trade.'
About this time the French commenced a (ilk m.anufad are, having been
fupplied with workmen from Milan, while they polfefled that duchy.
In this munufafiure they made a very quick progrefs, principally at .
H 2
6o A. D. 152 I.
Lyons and other parts of the fouth of France, and fupplied many parts
of Fai rope with li Ik goods ; and until England long after fell into the
like manufadure, it was the means of draining us of great funis annu-
ally. Yet it was long after this time before France got into the method
of raifing raw filk from the worms.
In this year the city of Genoa was ftormed and pillaged by the Spa-
nil"h troops of the Emperor Charles V. And the chevalier de Mailly
{H'ifloire de Genes, V. ii, p. 81 .] acquaints us, that Genoa was at that time
efleemed the richeft city in the world (in Europe, I fuppofe, he meant)
next after Venice and Lyons.
The republic of Venice having for fo many centuries enjoyed the
fole commerce for the fpices of India, till lately deprived of it by Por-
tugal, made at this time an effort to acquire fome confiderable benefit
therefrom ftill, by making a propofal to the court of Lifbon to take off
all the fpice annually imported by the Portuguefe (over and above what
that kingdom itfelf could confume) at a certain fixed price ; but the
propofal was infiantly rejected. \Ofor- de reb. Emanuclis, L. xii.]
1 522. — Cenfio de Balthazari, a merchant of Lucca, refiding in the
lile of Crete or Candia, was appointed by King Henry to be for life go-
vernor, mailer, protestor, or conful, of the Englifli nation there, with
all powers and emoluments which any conful formerly enjoyed there
or any where elfe, either from the faid king or any of his predeceffors.
\Foedera, V. xiii, p. 766.]
So neceffary and important are a few fingle fea-ports to the welfare
of a whole kingdom, that even the abfolute fate of the latter may de-
pend on the former : Thus, in the faid year 1522, the Lubeckers, Dant-
zickers, &c. fent nine fliips of war to the afliftance of Gufi:avus (Erick-
fon) king of Sweden, by v/hofe aid he fo well fucceeded, that in grate-
ful return he granted thofe Hanfeatic cities great privileges in Sweden.
Voltaire, in his general hifi;ory of Europe, alleges that the city of Lu-
beck alfo fupplied him v/ith troops, without which he would have found
it diflticult to fucceed. By the alFifiance of Lubeck the city of Stock-
liolm was taken ; and although the 60,000 merks agreed to be paid for
that fervice could not then be paid by Sweden, yet in lieu thereof, fays
Puffi^ndorf, they were allov^'cd the fole trade of Sweden, and to pay no
cuftom there for merchandize imported, &c. ; which benefits v;ere too
great to be held long ; and thus (adds that fpirited author Voltaire) the
fate of Sweden depended on a little trading town*. Fowler, in his
hiftory of the troubles of SwedeJand and Poland (folio, London, 1656),
relates, that this great prince very much improved his people in tillage,
Iniildinp-s, and fearching out the metal mines, and the more effedual
vvx)rking of them by aquedufis and huge engines, &c. He alfo erected
■* This affertlon, like muny others of Yokaire':;, v,-as not ftri^'lly f.T.r, for I/,;bcck vos unc'.oubtcdiy
a ^rc-at trading town.
A. D. 1522. 61
workhoufes, &c, for vagrants. Thofe Hanfe towns (lays Werdenhagen
their hiftoriographer) at the fame time declared war againft Chrifliern 11
king of Denmark, who had railed on them the toll in the Sound, and
obftruded their commerce ; yet, by fo frequently intermeddling in
the wars between potent princes and dates, the Hanfe towns now
and then fufliciently fmarted, although for the mofl part they did not
give their aid \Yithout at lead providing for themfelves an ample equi-
valent.
1523 — According to Lord Herbert's hiftory of King Henry VIII, in
the attempts of the Englifli and French courts to gain Scotland to their
intereft, the Englifli minifters, among other arguments, aflerted, that
the Englifli were mailers of the feas, and thereby were able to flop and
interclude all fuccour that could come to them (the Scots) from any
other place. And as in the replications of the partifans of France that
affertion is not contradicted, the point feems to have been admitted.
It was now by an Englifli ad of parliament determined {c. xii.),
' That of every L 100 worth of gold to be coined, there fliould be L.20
coined into half-angels, of 3/4 each ; and of every L rco worth of
filver, L 50 lliall be coined into groats, L 20 into half-gro.its or two-
pences, L 20 in pence, 10 merks into halfpence, and 5 merks into
farthings.' With reiped: to thefe filver farthings, Lord Herbert obferves,
' that though it was doubtlefs for the convenience of the people that
they fliould have fo much fmall coin, yet being fo very fmall, they
are all long fince worn out.' N. B. Here is no mention of fliillings. This
too was the laft time of coining filver firthings, probably for the faid
reafon-
Malynes [Lex Mercaforia, p. 189.] alleges, that it was not yet roo
years fince one Violet Stephens, and other difcontented fiflimongers,
went to the town of Enckuyfen in Holland, where they procured the
inhabitants to fifli for them in the feas of Great Britain. In another
part of the fome book, he adds, ' whereby the fifliing trade is fo increaf-
' ed, that Holland and Zealand have above 2Coo bufles or fifliing flii[)i,
* which ufiially make three voyages yearly.' He had jtui before laid, that
in the time of King Henry VII there was no fifliing trade eftabliflied in
the Low Countries. By the fifliing trade here mentioned by Malynes,
we are only to underfiand their fiipplying foreign markets with fifli ;
for, with refpect to the Netherlands themfelves, it cannot be doubted
but that they always fiflied on their own coafts for their own fupply, al-
though England iin^ht be beforehand v. ith them in ftipplying other na-
tions.
1524. — Much about this time (fays Howell,/). ic8.), foap began firfl-
to be m.ade in, London ; before which time that city was ferved with
white foap from beyond fea, and with gray foap, fpeckled with white,
very fweet and good, from Briftol, fold here for a penny the pound, and
62 A. D. 1524.
never above a penny farthing ; alfo black foap for an halfpenny the
pound.
By an act of parliament [14, 15 Hen. VlII, c. 2%], for fettling how
many apprentices and journeymen (not denizens) fhould be kept by fo-
reign tradefmen fettled in London, &.c. great powers were given to the
corporations of handicrafts over the workmanfhip of thofe foreigners,
there being in thofe times fmiths, joiners, coopers, 8cc. of foreigners,
who had feals or flamps put on their works, after being examined by
the wardens of thofe corporations both in London and other parts.
* The jurifdiftion of the London corporations was by this a6t to extend
to two miles from the city, viz. within the town of Weftminfter, the
parifhes of St. Martin in the Fields, and of our Lady in the Strand, St.
Clements Danes without Temple-bar, St. Giles in the Fields, St. Andrews
in Holborn, the town and borough of Southwark, Shoreditch, White-
chapel parilh, St. John's ftreet (Clerkenwell), and Clerkenwell parifii,
St. Botolph without Aldgate, St. Katherine's (near the tower of Lon-
don), and Bermondfey-flreet.' This is an authentic view of the feveral
iuburbs of London in the year 1524. Neverthelefs, we are not to ima-
gine that all thole fuburbs were contiguous to each other, or joined, as
at prelent, to the great contiguity; for there were then, and long after,
feveral large breaks or fpaces where no buildings were, not only in the
flreet (now To well built) called the Strand, then chiefly taken up with
the capital dwelHngs of the nobility, with their large adjoining gardens,
but hkewife a great part of St. Martin's parilh was iiill literally in the
fields (as it is dill denominated), and the like may be faid of St. Giles
in the fields (then filled the town of St. Giles), and of the upper part
of St. Andrews in ilolborn ; much of all which, and alfo of Weftmin-
fier, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch, Whitechapel, and Southwark, was literal-
ly fields, even fo late as the reign of Queen Elifabeth, as appears by a
map of London and its fuburbs, publifiied about the year 1560. Thi«
a 61 was not to extend to any other handicrafts but joiners, pouchmakers,
coopers, and blackfrniths. Alfo lords, and all others having lands anti
tenements of Lico per annum, were hereby permitted to retain foreign
joiners and glaziers in their fervice ; which may lead us to conjedure
that thole two trades were not then fo well improved in England as they
have fince been.
By another ad of this year [<r. 3.], we find that the manufadures of
worfteds, fays, and ftamins (nowfirther regulated), were greatly increaf-
ed at Norwich, fince the former laws made for their regulation in the
reign of King Edward IV, and had extended themfelves to Yarmouth,
Lynn, and other parts of Norfolk, &c.
Francis I, king of France, fent out Verazzani, a Florentine, with four
fiiips on difcoveries, three of which he left at the Madeiras, and with the
fourth landed on the coaft of Florida j whence failing to 50 degrees of
A. D. 1524. 63
north latitude, he gave the land there the name of New France ; but
fie returned home without having planted or left any colony there.
[Purchases Pilgrimes, V. iv, p. 1603 — Morifoti Orbis viaritimus, L. ii,
c- 34-]
We have now the firft flatute made in England for mending a parti-
cular highway. [14, 15 Hen. VIII, c. 6.] There being a certain public
way in the Wild of Kent, which was much worn out, and alio not fo
near and commodious as another in the fame neighbourhood, the lord
of the manor was impowered, at his own expenfe, to complete the moft
convenient road, after which he might fliut up and inclofe the old road
for his own fole benefit. By another law [26 Hen. VUl, c. 7.], the like
was done in SulFex.
Pizarro now failed from Panama, and difcovered the immenfe riches
of Peru, where he found vefTels of gold and filver, fine palaces, &c. ; the
conqueft of which country was gradually carried on to the vail: emolu-
ment of the firfl conquerors, and the perpetual one of the Spanifh court.
About thefe times many new articles of food and drink were brought
into England, &c. fome of which occafioned the following rhyme :
• (1.) Turkeys, (2) carp<;, (3) hops, (4) piccarel, and (5) beer,
* Came into England all in one year.'
Another difiiich of our writers, under the year 1546, runs thus:
' Hops, reformation, bays, and beer,
' Came into England all in one year.'
(i) Turkies, or Guinea cocks (as then called by fome, and by others
Indian fowls), were faid to have been firft brought into England in this
15th year of King Henry VIII, which, though a tender fowl, have fince
multiplied exceedingly.
(2) Carp came hither alfo about the fame time, and are now com-
mon, not only in ponds, but in many rivers. Sufl^x is more efpecially
famous for the beft. The anonymous author of a work, termed Eng-
lifh worthies in church and fiare, 8vo, 1684, fays, ' that Leonard Maf-
' cal, of Plumfi;ed, in Suflex, was the firft who brought over into Eng-
' land, from beyond fea, carps and pippins, about the year 15 14.'
(3) The ufe of hops in malt liquor came from Artois, which fome
fay (though untruly) firft gave that liquor the name of (5) beer, as
diftinguifhed from the ancient and fofter malt-liquor called ale: Yet it is-
certain, that beer, as a malt-liquor, was known and ufed by that name
very long before.
(4) Piccarel, not very intelligible ; fince we can fijid no other mean-
ing of the word but that of young pike, which it is faid was always an
64 A. D. X524.
Englifh pond-fifli : This therefore is probably a miftake in the tran-
fcribers *.
Sundry other kinds of fruits and plants were firft cultivated in Eng-
land about this time ; fuch as apricots and mufk-melons, though others
make both thefe to have come much later, viz. the former in the year
1 578, and the melon-feeds not till the time of King James I, from Italy.
The large fine pale goofberry came hither alio from Flanders about this
time, with falads, garden-roots, cabbages, &c. as elfewhere noted. [See
the prefent Jlate of England, part Hi, anno 1683,/--. 258.]
-- 1525 Sebaftian Cabot, fonnerly employed by King Henry VII of
England, and now employed in Spain as chief pilot, inilead of going to
the Moluccos, as firft defigned, failed a great way up the vaft river De
la Plata, :md found the country of Paraguay fo inviting that he built
feveral forts in it ; and foon after that country vvas planted by Spain.
The Hanie towns were flill fo powerful that Frederick I king of
Denmark was induced to defire an union with them, being herein fe-
conded by the great-mafter of Pruffia.
And if Puffendorf's hiftory of Sweden is to be relied on, even the
Lubeckers alone fancied themfelves fo far mailers of the northern king-
doms, that they had already fold Denmark to Henry VIII king of Eng-
land, who had actually advanced to them 20,000 crowns on this account ;
but it feeir.s he wifely put off the payment of the remainder, till they
ihould fulfill their engagement.
Moreover, KingGuftavusErickfon of Sweden, about this time agreed
with Frederick I of Denmark, to refer their differences about the ifland
of Gothland and the province of Blekinga, &.c. to the fix following
Hanfe towns, viz. Lubeck, Hamburgh, Dantzick, Roftock, Wiimar, and
Lunenburg ; between which tov^ns and thofe two kings an alliance was
made againil the expelled King Chrifi:ierii II, who claimed all the three
northern crowns ; by whicli alliance a final period was put to the union
of thofe three kingdoms ; which the Swedes alleged had ever been pre-
judicial to them, but beneficial to the Danes, who, whilfl; they com-
manded in Sweden, lived like opulent lords, vvhereas the native Swedes
were Haves and beggars.
Although the foUovving treatife of geography was not perhaps the firft
general one of the kind, fince the revival of learning, yet it is doubt-
lefs a very old one : It is a Latin work, in folio, printed at S'raftfurg,
1525, intitled, ' Claudii Ptolon:ia^i geographical enarrationis libri oc-
' to. Bilibaldo Pirckeymhero interprete. Annotationes Joannis de Re-
* giomonte in errores commifi^bs a Jacobo Angelo, in tranflaiione fua.'
After Ptolemy's maps, tables, &c. this author gives us a new fet of
* 'The pike, as he ageth, rcceivech diverfe ' to :\ p'lcksrf!! : irom d. pkiaell to a. pile ; aiij lad
'■ rtamcs ; as horn a yr.r to a j^/V//W; from a gilt- ' of all to a /,vrf.' \_Harrijuu''s D<-i.npii'jn nj fii'-
' lied to a pod i ivouM pod i.o <i. jack: ; {tQU\^j:i.l:i bi:J, p. 244.1 Hf.
A. D. 15 25. 65
maps of his own compofing, on wooden plates, according to the new
difcoveries.
1. It appears, that by means of the Portu^uefe difcoveries, the charts
of the coafts of Africa, Arabia, Perfia, and India, are pretty well deli-
neated.
2. With refpedl to China, to which the Portuv.uele had not as yet
given that more modern name, and which he, alter the old autliors of
the 13th century, fliles Cathay, almoll all that he Teemed to know of it
is, that it was to be failed to from India.
3. He calls America, ' Terra nova inventa per Chriflophorum Co-
' lumbum,' i. e. the new land found out by Columbus ; which feems to
be all that he knew of it. But,
4. His map or chart of what he calls the Mare Congelatum. together
with the countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, is miferablv er-
roneous, as is alfo that of the Baltic fea. And between Greenland and
Norway-Lapland, inftead of an open fea he miakes a great bay, which
terminates at a fabulous ridge of mountains, like thofe of Ptolemy, &c.
5. In one of his maps, he makes England and Scotland two different
ifles, and in another but one ifle, though extremely erroneous in figure,
&c. The like of other parts of the world. This is enough to fliow the
infant ftate of cofmographical knowlege in that age.
About this time, King Henry at a great expenfe erected the pier of
Dover. Being afterward decayed, it was repaired by Queen Elizabeth ;
and both it and the harbour have fmce at many different periods been,
with very great charge, repaired and enlarged. Dover was anciently a
flouriiliing town, and had ("even parifh churches, fmce reduced to two ;
partly occafioned by the lofs of Calais, and partly by the fuppreffion of
pilgrimages and monafteries ; (which is alfo the cafe of the anciently fa-
mous city of Canterbury) partly alio by the decay of its harbour : Yet
Dover has fince in fome meafure recovered its former profperity; and its
harbour is one of the befl dry harbours of England.
No difcovery of any confequence had been made from England fince
Cabot's voyage to the coafts of America. King Henry now fent out
two fhips towards the fame coafls, one of which was caft away in the
gulf of St. Laurence, and the other returned home the fame year with-
out any material difcovery. Some place this attempt in the year 1527.
(^See Hakluyt, V. iii, p. 129.) This voyage is probably that which Ro-
bert Thorn put King Henry upon, for a north-weft paffage to the IMo-
luccos.
1526. — In this year the famous treaty of Madrid was made between
the Emperor Charles V, and King Francis I of France, then his prifoner.
What relates to commerce is in fubftance,
I) That onlv the antient cuftoms and duties on merchandize fhould
Vol. II. ' I
66 A. D. 1526.
be paid, annulling the new imports laid on within twenty years pall 011
eithei- fide, and particularly thofe on wines and fait.
II) That notwithftanding the late prohibitions of the kings of France,
the woolien cloths made in Catalonia, Rouflillon, Sardinia, and the other
territories of the crown of Arragon, and aUb all other cloths and mer-
chandize belonging to the fubjeds of that crown, might be carried by
land or water through the dominions of France, in order to avoid the
many dangers of a long navigation, paying no other than the ancient
impofts eflabliflied twenty years before, but not to be fold in France.
On the other hand, the cloths of France might be freely fold in the em-
peror's dominions. [Fcedera, V. xiv, pp. 309, 322.]
This is one of many proofs that the Spaniards manufactured their
excellent wool into cloth before the national induflry was poifoned by
the influx of gold and filver from America.
It appears from Hakluyt \V. ii, p. 3.] That now, and for fome time
before, fome merchants of Briftol traded, by means of the fhips of St,
Lucar in Spain, tathe Canary iflands, fending thither cloth, foap, &c..
and returning with dying drugs, fugar, and kid fkins ; and' that they
alfo fent thither their fudors from Spain.
Hakluyt obferves, that the Spaniards firfl planted vines and fugar-
canes in the Canaries, as the Portuguefc alfo did in Madeira ; but it is
to be prefumed that they had not as yet got wine enough for exporta-
tion at thofe iflands. He adds, that at Palma, one of the Canaries, he
was well informed they had twelve fugar-houfes, called ingenios (as the
Spaniards ftill call them), in which they made great quantities of good
fugar.
1527.. In a treaty between King Henry and Francis I. king of
France, the latter obliges hirafelf to pay Henry a perpetual annuicy of
50,000 crowns, and alfo as much fait annually as {hould amount to
15,000 crowns more, to be delivered at Bruage in Saintoigne, free of'
all charges or exactions, on board the veflels fent by King Henry to re-
ceive it. {Foedero^ V. xiv, p. 218.]
To the performance of this treaty, agreeable to the ufage of thofe
times, many p;reat lords and the principal cities of both countries were
bound. The Englifh cities mentioned are, London, York, Canterbury,
Norwich, Coventry, Winchefter, Exeter, Salifbury, Lincoln, Welles,
Hereford, Chichefter, and Chefler.
Francis had great need of Henry's friendfhip againft the ambitious
fchemes of the Emperor Charles V. He was therefore extremely Uber-
al of his promifes to Henry, more efpecially as the latter was at this
time making large monthly payments for fupporting the war in Italy
againft the emperor.
One Simon Fifh of Gray's-Inn, in his treatife called a fupplication
of the beggars to the king, reprefents the number of lepers and poor
*
A. D. 1527. . 67
to be fo much increafed, that all the alms of the realm were not fuffi-
cient to relieve them ; occafioned (fays he) by counterfeit holy beg-
gars, who have got into their hands more than a third part of the
realm ; the goodlieil lordfhips and manors aretheir's, befules the tithes,
oblations, mortuaries, &c. But his computations in poUtical arithme-
tic are extremely erroneous ; for inflance, he fays, there are 52,000
parifhes in England, and 10 houfeholds to each parilh, in all 520,000
houfeholds : That every one of the five orders of friars received a pen-
ny a quarter, and 20^ yearly from each houfehold ; fo that thofe friars,
though not the four-hundredth perfon of the realm, had half its
profits.
It was even long afi:er this time a queftion whether the precife num-
ber of the parifhes of England was known.
Their number in King Edward I's valuation (as per MS. copy in the
Bodleian library), was about 8900, without including chapels, many ot
which have fince been eredled into parifhes.
According to the valuation in the king's books in King Henry VITI's
time, the number of parifhes was confiderably above 9000.
Yet even in our own days, it is difputable whether there be quite
10,000 pariflies in England and Wales. If then the number of parifhes
remains ftill uncertain *, it camiot be wondered at that the number of
* It is probable that the number of parifhes in (hires ; and he, except in a few inftances, exprelTes
the year 1527 was nearly the fame as in 1520, no doubt of its accuracy. As it appears to have
when an enumeration of t'lofe in every fhire was efcaped our author's relearch, it may not be un-
made by the direflion of Cardinal Wolfey, which acceptable even to thofe readers who poffels the
is fubjoined by Camden to his defcriptions of the Jjrilanr.ia, to fee coUefted in one view
CAMDEN'S ENUMERATION OF THE PARISHES IN ENGLAND AND WALES,
FROM CARDINAL WOLSEy's BOOK.
575
660
78
326
2oa
48
Pa
ri/J:!{s ir,
1 England.
Cornwall,
_
^
161
Effex,
Di'von,
•
-
394
Suffolk,
Dorfet,
.
.
248
Norfolk, about
Somerfet,
.
.
385
Cambridge,
Wilts,
.
-
304
Huntingdon,
Hants,
-
-
253
Northampton,
Berks,
.
-
140
Leiccfter,
Surry,
.
•
140
Rutland,
Suffex,
.
.
3'2
(or 47
Kent,
.
.
398
' Lincoln, about
Glocefter,
-
.
280
Nottingham,
Oxford,
.
.
280
Derby,
Buckingnam,
«
.
185
Warwick,
Bedford,
.
J.
116
W.irceller,
Hertford,
.
•
120
Stafford,
Middlelex, in
the country,
about
73
Salop, about
London and the fuburbs,
-
221
Cheftcr, about
ed. 1600.)
630
168
106
158
152
»30
170
68
68
A. D.
1527-
the people is not exadly known. Accordingly, we find many various,
and fome not a little extravagant, computations on this fubjed. But,
without paying any attention to fuch guelles, it may be lufficient to ob-
ferve, that from many various reafonings, there may probably be above
7,000,000 of fouls in England at this time. Lord Chief-juftice Hale,
in his Primitive origination of mankind, written above 90 years ago,
makes them to be at leaft 6,000,000, and fubjoins, ' That nothing can
* be clearer than the gradual increaie of mankind, to be feen by the
' curious obfervations on the bills of mortality.' He alfo makes an ela-
borate compariibn between the number of people in Glocefterfliire
(with which county he was well acquainted), in the time of making
Domefday-book and in his own time ; and he thinks them at leaft
twenty times as many as they were at that time, by reafon of the vafh
Hereford,
Monmouth,
York,
Richmonfl,
Befidcs great chapels.
4?9-
104
176
563
Durham and Northumberland, ii8
Lancaller, only - - 36
Wellmoreland, - - 26
Cumberland, - '5^
Parifiies in all England, about
9161
Par't/hes in Wales.
Radnor,
Brecknock,
Glamorgan,
Carmarthen,
Pcnbrokc,
Cardigan,
52
61
ii8
87
145
64
Montgomery,
Merioneth,
Carnarvon,
Anglefey,
Denbigh,
Flint,
Pariflies in Wales,
Total in England and Wales, accordiiig to Camdi.n,
47
37
74
57
28
8j8
9999
From a glance of this table it is evident that
the number of parilhes affords no jnfl iiandard for
an ellimate of the population ; for by fuch a
ftandard Hertford mull have contained more peo-
ple than Durham and Northumberland together,
Suffolk moi-e than York, and the fmall pal'toral
fhire of Rutland more than Lancalter, which even
in Wolfey's time had fome manufactures and com-
merce.
It is proper to obferve, that Camden \_Bntan-
nia, p. 117, ed. 1607] gives 9407 as the total
number of pariflies in Wolfey's catalogue. He at
the fame time gives another enumeration of the
parilhes in England and Wales, a» divided into
diocefes, amounting to 92 84, taken from a cata-
logue prefented to King James I ; and he offers
fome conjedlures to reconcile the d.fitrent num-
bers.
THe difference between the total in this tabic
and 9407, the total as given by Camden, is per-
haps owing to fome error in the printing ; for alF
the number's are in figures. The table is collated
with two editions, viz. that of iGoo in quarto,.,
and that of 1C07 in folio, the lafl and beft ; and
the only variations are in Rutland, as above noctd,
and the total omifliou in the edition of 1600 of the
pariflies in London and its fuburbs, in Monmouth,
and in ali Wales.
The Magna Britannia publiilied in 1720 \_V. i,
f. 2i6j reckons 191 parilhes in Duckinghamfiiire..
Stow \_yinna!(;s, p. I 112, cd. l6co] reckons iig.
pariflies in London and the fuburbs in the year
The enumeration of pariflies made in the year
1371, for the purpofe of a pai-ocliial taxation,
dillers widely from the above, and ihe total num-
ber is only 86co. [5/ow'.r jinnaL-i, p. 424, ed.
1600.] M.
A. D. 1527. 69
increafe of the people in the towns and villages then in being, as well
as of the great number of towns, villages, &c. now exifling, which are
not named in that famous book. Yet though this may poflibly be
true of Glocefterlhire, the like proportion cannot poflibly be fuppofed
to hold in other counties ; and it may even be well if the number of
people at the Norman conqueft (fuppofed to be 2,ooo,ooo't be at this
time increafed, in feven centuries, to much m.ore than three and a-half
times that number, or feven, or perhaps nearly to eight, millions.
Lord Herbert fays, that the Emperor Charles V propofed to King
Henry a treaty for felling to him his claim to the Molucco or fpice
iflands, perliaps merely with a view of drawing hiin over from the fide
of France, fince we hear nothing farther of it afterwards ; and v/e have
elfewhere noted, that he religtied all his pretenfions to thofe ifles for
350,000 ducats, borrowed of the cro\ni of Portugal, his own title to
them not being juftly fupportable.
Narvaez failed from Spain with five fhips and 400 men, for the con-
quefl of Florida, being the firft attempt of the Spaniards to fettle in
North America. But finding no gold and much hardfhip, with the lofs
of fhips and men, the remainder got from the North Sea to New Spain,
after living among the Indians nine years, and travelling 200 leagues ;
and at length only three of them returned alive to Spain.
1528. — In a prolongation of a truce for eight months between the
Emperor, France, and England, the mutual freedom of fifhing on the
feaswas fVipulated, and alfo that the commerce between England and the
Netherlands fnould be abfolutely free and undiflurbed for this and all
fubfequent continuations of the truce ; and moreover, the freedom of
commerce was extended to the Mediterranean fea, as well as to the feas
furrounding the Britifli iflands.
At this time, in the wars of Italy between the emperor and the king
of France, the Imperialifts, commanded by Andrea Dorla, took Genoa
from the French ;. and by an agreement with the emperor, Doria, to
his immortal honour, reftored his native country of Genoa to that li-
berty and form of gtivernment which it has enjoyed to the prefent time,
inftead of imitating the Medici family at Florence, as he might eafily
have done.
A war being likely to break out between England and the emperor
(King Henry having at this time entered into engagements with
France), Lord Herbert thereupon remarks, that our merchants, who
ufed not then the trade to the many northern and remote countries
they now frequent, forefeeing the confequence of thole wars, refufed
to buy the cloths that were brought to Blackwell-hall in London ;•
whereupon the clothiers, Ipimiers, and carders in many fhires of Eng-
land began to mutiny ; for appeafmg whereof, the cardinal-minifteiv
70 A. D. 1528.
commanded the merchants to take off thofe cloths at a reafonable price
from the poor mens hands, threatening otherwife that the king himfelf
fliould buy them, and fell them to ftrangers ; but the fullen merchants,
little moved herewith, faid they had no reafon to buy commodities they
knew not how to vend: Therefor, whatloever was propofed for ftaples
at Calais or at Abbeville (the Englidi flaple being then at Antwerp)
the merchants did not, or at leaf! would not underftand it. But this
difcontentment did equally extend to the inhabitants of the Low
Countries, and eipecialiy to thofe of Ajitwerp, where the chief marl
was.
This matter, however, blew over for that time ; yet this relation
plainly fhows that the commerce to the Netherlands was the mofl im-
portant that England then poflefTed.
1529. — Cortes, the viceroy of Mexico, having fent Saavedra with three
fliips from New Spain, to find a palFage that way to the Molucco or Spice
ifles, one of them got fafe thither, and returned the fame way back to
Panama this year with the fpices of thofe iflands. This voyage paved
the way to the conquefl of the Philippine ifles in the Eaft-Indian feas
by the Spaniards, who flill poilefs them.
1530 It may not be here improper to take notice of an ad [21 Hen.
VIII, c. 12.] for the regulation of rope-making in the town of Bridport
(therein named Burport) in Dorfetfhire. It fets forth, ' That whereas
' the people of that town have, out of time that no man's mind is to
' the contrary, uled to make the mofl part of all the great cables, hawf-
' ers, ropes, and all other tackling, as well for your royal fliips and
■' navy, as for the mofl part of all other fliips within this realm, by reafon
' whereof your faid town was right well maintained,' &c Then comes
;:he grievance, viz. ' That the people of the adjacent parts to this town
' have fet up rope-making, and make flight goods, whereby the pricesofthe
' faid cables, &c. are greatly enhanced * ; and your faid town or borough,
' by means whereof, is like utterly to be decayed f.' For remedy where-
of, it was enaded, that all hemp growing within five miles of Bridport
fliould be fold no where but in that town ; and no perfons but fuch as
dwell in the faid town fliould make out of the faid town any cables,
hawfers, &c. made of hemp, in any other place or places within the dif-
tance of five miles from the faid town.
* A mod glarinp falfehood. Notliiiig is clearer and other companies of London and fome other
than ihat the iT.uUii.ucle of workmen nnift cffcdl a towns. They (how how very little the plaineft
competition for cheapnefs, as well as goodiu-fs of principles of trade were known or attended to by
the CO :r.n:jdity, greatly to the advantage of the the Icgiflatnre in thofe times.
purch.il'.rs. Such abiuid allegations in favour of f This was probably vei-y true ; and it was the
tnonopoly frequently occur in old a£ls of parlia- fole ground of the application to parliament.
ment, procured by the pewterers, clothworkcrs,
A. D. 1530:. ;*
The law is but too evident a confirmation of what we have elfewhere
remarked, that the preambles to many ads of parliament, and alfo very
often the reafons afhsned for particular ckiufes, are by no means to be
relied on, in point of jull and true reafoning.
In this fame year, the city of London obtained a decree of the ftar-
chamber, wherein it is reprefented, ' I) That the realm is over-run with
foreign manufa(ftures. II) That foreigners export bacon, cheefe, pow-
dered beef, mutton, &c. whereby great portions of corn, victual, &c.
grown and bred within the realm, are confumed.' Thefe are fuch
grievous accufations as would generally be deemed bleftings in our days.
Thus,* fays a reverend and learned modern writer (Dr. Tucker), to
whom we are indebted for this decree, ' did the monopolizing focieties,
in thofe inflmt days of commerce, impofe on the legiflature, not then
judges of commerce. And by fuch means, foreigners being greatly
difcouraged, withdrew from us, and with them many of our own ma-
nufactures ; infomuch that our woollen manufactures very much de-
clined, and foreign cloth was fold cheaper than our own, by means of
thofe monopolizing laws ; the nation grew thinner of people, and pro-
vifions not lelling fo well, the gentlemen turned much land into flieep-
walks, for fupplying the Netherlands with wool.'
In an ad of parliament of this fame year [c. 13.] intitled, ' Spiritual
perfons abridged from having plurahties of livings, :«nd from taking
of ferms, &c.' there is the following claufe : ' And be it enaded, that
if any perfon, having one benefice with cure of foul, being of the
yearly value of eight pounds or above, accept and take any (uher, with
cure of foul, — that then, and immediately after fuch poflcflion had
thereof, the firft benefice (liall be judged in the law to be void. And
it fliall be lawful to every patron, having the advowfon thereof, to
prefent another ; and the prefentee to have the benefit of the fame,
in fuch manner and form as though the incumbent had died or re-
figned.'
In this year, Dionyfias Harris, of London, merchant, was appointed
by King Henry VIII to be conful of the Englifh merchants at Gandia
during life. He was the firfi: Englifliman who was appointed conful in
thofe remote parts, where the Englifh commerce being but fmall as yet,
our own merchants might not be well enough acquainted with the cuf-
toms, language, &c. for that ofllice. The year following, the king ap-
pointed a foreigner to be conful at Scio, or Chios, and parts adjacent m
the Archipelago, daring the king's pleafare only ; whereas till now, all
foreign confuls had been conftituted fuch during life. [FaJera, V. xiv,
/)/. 389, 424.]
It was about this time, according to Paulo Paruta's hiftory of Venice,
[L. \\\,part I.] tha^ the Turkifh fultan, Solymanll, is faid to have been
73 A. D. 1530.
firfi; inftruded, by his famous admiral Barbarofla. to manage a navy ;
the Turkifh emperors having till now applied themfelves principally to
the increafe of their power by land armies only. It was by this famous
fea-commandLi's advice that the Turks firft manned their galleys with
H.ives, infte:id of raw and unexperienced men. By fuch regulations did
Earl^arofTa greatly increafe the ftrength of the Turkifli navy, which
f on that tim." became much more terrible to Chriftendom than be-
fore ; as ihe Venetians, and alfo tlie Genoefe, foon and fadly expe-
rienced, by tVie lofs of moll of their iflands and ports in the Levant feas.
About this time, according to Hakluyt, Captain William Hawkins of
Plymouth made a voyage to Guinea, and traded there for elephants
teeth, &c. and thence iailed to Brafil, where he alfo traded. In thole
days the Europeans had not confined the commerce of their American
colonies fo entirely to themfelves as to exclude the approach of all other
nations thither. Captain Hawkins traded to Brafil again in the year
1532*.
1 531. — Several hiftorians tell us, that in the year 153 1, a terrible
earthquake happened at the city of Lifbon, which lafted eight days, and
overthrew 1500 houfes and many churches.
The fame year the new canal from Bruflels to Antwerp was begun,
but not completed till the year 1560.
The citizens of Antwerp, being now in great profperity, the fruits of
.an immenfe commerce, built their famous bourle, or exchange f , the
iioblell of that age in Europe, for the daily refort of merchants of all
nations. Upon the front of that edifice, according to Louis Guicciardin,
in his hiftory of the Netherlands, there was placed the following in-
fcription :
S. P. Q^A.
In UJiim Negoti'atorum cujujcunque Nationis ac Linguae, Urbifque adeo Jiiee Or-
namentum. Anno mdxxxi, a Solo extrui curaveriint %.
* Hawkins's fliip was remarked as exceedingly tained. The French merchants alfo carried the
large, being of 250 tons burthen. HaUuyt''s voy- name to the fame kind of places at Rouen, and
ages, V. 'in, p. "jco. M. even as far as Tholoufe : Yet, fiys he, Queen
f Guicciardin gives the following account of Eli/.abetli of England (in whofe reign he wiote),
the origin of the name of bourfe, given to fuch upon viewing the newly-erefled magnificent bourfe
edifices in fundry cities of Europe. of London, would have it called the royal ex-
There was, it feems, before this time a commo- change, though foreigners there ftill call it the
diouny fittiattd fquare in the middle of the city of bourfe-royale. He tells us alfo, that in Antwerp
Bruges, in which Hood a large nntient burding, there is a handfome edifice, called the Englifli
which had been ertfted by the noble family of La bourfe, built in the year 1550, for the accommo-
Bourfe (which fignifies purfe in French and Flem- dation of Englifli merchants ; and another noble
ifli), whofe coat-of-arms on its walls wis three bouife or ftiufture for the German merchants of
purfes. 'i"he merchants of Bruges made this old the Hanfe.
Jioufe the place of their daily afTcn.blies ; and % In Englifh ; The fenate and people of Ant-
wlien atterwaid they went to the fairs of Antwerp werp trefted this ftrufture for the accommodation
and Mons, ihcy called the places they found there of merchants of all nations and languages, and tor
jbr the merchants adembling by tlie fame name of an oniainent to their city, anno 1531.
ja bouifc; whereby at length that name alone ob-
A. D. 1531. 73
Lord Herbert relates, that King Kenry VIII, being informed that Ita-
lian and other foreign merchants brought commodities into England,
which they fold well, and then returned the money home by exchange,
to the exhaufting of the wealth of his realm, and diminution of his cuf-
toms, now iffued a proclamation, (purfuant to a ftatute of King Richard
III) that the money they received here for their wares fliould not be
exchanged to other countries, but laid out in the commodities of his
realm, which, as long as it was obferved, proved a great benefit to both
king and fubje6t. This might poflibly be true in thofe days, and is one
proof of the fmalinefs of commerce, compared to what it is in our
time, when fuch unreafonable reftraints would create infinite diforders,
if not a total ftagnation of trade. It alfo fhows how little that king's
advifers underflood the true nature of commerce and the interefl of
the kingdom.
Beggars, and the other neceflitous poor of England, had as yet no
other relief than an adt of parliament [22 Hen. VIII, c. 12.] whereby the
juftices of every county were empowered to grant licences to poor,
aged, and impotent peribns, to beg within a certain precinct ; and fuch
as fhould beg beyond their precind, vrere either to be whipped, or fet
in the flocks three days and three nights, and fed on bread and water.
Begging vagabonds were alfo to be whipped.
Charles V publifhed an edid in his Netherland provinces much to
the fame efFecl ; wherein he juftly remarks, that the trade of begging
fixes people in idlenefs, and leads them into bad courfes of life : none
therefor, except mendicant friars and pilgrims, and people reduced bv
calamities, are allowed to beg, under pain of imprifonment, whipping,
&c. The poor refiding in the provinces one whole year, were to re-
main where they were fettled, and ihare in the alms ordered for them ;
and a common purfe was to be eflabliihed at all poor-houfes, hofpitals,
brotherhoods, &c. where alms were ufually given, poor-boxes in churches;
and once or twice in every week magiflrates were to coUecl alms \\\
churches and at private houfes for the poor» Idle and roguifh livers were
to be coiTipeiled to work. Poor wom.en in childbed, and alfo orphans
and foundlings, to be taken care of, and the latter put to fchoois, and
taught on Sundays and holidays the pater nofter, creed, and ten comi-
mandments, and put to trades and fervices. But fince thofe times, the
Dutch have fo greatly improved in their provifions for the helpk^fs poor,
and methods of compelling the idle, to labour, that they have become a
pattern for all other nations.
1532. — James V, king of Scotland, inftituted a new college of julHce,
commonly called the lords of council and feflion, formed upon the
model of the parliament of Paris. It confiiled, and fliil confifts, of a.
lord prefident, and fourteen other lords, comrnonlv called the fifteen^
Vol. II. k-
74 A. D. 15^.
lords of fellion, but more properly the fenators of the college of
juftice.
Kmg Henry having entered into a ftrider alliance with the king of
France againft the Emperor, the maritime force of each party was ap-
pointed to coniift of a fquadron of fhips, (not mentioning their num-
l;)er- tonnage, or force), having 1500 foldiers in it, with artillery, &c. ;
which l'quadron,when demanded by either parry, was to cruife between
L'ilmnt and the Downs for fix months in the year, for the defence of
both coafts of England and France from the attempts of the emperor.
If the emperor fliould at atiy time feize on the Englifh merchants and
their efFeds in the Netherlands, Francis obliged himfelf to feize on the
effcds of the Netherlanders in France for fatisfadion. On the other fide,
Henry ftipulated to do the like in England in behalf of the French
merchants, in cafe their effeds fhould be feized in the Netherlands.
In an ad [2;?. Hen. VIII, c. 8.] for mending the havens of Plymouth,
Dartmouth, and Teingmouth in Devonfliire, and ot Falmouth and Fowey
in Cornwall, it is afi^erted that thofe ports were in former times
efteemed the principal and moft commodious havens of England, imtil
they were choked up by the gravel, fand, rubble, &c. of certain works
of tin in thofe counties, called fiream works ; and that (hips of 800
tons burden have formerly come eafily into them at low water, where-
by a great multitude of fliips, as well foreign as EngUfh, have been pre-
ferved and faved ; whereas now a (hip of j 00 tons could fcarcely enter
them at half flood.
1 z^-^^. — Beef, pork, mutton, and veal, were direded by ad of parharaent
r24 Hen. VIII, c. 3.] to be fold by v;cight ; no perfon to take above one
halfpenny a pound for beef or pork, nor above three farthings for mut-
ton and veal. The number of butchers then in London and* its fub-
urbs was reckoned to be one hundred and twenty, each of whom kill-
ed nine oxen weekly, which, in forty-fix weeks, (none being then killed
in Lent) amounts to 33,120 oxen yearly. [Stozv's Survey of London,
p. 356, f^/. 1 61 8.] Lord Herbert obferves that this law was afterward
iuiily repealed, in confideration that unfeafonable years did not permit
any certain rule for the prices of fleflt meat, which were afterwards fix-
ed occafionally by a committee of the privy-council.
Ey another ftatute [c. i r.] the ftreet-way between Charing-crofs and
Strand-crofs, (/. e. near vs'bere Somerfet-houie now is fituated) in the
fuburbs of London, was direded to, be fufficiently paved and maintain-
ed at the charge of the owners of the lands adjoining. This fnows that
the Strand v.'as not as yet built into a continued flreet.
Another ftatute of this year {c. 4.] direded, that for every fixty acres
of land fit for tillage, one rood fhould be fown with flax-feed or hemp-
feed. And by the 5 th of vXieen EUzabeth, U. 5] that queen had power.
A. D. 1533. ^s
by her proclamation, to revive this law in iuch counties as flic fhould
judge proper, ' for the better provifion of nets for help and furtherance
' of filhing, and for elchewing of idlenefs ;' but no mention of a linen
manufafture is therein made.
The tree, or flirub, bearing currants, or grapes of Corinth, is by fome
authors faid to have been brought from the ifland of Zant, and planted
in England about this time. This delicious fruit or grape has long ago
become fo plentiful every where throughout Britain and Ireland, that it
would be difficult to convince fome people that currants were not ori-
ginal natives here ; which is alfo the cafe of many other truits, plants,
roots, and flowers. Dr. Heylin,in his Colmography, obferves, that the
people of Zant were very poor when the Engliili began to purchafe
their currants, and wondered to what end they annually brought away
fuch quantities, alking them, whether they ufed their currants to dye
cloths, or to tatten their hogs ? He adds, ' that our trade thither has
* enriched thofe iflanders.'
The Lubeckers, who had been ferviceable to Guftavus Erickfon king
of Sweden, demanded of him the foie right of trading on his northern
fea-coafts ; but this being judged unreafonable, they thereupon demand-
ed immediate payment of what he owed them ; and alfo joining with
the refugees of the expelled King Chrifliern's party, they propofed to
themf elves (fays PufFendorf) no Icfs than the conqueft of the northern
kingdoms.
Concerning this King Guftavus T, Voltaire obferves, ' that he was
* the firft of the Swedilh kings v^ho made foreign nations fenfible of
* the weight which Sweden might have in the affairs ot Europe, at a
'• time when European policy was putting on a new face, and when firft
' the .notion was fiarted of a balance of power. Sweden' (continues
this author) ' had as yet no regular commerce nor manufadures ; and
' the ufeful inventions were unknown there. It Vv'as this king Guflavus
' v/ho firfl drew the Sv-edes out of obfcurity, and likevvlit; Simulated
' the Danes by his example '
1534 — Jacques Cartier failed from France with one fnip, to fearcli
for a north-weit paiTage to the Eaft-Indics : but after failing up the bay
of St. Laurence as far as the ifle of Ailumption, lie returned home in
the fame year. The next year he failed up the great river of St. Lau-
rence, (or Canada) with tliree Ihips, as far as Montreal, 200 leagues from
its entrance, and wintered there among the natives ; fome uf whom,
with their king, he invited onboard his ihlp, on pretence ol an enter-
tainment, and carried them home to St. Maloes (where their king died
four years after), in hope thereby to gain a perfect knowledge of their,
country, and of the hoped-for pafTage to India : But the natives were
fo enraged at his treachery, that they could not, in many vears after, be
Iv 2 '
76
A. D. 1534.
brought to permit the French to trade thither. On Cartier's return, in
the year 1536, he found many French Ihips fiihing on the banks of
Newfoundland, which {hows how early the French fell into that fifhery.
Cartier made no fettlement in Canada, only he eredled a crofs there,
with the arms of his king, and called the country la Nou%'eUe France:
yet a village there has preferved his name to this day *.
By an a6l of parliament [25 Hen. VIU, c. 8.], the flreet between
Holbourn-bridge and Holbourn-bars at the weft end thereof, was di-
reded to be paved with ftone {i. e. we may fuppofe from St. Andrew's
church weftward, the other part down to the bridge being already pav-
ed.) The fireets of Southwark were hereby alio dired:ed to be paved ;
and every perfon was ordered to maintain the pavement before his own
ground, or forfeit to the king fixpence for every yard fquare.
An a6l of parliament [25 Hen. VHI, c. 13.] reprefents the practice of
engroiling farms, and diverting land from tillage to the fupport of vafl
numbers of fheep, as an evil lately fprung up ; ' whereby they have not
' only pulled down churches and towns f, and enhanced the old rates of
' rents, or elfe brought them to fuch exceflive fines, that no poor man
' is able to meddle with them ; but alfo have enhanced the prices of all
* manner of corn, cattle, wool, pigs, geefe, hens, chickens, eggs, &.c. ;
' by reafon whereof a marvellous midtitude of people be not able to
* provide meat, clothes, &c. for themfelves and families. One of the
* greateft occafions why thofe greedy and covetous people do keep fuch
* great quantities of lands in their hands, from the occupying of the
"' poor hufbandman, and do ufe it in paflure and not in tillage, is only
' the great profit that cometh of fheep, now got into few perfons hands,
" in refped: of the whole number of the king's fubjeds, that fome have
*' 24,000, fome 20,000, fome 10,000 to 5000 fheep; whereby a good
' flieep, that ufed to be fold for 2/4, or 3/ at moft, is now fold for 6f,
* or 5/, or 4/" at leaf! ; and a ftone of wool, which ufed to be fold for
' 1/6, or 1/8, is now fold for i^f, or 3/4 at leaft, &c. which things
'' tend to the decay of hofpitaiity, the diminifnlng of the people, and to
' the let of cloth-making, whereby many poor people have been accuf-
' tomed to be fet on work. For remedy ,_^ it was in fubllance, enaded,
' I) That none fhali keep above 2400 fheep (exclufi.ve of lambs) at
' any one time, unlefs it be on his own land of inheritance ; in which
' cafe he is not hereby limited, nor are fpiritualperfons.
' II) No man Ihall hold above two farm.s ; in the parifh of one of
* which he fliall be obliged to refide.',
* Sebaftian Munfter, in his Gcorjvaphia vetius et at the ifland ftill called Ccpe Bvetoii, in his map
jiova, (B;ilih2s 1540) has placid ihc name o^ Fnui- of America, which he calls Novus Oibis.
jc/fca where Canada is iituated ; and C. Briionum f Quere, how could that be ?
A. D. 1534. 77
The increafe of the woollen manufadure increafmg the demand for
wool, gave rife to this praclice of engrofling farms, and turning theni
into fheep-walks, which undoubtedly can be managed by fewer hands
than tillage farms can be, whereby depopulation neceflruily muft enfue.
"We have feen the monopolizing law in favour of the town of Brid-
port, for engrofling the manufadlure of ropes, exclufive of the villages
or open country. We have now fuch another, upon a petition to par-
liament from the city of Worcefter, and the' towns of Evefhani, Droit-
wich, Kidderminfter, and Bromfgrove, reprefenting, that the faid city
and towns were in times pall well and fubftantially inhabited, and em-
ployed in the manufacture of woollen cloths, until within a tew years
paft, that divers perfons, dwelling in the hamlets, thorps, and villages of
the faid Ihire, have not only engrofled and taken into their hands I'un-
dry farms, and become graziers and hufbandmen, but alfo make ail
manner of cloths, and exercife weaving, fulling, and ihearing, within
their own houfes, to the great depopulation of the faid city and towns ;
For remedy, it was hereupon enaded, ' that no perfon within Worcef-
* terfhire Ihall make any cloth but the proper inhabitants of the laid city
' and towns, excepting perfons who make cloths folely for their own
* and family's wearing.' [25 Henry VlII, c. 18.]
Thus did the legiflature miftake the true interefl of the public. It
is the cheapnefs of the manufadure which enables the merchant to ex-
port it, and to underfell foreign competitors ; and confining it thus to
towns was the way to make it come dearer to the merchant than it
would have done, had it been in the open country, vv-here every necef-
fary comes cheaper than in towns ; which point thofe Worcefter mono-
polifts well underftood, and that therefore they could not hold the ma-
nufacture long, without a rcftridting law to bring it back folely to them-
felves. Formerly, the counties of Surry, Berks, &c. nearer to London,
enjoyed a confiderable woollen manufadure ; but their nearnefs to Lon-
don occafioning all, or moft necelTaries to become dearer than in more
remote parts, the weftern and northern counties have beaten them out
ot that manufacture. And as the northern counties have necelTaries
confiderably cheaper than the weftern ones, it is probable they will in
time gain confiderable ground on the latter in. this refped.
Marvellous was the progrefs made by the Portuguefe afthis time in
India. We find Da Cunha in this year had built the fort of Diu, had
lent a fleet too leagues up the river Indus, and had invaded the king-
dom of Cambaya with his land-army *.
According to Hakluyt, {V. ii, p. 96.] from about the year 1511 to
the year 1534, divers tall Ihips of London, Southampton, and Briflol,
* Their exploits in India may be found in Stephens's Porlugnefe Afa^ 3 volumes Z^Oy 169^.
78 A. D. 1534'
had an imufual trade to Sicily, Candia, and Chio, and fometimes to Cy-
prus, and to Tripoli, and Barutti, in Syria. Their exports were woollen
cloths, calf fidns, &c. ; and their imports were filks, camblets, rhubarb,
malmfey, mulcadel, and other wines ; oils, cotton-wool, Turkey carpets,
galls, aiid India fpices. The Englifh merchants likewife employed I'un-
dry foreign ftiips in that trade, as Candiots, Ragufans, Sicilians, Geno-
efe, Venetian galeafles, and Spanifli and Portugal fhips. In thofe* days
they generally employed a whole year in fuch voyages.
1535. — The next year, a (hip of 300 tons, from London, went on
the fame Levant voyage, with 100 perfons in her, and returned in i r.
months ; and the Englifh merchants fettled fadors in thofe places. AH
thefe particulars the indefatigable Hakluyt picked out of the antient
merchants books of thofe times ; and he traced thofe voyages down even
to the year 1552, though not fo frequent in the latter years as in the
former. The journals of thofe old voyages {how that they v/ere then
thottght exceedingly difficult and dangerous.
We muil not forget the great generofity of a very famous and rich
merchant at Augfburg, named Fugger, v/ho had alfo an houfe and great
dealings at Antwerp. For defraying the expenfe of an expedition to
Tunis, the emperor had run deep in debt to Fugger, who having invit-
ed him to an entertainment at his houfe, in order to teftify his refpc6l
for that prince, made a fire in his hall with cinnamon, and threw all the
emperor's bonds into that coftly fire, now made much more fo by that
great act of generofity.
It was in this year, according to Lord Herbert,, that great ordnance
of brafs, as cannon and culverius, were firft made in England, they
having before been had from foreign parts *.
We may have already oblerved, that fince the acceflion of King-
Henry VIII, there was not only a great increafe of the woollen manu-
fiidure of England, but likewife of its foreign commerce, and alfo fun-
dry other marks of increafing riches. Never thelefs, any one entirely
unacquainted with the then circumftances of England would be led to
imagine quite the contrary, from the preambles of certain ads of par-
Hament of the 26th and 27th years of that king's reign, where it is laid
that great numbers of houies have of a long time lain in ruins in the
city of Norwich, occafioned by a fire there twenty-fix years before ; alfo
in Lynn-Bifliop in Norfolk, and in Nottingham, Shrewfiaury, Ludlow,
* Other canncn, we niRy prefume, had been according to Lefly [/> reb. geji. Scot. p. 338, et!.
made in England long before now, as we know 1675], wiio fays, that in his time very many can-
for certain, tliat great cannon, moft probably of non with that infciiption were to be feen in Scot-
iron, had been made in the calUe of Edinburgh kuuL Seven cannon made by Eorthwick, call'-d
by a ScottilK artift called Robert Bcrthwick, who the /even f^Jen, were particularly noted. [Pit-
ui"ed to infcribc upon them ficttic, p. 174, <•</. 1778 Stoiu's /Imales, p. 8iO,
' ."iIsch.iBa fum Scoto Borth'jik fabiicatu Robtrto,' (d. l(iOQ-~\ J\L
A. D. 1535. 79.
Glocefter, Bridgnorth, Q^ieenborough, and Northampton ; many of
which ruins, filled with naflinefs, are in the principal flreets of thofe
towns, where in times paft have been beautiful dwelling-houfes, well
inhabited : And therefor the owners are thereby diredcd to rebuild
them in a fixed time, or elfe the property to go to the lord of the ma-
nor, or to the community of thofe refpective towns. No certain judg-
ment can, however, be formed refpeding the general flate of a country
from the decline of fome of the towns in its commerce, which is ever
fhifting and varying ; and there are, even in our days, when commerce
and wealth are ib greatly increafed fince thofe times, particular towns
that are in a declining ftate, from certain local circumftances. Proba-
bly the manufad:ures of thofe towns above mentioned, by Spreading in-
to the adjacent villages, and perhaps into other countries, might occa-
fion their decline. Polfibly alfo the fkirts or fuburbs of fome of thofe
places might be fo overbuilt (as is perhaps partly the cafe in London
itfelf) as to make the centres of them be negleded, more efpecially if
thofe fuburbs were exempted from the heavy freedom-fines of the cor-
porations ; which laft confideration I conceive to have been one main
caufe of the decay of fuch towns.
In this year the firfi commercial treaty between any Chriflian mo-
narch in Europe and the Ottoman Porte was concluded by Francis I
king of France and Solyman II, furnamed the magnificent, the Turkifh
emperor or fultan, whereby many commercial privileges in Turkey were
obtained for the French, who were allov^^ed to have a conful of their
own nation in the feveral ports of Turkey both for civil and criminal
affairs, together with the private exercife of their own religion. Thefe
privileges France alone of all Chriflian nations enjoyed for fome time,
no others being allowed to refort to Turkey unlefs they went under the
protedion of the French flag.
The Venetians next obtained a like commercial treaty with the Turks,
in the year 1580 ; and next to them, the Enghfli obtained the like, v/ith-
out the interpofition of any other nation, in the year 1604. The Hol-
landers, next to the Englifh, concluded a commercial treaty with the
Turks. Laft of all, Genoa (though not till the year 1665) obtained a
like commercial treaty with the Ottoman Porte, as will be fhown in the
next century.
In this fame year Mendoza was fent from Spain with 2200 foldiers
to the river De la Plata in Paraguay, on the fouth fide of. which he
founded the town of Buenos-Ayres, which, though foon again abandon-
ed during his abience, was again refounded ; as alfo fome other towns
and colonies- in Paraguay.
1536. — Until this year Portugal enjoyed without a rival the fole trade
of all the vaft weftern coafls of Africa, whereby confiderable riches had
8o A. D. T536.
been brought to Liflion, even before they had made their difcoveries in
either the Eafl or Weft Indies.
But next to the Portuguefc, the EngUfh now began to trade to the
Guinea coaft, fome of whoni, it is faid, were io fuccefsful as to bring
home in one voyage above 100 pound weight of gold duft, befide ele-
phants teeth, &c. Yet the Englifli ereded no forts on that coaft till
long after this time *.
King Henry having fuppreiled the hofpital or fillerhood of * Seynt
' James in the fylde,' near A'l^eftminfter, declared that the faid houfe or
hofpital of Seynt James in the fylde he had now inclofed, and there
made a park and n"ianor for himfelf. {Foe/iera, V. xiv, p. S^S-^ -^^ P^'c-
fent they are the royal palace and park of St. James's, in the liberty of
Weftminfter.
Wales, which had long before been abfolutely fubjeil to the crown
of England, was now, by a judicious act of parliament, totally united
and incorporated with England, its people being declared Englifli fub-
jects to all intents whatever, and fubject to the laws of England only ;
all their own peculiar tenures, defcents, cufloms, and ufages contrary
thereunto being aboliflied. The whole principality was now divided
into twelve fliires, as at prefent, belide Monmouthfhire and the town of
Haverfor dwell:, which v%7as before a county of itfelf. , [27 Hen. VIII, c.
26.] — And by the ad [34, 35 Hen. VIU, c. 26.] it is declared that eight
have been Hrlres formerly, and the four newly made are Radnor, Breck-
nock, Montgomery, and Denbigh, hi this copious ad many regulations
were made to reduce Wales entirely to the laws and cuiloms or Eng-
land ; and divers lordfliips and manors in the marches of Wales v-'ere
annexed to the counties of Salop, Hereford, and Glocefter. 1"he juftice
of Chefter had annexed to his office the fliires of Denbigh, Flint, and
Montgomery, and yet (fays the ad) he fhall have nothing but his old
fee of Li CO yearly. And three other juftices were appointed, each hav-
ing t?iree counties under his circuit ; and each ot thele three jufticcs had
L50 yearly iiilary.
Ey thcfe wife regulations, not only all former national prejudices on
cither lide have been gradually removed, but the people of Wales have
been brought to a more induftrious courfe of living, by applyiiig them-
felves to manufadures and a better cultivation of their lands, infomuch
that in our times that country wears quite another and more beautiful
afp-ed than when this incorporating union was made. And we hear no
more of the rapine, murders, &c. before (b frequent on the borders be-
tween England and Wales ; bur, to tlie mutual felicity of both couii-
tries, a regular intercourfe has long lince been eilabliflied between them,
in like fort as between one county of England and another.
* At If aft one voyagr to Guinea before this time by an Engiidiman, captain Hawkins, is already,
acted,, from Ilakluyt, in tiie year 1530. M.
A. D. 1536. 81
In the latter end of the year 1535 and the beginning of 1536, the
king fupprefled all the lefler monafteries (i. e. fuch as had eftates not
exceeding L200 per annum.) Bifhop Burnet, in his Hiflory of the
reformation, obferves, that the full report of the vifitation of thofe
houfes previous to their fuppreffion is loft ; yet he faw an extrad of a
part of it, concerning 144 houfes, which contained abominations in it
equal to any that were in Sodom ! In fome they found tools for coin-
ing ; and briefly, in almoft all of them, the greateft lewdnefs and wick-
ednefs. Lord Herbert [p. 441.] fays, that the yearly amount of all thefe
lefler monafteries was £.32,000, but that the king fold them at fuch
eafy rates, to enable the purchafers to keep up the hofpitality which
the monks had done when they pofl^efl^ed them, adding thereto a penal-
ty of L6 : 13 :4 per month on the farmers and pofl^eflbrs of the monaf-
teries and lands belonging to them, on failure ot keeping up hofpital-
ity and hufljandry therein. But the penalty beinir not ordinarily re-
quired, due hofpitality was for the moft part negleded ; for the forfeit-
ures being great, were, at the fupplication of the parliament [21 Jac. I.
c. 28.] wholly aboliflied at length by the indulgence of the king.
Somewhat furely ought to have been done in time to prevent the poor
from becoming fo heavy a weight on the landed and trading interefts,
as it was eafy to forefee they would be on the fupprefllon of thofe mo-
nafteries, whofe kitchens were ever open to the poor of their neigh-
bourhood.
Had the purchafers of thofe church lands in every parifli been obli-
ged by their tenures to fupport the poor thereof, or at leaft to contri-
bute thereto in a much greater and fixed proportion than others, it
would have been extremely reafonable, as they purchafed them at very-
low prices. This v^ould have been more conducive to the benefit of a
free and trading people than Lord Herbert's fcheme of annexing them
all to the crown for ever, for enabling the king to keep up a good army
and navy, without being obliged to have recourfe to the people's purfes
from time to time : A dangerous fcheme for a tree people !
King Henry gave encouragement to certain merchants to fend out
two fliips on difcovery to the north coafts of America, where they vifir-
ed Cape Breton and Newfoundland; and being in great diftrels for want
of provifions there, they returned home in Od^-ber the fame year. And
although this voyage proved unfivourable to their main intent of find-
ing a north-weft pafllige to India, yet it gave rile to the very beneficial
fifliery of the EngliiTi on the banks of Newfoundland, on which barren
iiland Mr. Hoar, a merchant of London, attempted a fettlement at this
time, though he met with much misfortune in that unfucceibful at-
tempt.
An ad of parliament was pafled, to enable the governors and ma-
^iftrates of counties, towns, and parifties, to find and keep every aged,.
Vol. II. L
82 A. D. 1536.
poor, and Impotent perfon, who fhoiild have dwelt three years in any
place, by way of voluntary alms, with fuch convenient alms as fliould
be thought meet by their difcretion, fo as none of them fliould be obli-
ged to beg openly ; and to compell flurdy vagabonds to work. Alfo that
children under fourteen years of age and above five, who lived in idle-
nefs, and were found begging, fhould be put to fervice. No perfon was
allowed to make any open or common dole, or give any money in alms,
but to the common boxes and common gatherings in every panfh.
l2y t/jHefi. Vlllc 25.}
This was the firft law made in England that feemed to make any pro-
vifion for aged poor, yet being merely voluntary, it will appear from
fucceeding ones that it did not prove by any means effedlual. Thofe
open doles were made by perfons of wealth, and of a charitable difpofi-
tion, at the gates of their houfes on certain fixed times, whither the
poor of the neighbourhood came, at a known hour, to have money or
provifions dealt out to them. The fame practice is ftill retained in many
parts of Scotland.
1537 An Englifh adl of parliament having directed of what length
and breadth the linen cloths called lockrams and dowlas, made in and
imported from Britany, fliould be, (a thing indeed fomewhat extraordi-
nary, to dired another nation concerning their own manufactures !) the
French refufed to be regulated by it ; and as thofe linens were ufually
paid for in Englifli woollen cloths exported to Britany, whereby great
numbers of weavers, tuckers, fpinners, dyers, wool-pickers, &c. were
confl;antly employed, and all thofe trades were now at a ftand, that ex-
traordinary ftatute was this year repealed. [28/^ He7i. VIIl, c. 4.]
About this time (according to Camden in his Britannia *) the wool-
len nianufadure was introduced at Halifax in Yorkfliire. He lays, that
bdlde-i the largenefs of its parifh, which contained eleven cliapels and
about i2,ooD people, nothing is fo admirable in this town as the induf-
try of the inhabiiunts, who, notwithftanding an unprofitably-barreo^
foil, have fo flouriOied by the cloth trade that they are become very
rich, and have gained a reputation for this above their neighbours ;
and this confirms the truth of the obfervation, that a barren country is
a great whet to the :nduftry of its natives ; v/hereby alone we find Nu-
renberg in Germany, Venice and Genoa in Italy, and Limoges in France,
in fpite of their fituation on a barren foil, have long been flourifliing ci^
ties.
1538. — Solyman the Magnificent, the Turkifli eniperor, feeling the
great lofs his fubjeds fuftained by being deprived of fupplying Europe
with fpices and other Indian merchandize from the port of Alexandria,
* Camden {djs /evenly years ago; and the num- years before 1607, the date of tlic /qjl edition,
ber (lands the fame, I beh'evc, in all the editions : above twenty years may be added to the antiquity
>io tUat, as Mr. And^rfon. has reckoned feventy of the clothing trade at Halifax. M-
A. D. 1538. 83
made an attempt to drive the Portuguefe out of India. He for that end
fent his admiral, Solyman BafTa, with eighty fhips and galleys, from the
Red Sea, to befiege the ftrong fort of Diu, near the mouth of the Indus.
The Turks, however, were repulfed with firmnefs, after ufing all kinds
of means to mafter it.
After the diffolution of monafteries, the clergymen throughout Eng-
land were enjoined by an order from Thomas Cromwell earl of Elfex,
vicar-general of King Henry VI] 1, to keep a regifter of all v/eddings,
chriftenings, and burials in their parifhes. This laudable cuftom has
been continued (though it is to be feared not fo carefully as it fliould
be) ever fince. It is a pradice which on many important occafions may
be of great ufe to princes and ftatefmen, both for political and mercan-
tile confiderations ; and, as Bifhop Nicolfon obferves, fuch regiflers are
fome of our beft helps for the prefervation of hiflory ; and their ufe
(fays he) might be more extenfive, if care were taken to regifter alfo
many other remarkable occurrences relating to the public concerns of
the feveral parifhes ; and therefore perfons of all perfuafions or opinions
ought, under a penalty, to be obliged to regifter the fame in the veftry-
books of every parifh. Such regifters are alfo of great ufe and autho-
rity in law difputes and trials, for proving the age of perfons, the titles
to eftates, &c.
Ferdinando Soto, having a grant from the Emperor Charles V of the
country of Florida, went thither with nine fhips and 600 men at his
own expenfe, and travelled many hundred leagues over that country,
meeting with many great misfortunes ; and after fundry battles with the
natives, returned home with the remaining half of his people in the
year 1543.
1539 In the year 1538 was begun, and in 1539 ^'^^ completed, the
diffolution of all the remaining abbeys, called the greater ones ; and
foon after thofe in Ireland fhared the fame fate.
Lord Herbert computes the total yearly value of them all (both great-
er and lefTer ones) to be L 161,000 ; but this is far from being an exaft
account of their annual value ; for the abbots and priors, forelceing the
impending defolation, had raifed the fines for leafes very high, whicli
brought the rents in confequence very low, that they might therebv
have wherewithal to fupport themfelves when they Ihould be expelled.
Indeed, the heads of thofe convents had, in part at leaft, long before
fallen into that pradice, that they might not be bound to entertain too
great a number in their houfes, whereby they much enriched them-
felves.
The author of a fmall folio, printed in the year 1689, with the title
of the Happy future ftate of England (faid by many to be the earl of
Anglefey*), thinks there were in all about 50,000 perfons maintained
* According to Mr. Chalmers's information, the author was Sir Peter Pet. Af.
L 2
84 A. D, 1539.
in the convents of England and Wales. Now, if they were then main-
tained at L7 each perfon, their annual expence would be L35o,ooo,
which probably was then near the yearly value of their lands ; and liv-
ing then being about five times cheaper than in our times, the total
yearly value of their lands in our money would be Li, 750, 000 ; and if
©n an average thofe lands be worth 20 years purchafe (as being fince
greatly improved), then the total prefent value ot all the abbey-lands
may be about L35, 000,000 Sterling. That author farther obferves,
that as Camden in his Britannia makes all the pariflies of England
amount to 9284, thereto may be added 26 bilhops, 26 deans, 60 arch-
deacons, and 544 prebendaries ; thefe, joined to feveral rural deanries,
may make about 1000 more; though here our author feems to have
forgot that the deans and archdeacons, as well as the prebendaries, have,
almoft without exception, at lead one parifh living, in fome of which
they may perhaps officiate (though but few) without entertaining a cu-
rate. And there being then (/. e. at the dilTolution of the monafteriesj
in Oxford and Cambridge about 60,000 ftudents, who, in expeftation of
church preferments, either as regulars or as feculars, abflained from
jnarriage, there were then in all about 120,000 perfons reflrained by
their fun<fcion from increafing and multiplying ; as at prefent double
(he fliould at leafl; furely have faid treble) that number is in France ;
which confideration alone gives a confiderable advantage to proteftant
countri'es in point of commerce as well as populaiton. And reckoning
that every marriage, one with another, produces four children, thefe
would more than double their number in the fame age. This we doubt
is not flrictly true *.
According to Camden [Britaimia, p. 117, ed. 1607], the number of
monafteries fuppreffed in England and Wales, firft and laft, was 645, be-
lldes 96 colleges, 2374 chantries and free chapels, and 110 hofpitals. It
is now too late to lament the demolition of all the monafteries, two or
three of which in every country (as being many of them fpacious and
(lately edifices) would excellently well have ferved for county hofpitals:
and worklioufes. Much more fhould the overthrow of the colieges be
lamented, iince even the two illuftrious univerficies of Oxford and Cam-
bridge were included in the diflolution ad ; and it was fome time after
that the king was, with fome difficulty, induced to continue them in
their former condition ; yet fo inconfiftent was he, almoft at the fame
time, as to found new and magnificent colleges in the fame univerfities.
And what fhall we likewife fay of the deftruftion of fuch as were real
hofpitals for the fick poor, the moft innocent and ufeful of any one kind
of charivv' whatever ?
According to Herrera and other hiftorians, it was about this time
* The incieafe of mankind in any country nuifl the great body of the people can procure the
ever be in proportion to the fucih'ty with which means of fiibfiftence. M.
A. D. 1539. 85
that the French ph-ates or freebooters began to infefl: the Spanlfh Weft-
Indies. In the following year, Herrera reports that many Portuguefe
earavels traded to the ifland of Hifpaniola, who at their return did not
(as all the Spaniards were bound to do) carry their cargoes to the India
contractation-houfe at Seville, by which means the king was defrauded
of his duties. It was therefore ordained in that fame year that none
ihould take in any cargo at Hifpaniola without giving fecurlty to enter
the whole of it at the fiid houfe at Seville.
1540. — It was now that the French made the firft attempt to eftablifli
a colony in Canada ; Cartier, already mentioned, having now failed again
from St. Malo with five fhips up the great river of St. Laurence, four
leagues above the liaven of St. Croix, where he, jointly with the baron
de Roberval, ererded a fort. Others place Roberval's firft fettlement at
Canada with 200 men and women in 1524.
The ftate of fhipping, even in the port of London, was at this time
but low, compared with the prelent time. If we may give credit to
Wheeler's Treatife of commerce (410, 1601), who wrote in defence of the
company of the merchants-adventurers, to which company he was fe-
cretary, and who tefiifies confiderable knowlege in mercantile con-
cerns, he exprefsly afiTerts, that about fixty years before he v.rote, there
were not above four fiiips (befide thofe of the navy-royal) that were
above 1 20 tons each, within the river Thames.
There being a great coolnefs at this time between King Henry VIII
of England and his nephew King James V of Scotland, who was ever-
much attached to the French intereft, the latter prepared a navy of fif-
teen fliips, with 2000 men in them, for fome enterprife. Lord Herbert
does not pretend certainly to know James's defign in thofe prepara-
tions, though it looked as if he hoped to annex Ireland to his crown,
fince about that time certain Irilh gentlemen came to invite him over
to their country, promifing to acknowlege him for their king ; and
that divers noblemen and gentlemen of Ireland fhould come over to do
him homage. It feems King James wanted not money at this time, his-
monafliical clergy givingjiim great fums to keep their houfes from be-^-
ing diflblved *.
* Lord Herbert, in the ufual jealoufy of poli- the principal nohility, and a conipe'ciit iniiitarj'-
tlcians, fuppofed that a fleet could be equipped force. Landing in moft of the principal iflands,
for no -other purpofe but to dilturb the tranquil- lie carried with him the chiefs as lioliages for the
lity of the neighbouring nations ; but this Scot- peaceable behaviour of their clans ; and, for the
tifii fleet had a very different, and inuch more firft time fince the iflands were fubjecl to Scot-
laudable, deftination. land, peace and order prevailed in thufe diftant
James V, king of Scotland, having extended the territories,
authority of the laws through all tiie rell of his With an attention to fcience worthy of an en-
ilngdom, refolved that the remote highlands and lightened fovereign of a maritime country, James
iflands fliould alfo be brought under regular au- carried with him Alexander Lindfay, an excellent
thority. With this view he prepared a fleet of navigator and hydrographer, whofe chart of Scot-
tivelvc (not fifteen) flout fliips, with which he land and the iflands, compiled from his obferva-
himfelf failed from Leith. attended by. feveral of tions made in this voyage, and which has been re- •
S6 A' D. 1540.
Baldivia invaded the fine country of Chili in South America, and be-
came mafter of fome part of it. Neverthelefs, what the Spaniards have
held in that country did for many years cofl them very much blood-
fhed, and the lofs of a great number of lives.
It was about this time that (according to the ingenious author of the
third and fourth parts of the prefent ftate of England, 8vo, 1683) cher-
ry-trees were firfl brought into England from Flanders, and planted in
Kent, with fuch fuccefs that an orchard of only 32 acres produced in
one year as much as yielded Liooo. Probably the novelty of fo deli-
-cious a fruit made people at firft give high prices for them. Yet this
author, in another place, fays that Leonard Mafcal, King Henry VIII's
gardener, alleges that both pippins and cherries were in England before
•the year 1524. Neverthelefs, Camden alleges that the Romans intro-
tiuced the growth of cherries into Britain. If fo, it is flrange the Saxons
fufFered fo fine a fruit to be loft in England *.
An ad of parliament now pafled in Scotland, which appointed in
every burgh an officer for the fealing of all woollen cloths, by way of
prevention of all drawers (ftrainers or fi:retchers) thereof, and alfo of all
iitftars (dyers) of falfe colours. [Jac. V, pari, vii, c. ri2.]
I ^41 . — Guftavus Erickfon, king of Sweden, obferving that the emperor
gave all kinds of alfifiance to the Count Palatine, brother-in-law to the de-
throned and imprifoned King Chriil:iern II, in order to reftore that unhap-
py king to the thrones of the three northern kingdoms, found it needful
to ftrengthen himfelf by fome potent foreign aUiance for a counter-ba-
lance : And Francis I, king cf France, being engaged in the Smalcaldic
league of the proteftant princes of Germany againft the emperor, Guf-
tavus difpatched an ambaflador to him, with propofals for a mutual
commerce between both nations ; particularly, that the Sv/edes would
fetch their wines, fait, &c. diredly from France in their own bottoms,
inftead of taking them at fecond-hand from tlie Hollanders ; and Guf-
tavus, moreover, propofed to ered: magazines of fait in Sweden, and to
compell every family (as is done in France itfelf) to take a fet quantity
of it at a fixed rate. His fair projed, it is true, did not fucceed ; but
■his other propofals for trade were well received by Francis, to whom
Guftavus offered his aid againft the emperor. Yet, as the kingdom of
Sweden was till then very little known in France, Francis made a ftridt
inquiry into its power, conftituiion, &;c. and finding fo warhke a na-
tion capable of being very conducive to the purpofes of France, he not
only agreed on a treaty of commerce between the two kingdoms, but
peateJly engraved, is very accurate for llie age, certain thai! that the Romans introduced cherries
and much fcperior to fome which were urau-ii af- in Britain, as I have Ihown, in the vear 54. I
ter it. M. beheve there is no realoii to fnppofe that they
* The cherries brought to Eng-land at thio time were ever loft. M.
mull have been a new Inecies. Nothing is nice
A. D. 1541. By
likewife to a defenfivc alliance, whereby the two kings mutually en-
gaged to aflift each other with 25,000 troops and 50 fhips.
A ftatute was made, whereby all former ones were confirmed, for
confining the importation of wines from Gafcony, and woad from
Tholoufe, to Englifh and Irifh fliips only. [32 Hen. VIII, c. 14.]
By an a6t of this fame year \c. 16.] the power which the king had
before alTumed, by his proclamation alone, of remitting to merchants-
aliens the duties they would otherwiie have been obliged by law to pay,
was confirmed and made legal. Such abjed flaves did thofe parliaments
render themfelves to the pleafure of that monarch.
There is an adl for paving the following ftreets or ways in London,
viz. i) The ftreet leading from Aldgate to Whitechapel church. 2)
The upper part of Chancery-lane. 5) The way leading from Hol-
bovirn-bars weftward towards St. Giles in the fields, as far as any ha-
bitation is on both fides of the faid fl:reet. 4) Gray's Tnn-lane. 5)
Shoe-lane ; and, 6) Feuter (now Fetter) lane ; the two lafi: being tho-
rough-fares and pafiiiges from Fleet-itreet into Holbourn. That part
of Chancery-lane now to be paved is thus defcribed, viz. from the bars
befidc the rolls, lately fet up by the lord privy-feal, unto the faid high-
way in Holbourn. This pafliige fhows the age of the rolls-office in
Chancery-lane; andalfo that all Holbourn above the city-bars remained
nnpaved till now ; neither was it now all built on both fides, (nor a
good while later than this time, as appears by a map of London in
Queen Elizabeth's reign). All thefe fix ways now direcT:ed to be paved
are herein defcribed as very foul, and full of pits and floughs, very pe-
rilous, and noyous (noifonie),as well for all the king's'fubjeds on horfe-
back as on foot, and vvith carriage. [-^,2 Hen. P'JH, c. ly.} Yet three
of thefe, viz. Shoe-lane, Fetter-lane, and Chancery-lane, are now in the
•yery centre of the prefent vafl contiguity, and all the refl: are likewife
well built and inhabited. So great is the increafe and improvement of
London fince thofe times.
In the fame year, by a fiatute [c. 18.] a lifi; of decayed cities and
tovi^ns is exhibited (as in 1535) wherein it is faid, there had been
in times- pall: many beautiful houfes within the walls and liberties ot
York, Lincoln, Canterbury, Coventry, Bath, Chicheftcr, Salifbury, Win-
chefter, Briftol, Scarborough, Hereford, Colcheft;er, Rochelter, Portf-*
mouth, Poole, Lynn, Feverfiiam, Worcefl:er, Stafford, Buckingham,
Pontefradt, Grantham, Exeter, Ipfwich, Southampton, Great Yarmouth,
Oxenford, Great Wicomb, Guildford, Eflretfore (quaere, if Stafford ?)
Kingfton upon Hull, Newcaftle upon Tync, Beverley, Bedford, Leicef-
ter, and Berwick : And in another [r. 19.] Shafton, Sherborn, Bridport,
Dorchefter, and Weymouth, (all in Dorfetihire); Plymouth, Plympton,
Rarnftable, Taviftoke, and Dartmouth, (all in Devon fiiire) ; Lancefi:on,
Lefkeard, LeflwithicI, Bodmin, Truro, and Helfton, (all in Cornwall) v
'88 A. D. 1541.
Bridgwater, Taunton, Somerton, and Alchefter, (all in Sonierfetfliire) ;
Maldon in EfTex; and, laflly, Warwick : ' which houfes now are fallen
■' down, decayed, and at this time remain unre-edified as defolate and
' vacant grounds, many of them nigh adjoining to the high ftreets, re-
' plenifhed with much uncleannefs and filth, with pits, cellars, and
' vaults, lying open and uncovered, to the great peril of the king's fub-
' jeds ; and other houfes are in danger of falhng. Now, if the owners
' of the watte grounds (on which lioufes had flood within twenty-five
' years back), and of the decaying houfes, do not in three years time
* rebuild them, then the lord of whom the ground is held may re-en-
• ter, and feize the fame, &c. as in a like law anno 1535.' Concern-
ing which laws (now and afterward) it may be truly faid, they were
•well enough judged, as probably thofe nuifances complained of were
-more owing to carelelTnefs, than to any real decay in moft of the places
mentioned in thofe two ads, and in the fubfequent ones of this centu-
ry ; fince it is well known, that many of thofe cities and towns were,
in thofe very times, increafing in commerce and manufadures : fo that
thefe two fiatutes feem to have proceeded rather from a particular hu-
mour of that parliament, than from any real decay of all, or at leaft of
many of the places ; fince, excepting London, Norwich, Liverpool,
Northampton, Chefter, Nottingham, Cambridge, and a few more, almofi;
all the confiderable cities and towns of the kingdom are thus enumerat-
ed as decaying ones, which is almoil impoflible to have been the cafe,
whilft the nation in general was increafing, though then but llowly,
in wealth and commerce. This therefor feems to be one infi:ance at
leaft of the fallibility of fome of our old ftatutes : Some of thofe places
might complain of a real decay, which might give a handle to the re-
prefentatives of other places to include them alfo in that number,
though probably without any ground.
1542. — The humour of coercive laws for building up wafi:e grounds
in cities and towns of England, feems to have prevailed much in the
reign of King Henry VIIL We have juft exhibited a long lift of inch,
by an ad of parliament in 154.1 ; and another ad [^^ Hen. VIII, c. ^6.^
fays, that whereas in times paft, many beautiful houles have been with-
in the walls and liberties of the cities of Canterbury and Rochefter; the
towns of Stamford and Grimlhy in Lincolnihire ; the towns of Cam-
bridge, Darby, Guildford, Dunwich ; the towns of the Cinque-poris,
with their members; Lewes inSufi'ex, and Buckingham ; which are now
fallen down, decayed, and remain unre-edified; lying as defolate, with
much ordure, filth, &c. as in the preceding laws is fpecified ; where-
for, the owners of fuch wafte grounds, and of thofe decayed houfes,
are to rebuild them within two years after proclamation made by the
magiftrates ; or failing them, then the next or chief lord of the foil may
feize on ajnd rebuild the fame for his own ufe, fo he does it within two
A. D. 1542. 89
years and a half after. And in default of his not re-entering thereon,
then any perfon, having a rent-charge on the preniifes, may re-enter, us
in the before-named cafe. And in default of him who has the rent-
charge, then the magiftrates of the refpecftive cities and towns may re-
enter. And. laftly, if they fail to re-enter and rebuild in three years
time, then the firfl owners might re-enter and poflefs them, as in their
former ftate.
The Englifh merchants of Southampton and London, we find (by
Hakluyt) traded to Brafil in the years 1540 and 1542 ; and fo it feems
to have at thofe times been permitted, and until the year 1580, that
Spain got polTeffion of Portugal.
The Portuguefe governor of Malacca having made a full difcovery of
the coafl: of China in the years 1540 and 1542, they were in 1542
driven by florm to make an accidental difcovery of the illands of Japan,
where they were at firfl: well received.
By virtue of an aft of the Irifh parliament, King Henry now affura-
ed the title of king, inftead of lord, of Ireland ; whereupon Sir James
Ware, in his hiflorical relations, obferves, ' that albeit the kings of
' England had been abfolute monarchs of Ireland before, though only
* with the title of lords of it ; yet becaufe, in the vulgar conceit, the
* name of king is higher than that of lord, aflurediy the alluming of
' this title hath not a little raifed the fovereignty of the king of Eng-
* land in the minds of this people.' Yet he at the fame time acknow-
leges, ' that although Sir Anthony St. Leger, then lord-deputy, took
' feveral good meafures for the improvement of Ireland, all this while
' the provinces of Connaught and Ulfter, with a good part of Leinfter,
' were not reduced to- fhire-ground. And although Munfler was an-
' tiently divided into counties, yet the people were become fo degene-
' rate, that no juftice of affize durft execute his commiilion amongfl
' them.' In fuch a flate of aftairs tb.ere could be no room for any
thing like a fettled commerce in Ireland : For the bulk of the old Eng-
lifli race Vvcre fo far degenerated as to lofe the vSe of the Engliili
tongue, and becoming mere Irifli.they aflumed Irifh names.
The negligence and decay of the (eafl) coafl fiflnng towns of Eng-
land at this time is apparent from an ad of parliament, which defcribes
a bad cuftom of our people on that coaft, who, inftead of fifhing tliem-
felves, went in their boats half-feas over, and bought frefli fifh of the
Flemings, Zelanders, Picards, and Normans. It was therefor now
enaded, that whofoever Ihould buy any frefli fifh in that manner (flur-
geon, porpoife, and feal excepted), to put to lale to any perfon within
this realm, fliould forfeit for every time ten pounds j but this not to
extend to fifli bought in Iceland, Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, Ireland,
or Newfoundland, (then called Newland.) [23 Hen. VIII, c. 2.]
1543 — We have now the title of the firfl: law ever made in England
Vol. II. M
9© A. D. 1543-
relating to bankrupts, [34 Henry FIIL] viz. ' The lord chancellor,
' treafurer, &c. fliall take order with bankrupts bodies, lands, and goods,
' for the payment of their debts *.'
In this year, according to Lewis Guicciardin's Hiftory of the Nether-
lands, the renowned city of Antwerp had its third and laft great en-
largement, by extending the walls fo as to inclofe what is called the new
town, towards the north. The new walls were built of fine hewn Hone,
and beautifully adorned. That illuftrious mercantile city then contain-
ed about 1 00,000 inhabitants, according to Guicciardin, who had dili-
gently computed the fame.
We may infer from a ftatute [34, 35 Hen. VHI, c. 6.] concernmg
pins, that fuch as are now ufed by the ladies are but of recent mven-
tion.' The ad fays, that no perfon (hall put to fale any pinnes but only
fuch as Ihall be double-headed, and have the heads foldered faft to the
{hank of the pinne, well fmoothed, the fliank well fliaven, the point ^vell
and round filed, cauted, and fharpened. Now, the labour of making
pins after this manner, as it muft have rendered them much more ex-
penfive, Ihov/s the novelty of the invention, which probably was but
lately brought from France. And the inconveniency of the make of
thofe pins naturally fet our people upon improving fo tedious and clum-
fy a manufadure ; for, in about three years time, they fell into the pre-
fent ingenious and expeditious manner of making them, as appears by
an acl [37 Hen. VIII, c. 13.] for repealing the above ftatute. Before
the invention of thefe brafs pins, there were many pretty and ingenious
contrivances for the conveniency of the drefs and ornament of both
fexes, fuch as ribbons, loopholes, laces with points and tags, clafps, hooks
and eyes, and flcewers made of brafs, filver, and gold. From the laft it
is very probable that pins naturally proceeded, being no other than
fmalle*- and more convenient and delicate fkewers.
Herrera acquaints us that the Spaniards from Mexico now failed for
difcovery on the weft fide of North America as far as the latitude of 44
degrees north, even to the firther end of California ; but as they found
there neither gold nor filver, and only very cold weather, they returned
home to Mexico.
1544. Upon King Henry's return from his fuccefsfal fiege of Boulogne,
whereby he had ground to apprehend repriials from France, he fet about
fortifying his fea-coafts. He began with guarding the entrance into
the river Thames, by eredling the fort of Tilbury, and a battery oppo-
fite to it at Gravefend. Dover was his next care, where he built its fa-
■•* A fujfeqaeni; fiatute [ij' ETi^. c. 7.] ex- letters and iiegoiiatiom, pp. 138, 139, I46, &c.]
jOaini who wtvc to be acconiittd bankrupts, and Such dliputch was little or nothing inferior to that
puts the mitiiods of proceeding concerning them of the poll in our own days_ before the eftabh'fh-
iiearly on the fame footin;T as at prtfent. ment of mail coaches ; but it w-as only a tempo-
At this time letters wvTtten in London were re- rary eftablilhment for the conveyance of the Eiig-
ccived in Edinburgh on the fourth day. ISadUr's hih government letters. M.
A. D. 1544. 91
TOOfis (though too fruitlefs) pier, running out into the fea, at the ex-
penfe of no lefs a fum than L65,oQp (if tranfcribers have not added a
cypher too much), fince frequently repaired at a great expenfe. Portf-
mouth was his next care, and afterwards fundry other places. Moreover,
the tower of London having till then been the only magazine of the
kingdom for artillery and military flores, he now prudently diftributed
much of them in thofe newly-fortified places on the coafl, which hap-
pened extremely opportune ; for this fame year, a large French fleet
of 1 50 great fliips and 60 fmaller ones, befide 25 galleys from the Me-
diterranean (being all hired merchant fhips), made an attempt upon
Portfmouth, whither King Henry went in perfon to its relief. Lord
Herbert and other hiftorians relate, that the Englifli fleet of 100 fail
(which alfo were hired merchant fliips) fought that of France, though
much more numerous, for two hours, and made them fly to their own
coafls ; but none of them are accurate enough to give us any account
of the order or form, &c. of that fea-fight, nor indeed of many others
of the like kind. This Mr. Rapin terms the greatell effort that France
had ever made at fea.
We again find the French pirates or freebooters in the Wefl:-Indies,
according to Herrera, who tells us, that four of their fliips, with a ten-
der, entered the port of Santa Marta, where, landing 400 men, tlie Spa-
nifli inhabitants abandoned the plaCe, which the French plundered and
burnt. From thence they failed to Carthagena, where they practifed
the like rapine, that place not having been as yet well fortified. After-
vvard they attempted the Havanna, in the ifland of Cuba ; and being
there repulfed, returned home by the gulf of Florida.
V/e have in two former inflances noted the great influence which
corporation cities and towns had in parliament, in monopolizing the
manufactures of their rerpe(ftive counties, exclutive of the villages and
open country, via. in the cafe of ropemaking at Bridport in Dorietfiiire.
and that of the woollen raanufaclure at Worcefler city, and the other
corporations of that county. The cafe now before us is that of a pecu-
liar manufifture in the city of York, viz. coverlets for beds. The ad:
eftablifliing this monopoly, as ufnal, fets forth, that the city of York
had been formerly fupported by fundry handicrafts, and principally by
making coverlets and coverings for beds, whereby great numbers of in-
habitants and poor people in that city and fuburbs, and in other places
of the county, have been conftantly employed. But that of late years,
inndvy evll-difpofed perfons, ?i-^\)\-ex\t\cQS, not expert in that occupation,
have withdiawn themfelvcs out of that city into the county ; and divers
other perfons inhabiting the villages and towns of that county, and nigh
to the faid city, have intermeddled with the faid craft, and do daily
make coverlets, neither of good fluff nor proper fize ; and do hawk and
fell them abroad in the county to villages and mens houfes, &c. to the
3 M 2
92 A. D. 1544.
great deceit of the king's fubjeds, &c. (mod of which reprefentatiou
appears to have been an impofition on the parhament.) It was now
therefore enaded, that no perfon whatever, within or nigh to the coun-
ty of York, fhall make any coverlets for fale, but inhabitants alone,
dwelling within the city of York and its fiiburbs, upon forfeiture, &c.
V\/^hat could be a greater monopoly than this ? Or what a greater injuf-
tice to the poor manufacturers in other parts of the county ?
As the gradual increafe of the fuburbs of London does in a great
meafure keep pace with the gradual increafe of the general commerce
of England, and as it is, moreover, a piece of curious and entertaining
hiftory to mark the gradual advances of both, we therefore have no
need of an apology for exhibiting whatever falls in our way of that
kind. By a ftatute [34, 35 Hen. VIII, c. 12.] the ftreets and lanes call-
ed Whitecrofs-ftreet, Chiiwell-ftreet, Golding-lane, Grub-ftreet in the
pariHi of St. Ciilcs's without Cripplegate, Gofwell-flreet, Long-lane in
the parifli of St. Botolph, and St. Sepulchre's without Newgate ; St.
John's-ftreet, leading from the bars of Smithfield up to the pound, at
the corner of the wall extending along the highway leading to Ifling-
ton ; and alio the flreet from the faid bars to Cow-crofs ; Water-lane in
Fleet-ftreet, leading down to the Thames ; the way leading without
Temple-bar wedward, by and unto Clement's Inn gates and New Inn
gates, to Drewry-place in the county»of Middlefex ; (this fhows that this
way was not then built on) and alfo one little lane ftretching from the
f\id way to the fign of the bell at Drewry-lane end ; and the common
way leading through a certain place called Petit-France, from the bars
of the weft end of Tothill-ftreet at Weftminfler, to the uttermofl part
of the v\^eft end of the laid place called Petit-France ,; the flreet or high-
way leading from Bidiopsgate to and above Shoreditch church ; and the
bridge called Strond-bridge, and the way leading from the fanie bridge
towards Temple-bar ; and the lane called Foikue-lane, from the garden
and tenement of the bifliop of Litchfield, and the gardens and tenement
called the Bell and Prodors, down to Strond-bridge (thefe names now
unknown), be very foul, and full of pits and floughs, very perilous and
noyous, and very neceflary to be kept clean, for the avoidmg of cor-
rupt lavours, and an occafion of peftilence ; for the amendment and
reformation whereof, all who had any lands or tenements adjoining to
the aforefaid ftreets, lanes, and ways, were ordered to pave the fame
with paving flones before their tenements to the middle of the flreet or
lane, in like manner c\nd form as the ftreets of the city of London be
paved, with caufeys or channels in the midft of the fame ftreets ; and
alfo to maintain the fune.
In this year. King Henry VIII being at war with Scotland, the Eng-
lifti army took and pillaged the town and port of Leilh, (which is pro-
perly the port of Edinburgh.)' And Lord Herbert hereupon remarks,
A. D. 7544. 93
that on that occafion the Englifli found more riches in Leith than they
could have eafily imagined.
In that war the EngUfh took twenty-eight of the principal Hiips of Scot-
land, fraught with all kind of rich merchandize, as they returned from
France, Flanders, Denmark, and other countries, and they brought them
into the Englifh ports. {Drake's bift. An^lo-Scotica, p. 351.] So that it
fhould feem that Scotland at this time was not without fome confider-
able iliare of foreign commerce.
As yet the prefent great fuburb of London eaftward along the north
bank of the Thames, lince named Wapping, had not (as far as appears)
any exiflence as a fuburb, or was not bviilt up into houfes ; for by an
a6l ("35 Hen. VIII, c. 9.] Wapping-marlTi, in the county of Middlefex.
is direded to be divided by certain perfons afligned. And Richard
Hill of London, mercer, (the aflignee of Cornelius Wanderdelf, who, at
his own charge, inned, inbanked, and i-ecovered the fame, being drown-
ed) was to have the one moiety thert^of to him and to his heirs ; it hav-
ing been before this time v/ithin the flux of the tide. Thole banks be-
ing in the year 1565 broken in feveral parts by inundations, were re-
paired ; but were again damaged in 1571, when, for the greater fe-
curity of the banks hereafter, they firfl began to ereft houfes thereon,
the memory of which is flill preferved in a fhreet there, called Wapping-
wall.
In an ad of parliament [34, 35 Hen. VHI, c. 21.] relating to grants of
lands by the king, it is enadted, that for over-grants of lands, more than
was fpecified and intended by the king, the grantees fliall pay to the
king after the rate of twenty years purchafe. Yet this is by no means
a rule to judge of the value or purchafe of lands at that time, which
certainly was very much lower than this valuation, which mofl proba-
bly was intended as a punifliment and a caution to all grantees not to
conceal the quantum of the crown's grants.
The ftreets of the town of Cambridge were direded to be paved with
ftone. [7,$ Hen. VIH, c. 1 6.]
And in the fame year, a very good flatute (the firft of the kind) was
inade for preferving the woods of England, as well for the benefit of
houfe and fliip-timber as for firing. \^2,?> i^^"- i^Hl, c. 17.] Tiiis fratute
was afterwards made perpetual. [12 £/iz. c. 25.]
By an ad of parliament of the fame year \c. 24.] we find that 200
acres of land (100 of meadow and 100 of pafture) at Maddingley in
Cambridgefhire, with the appurtenances, are thereby declared to be in
the whole of the yearly value of ten pounds, and lo letten to farm, to
the ufe and intent that the profits thereof fhould be tor the f .es and
wages of the knights (in parliament) for the county of Cambridge; and
this land therefor was called the fhire-manor ; and was now adually
let to John Hinde feijeant-at-law for that fum yearly, being at izd per
94 ^- ^- '544'
acre yearly rent. This is a better guide to the true value of lands in
thofe times than the preceding quotation from c. 21 of the fame year,
which lands may at prefent be worth near twenty times as much.
In the fame year we have another ftatute [c. 4.] for repairing and re-
building decayed houfes and wafte places in the following towns (exacft-
ly in the fame ftyle as the ads of 1535, 154I' and I54;2), viz. Shrewf-
bury, Chefler, Ludlow, Haverford-weft, Pernbroke, lenby, Caermar-
then, Montgomery, Cardiff, Swaneile, (i. e. Swanfey) Cowbridge, New
Radnor, and Prcftend (/. e. Prefteing) in Radnorfliire ; Brecknock and
Monmouth ; Maiden in EiTex ; Abergavenny, Ufke, Caerleon and New-
port in Monmouthfliire ; Lancafter, Prefton, Lyrepoole, (?. e. Liverpool)
and Wigan in Lancalhire.
A judicious obferver will naturally remark that there is fuch a thing
as falhion or example even in the important fubjtd of ads of parlia-
ment. Thus one age (from an applauded example or two) runs more
into one kind of reformation of abufes, another age into fome other
kind, for the fime reafon. This and the before mentioned other three
ftatutes fufFiciently exhaufted the fubjed they relate to, having therein
adually gone through not only alraofl: all the confiderable cities and
towns of the kingdom, London excepted, but have even defcended to
feveral towns which neither are, nor ever were of confideration enough
to have fo much regard paid to them ; yet it is not to be denied that
the defign in general is very laudable. After the refloration of King
Charles II, the making of rivers navigable, and the repairing and deep-
ening of harbours, had a confiderable run ; and the lait and prefent ge-
neration have run partly into that likewife ; but the prefent age more
efpecially into bridges and public roads.
1545;. — According to Herrera's Hiftory of Spanifh America, the un-
paralleled filver miines of the mountain Potofi in Peru, which had been
difcovered a little time before, but till now concealed from tbe king's
officers, were now firfl regiftered in the king of Spain's books. • It feems
an Indian, running up that mountain after a deer, dif:overed the firft
mine^ by laying hold of and tearing up by the root a flirub which grev/
out of a vein of ore. The next year other veins were difcovered on this
feemingly inexhauftible mountain, which being noifed abroad, it brought
moft of the inhabitants of the town of La Plata to fettle there ; fo that
in a fliort time, in the neighbourhood of thofe mines, there fprung up
the largefl town in all Peru, where there is a prodigious trade. The
mountain lies in 21 degrees and 40 minutes of fouth latitude, yet, be-
caufe of its great height, it is cold and dry, and by nature barren, pro-
ducing neither fruits nor grafs. The colour of its earth is a dark red.
Such was the riches drawn from thofe mines, that even in thofe times
the king's fifth amounted to one milhon and a half of pieces of eight
yearly, although in thofe early days they robbed the king of much of
A. D. 1545. 95
his due, not one third part of the filver being ftamped and regiftered.
He adds, that in the year 1585, they counted in millions that had
paid the king's fifth from the firft difcovery of the mines to that year,
befide an immenfe quantity that had never paid the fifth. It feems it
was at firfl; found to be very difficult to feparate the metal from the
earth or drofs by dint of fire, the antients being ignorant of the fepa-
ration of filver by mercury, although they knew that of gold, and
thought that mercury would not cleave to any other metal but gold.
The Spaniards, however, afterward difcovered that it would cling to
filver alfo, though not fo foon ; but it has no effe6l upon other metals.
And fince this difcovery, the poorer ore, which cannot be refined by
fire, is not lofl; as formerly ; for the quickfilver perfectly clears the fil-
ver without fire. There were (it feems) no quickfilver mines in Eu-
rope, according to our author, until after the difcovery of America,
excepting thofe of Carinthia in Germany, and of Almadin in Spain ;
but in the year 1566 they difcovered one near Guamanga in Peru,
whereby the crown gets (it is faid) 400,000 dollars of clear profit an-
nually, befides what is gained by cleanfing the metal with mercury,
amounting to a vafl; fum. Two-thirds of all the filver which comes
from America to Europe (fays our author) comes from Peru.
To this account of the mofl; famous filver mines in the univerfe, and
of the great improvement in refining the metal by quickfilver, handed
down to us by fo authentic an author, we may venture to add, that
fince Herrera's days, there have been other very rich filver mines dif-
covered in Peru, and particularly, it is faid, there was a very rich one
difcovered near Cufco fo lately as the year 171 2.
Under this fame year Daniel tells us of a French fliip of war carry-
ing 100 large brafs cannon; yet he neverthelefs owns in general, that
the largeft fliips of war in former times were not to be compared for
bulk with thofe of modern times, fince in old times large fleets were
fitted out from harbours, where now fliips of a m.oderate fize have not
water enough to float them, of which Havre de Grace (built by King
Francis T), and many other places, are inftances. Our Englifli naval
hiflorians think that fliips had not, as at prefent, gun port-holes till
this time, before which they only placed a few cannon on their upper
decks, and on their prow and poop, fighting with cannon in fliips be
ing but lately come into ufe. Daniel therefore may be miflaken as to
the date of his loc gun fliip.
I ^^6. — Interefl, or ufe for money lent (in thofe days, and always
known by the name of ufury) was now firft fettled in England by a
ftarute [37 Benrj VIII, c. y.], intitled, ' How offenders in ulury fluill be
' puniflred.' Before this time (fays the judicious Sir Jofiah Child), there
was no law for limiting the rate of interefl ; there was then little trade,
and as Uttle money in the nation ; whercfor every man took fuch an
96 A. D. 1546.
intereft for what money he could put out as he could get, which in
fundry inftances (to be found in hiftory here and there) was before
this time generally higher than 10 per cent, as partly too appears from
the llrong exprefhons in this law, the preamble whereof fays, ' That
' fundry flatutes have been made for the avoiding and punidnnent of
* ufury, being a thing unlawful,' (and yet with the fame breath thefe
lawgivers eftablifli it, for this was the church's opinion of thofe times,
though never uniformly put in pradice), ' and of other corrupt bar-
' gains, fhifts, and chevifances ; which flatuces are fo obfcure and dark
* in intents *, and are of fo little force, that by reafon thereof little or
' no punifhment hath enfued to the offenders of the fame ; for reform-
' ation whereof (fays the preamble gravely), be it cnaded, that all
* former ftatutes concerning ufury, fhifts, &.c. and all forfeitures and
' j5enalties concerning the fame, be henceforth utterly void.'
Next, this adl prohibits the tricks made ufe of to evade the laws pro-
hibiting ufury ; as, 1) The fhift by felling merchandize to a perfon,
and within three months after buying the fame of him at a lelfer price.
11) None fliall, by way of any corrupt bargain, lone, efchange, chev-
ifance, fliift, intereft of any wares, merchandizes, or other thing wliat-
ever, or by any corrupt or deceitful way, or by any covin, engine, or
deceitful way of conveyance, receive or accept, in lucre or gains, for the
forbearing or giving day of payment of one whole year, of and for his
or their money, or other thing that fliall be due for the fame wares,
&c. above the fum of ten pound in the hundred, neither for money
nor merchandize, nor yet for mortgages of lands and tenements, under
the forfeiture of treble the value of the principal money lent, and of
the iffues and profits of the fiid lands or tenements, and fhall alfo be
imprifoned, and make fine and ranfom at the king's will and pleafure.
Of this forfeiture one moiety to be the king's, and the other the in-
former's "f .
In a treaty of peace between England and France, Henry VIII agreed
ro furrender Boulogne and its territory to Francis I in eight years time,
on condition of being paid by Francis two millions of gold crowns, &.c. ;
and all new impolitions on commerce in either kingdom for the laft fifty
years were agreed to be abolifhed. [^Foedern, V. xv, p. 93.] HaU'o chronicle
fays, that juft before the conclufion of this treaty, the Englifli fleet en-
tered the river Seine with 160 fail of large fhips, and came before the
town of Havre de Grace, where the French fleet was, confifting of 200
fliips and 26 galleys of force, whereof the pope had fent 20; but a ftorm
foon feparated the two fleets without any adion.
* They were apparently fo frameci, on purpofc determininji that iiiterefl for the life of money was
to lea'e room to avoid the penalties, while, to in no cafe lawful; repealed this law ; but the wifer
pleafe the clergy, all ufury was declared finful and parliament' of the 13th year of Elizabeth rtftored
unlawful. it, as will be feen in due time.
•)• The good people in the reign of Edward VI,
A. D. 1546. 97
The great wealth of the Fuggers, merchants of Augfburg, now liv-
ing at Antwerp (already mentioned in the year 1535), is further illuf-
trated by an acquittance of Anthony Fugger and nephews to King
Henry VIII of England, and to the city of London (bound with him),
for L 152,180 Flemifli, which the king had borrowed of them. [Fa-
dcra, V. xv, p. loi.] *
And in the following year. King Edward VI borrowed of the fame
perfons 129,750 Caroline florins, on the fecurity of the city of London.
\Fadern, V. xv, p. 152.] Thus we fee that in thofe times the monarchs
were obliged to fupport their own credit by the fecurity of this great
metropolis.
Henry VIIT granted a licence to two Florentine merchants therein
named, to import, for three years to come, the following rich mer-
chandize, which (he fays) were for the pleafure of us and our deareft
wife the queen, our nobles, gentlemen, and others ; viz. All kinds of
goldlmith's work of gold and fdver, all kinds of fkins and furs, of fa-
bles, &c. all forts of cloths of tillue of gold, lilver, tinfel, velvet, and
filk, cloths of tapefhry and arras mixed with gold and fdver, all forts of
fringes and lace wrought with gold and fdver, or otherwife, of all which
the king was to have the firft light and the refufd. \_F(xdera, V. xv,
/. 105 ] The luxury of drefs was at leaft as great in thofe days as the
prefent, though not fo generally diffuied.
By a flatute [37 Hen. VII f, c. 21.] two parifli churches, or one
church and a chapel, not being above one mile afunder, and one of
them not exceeding the yearly value of L6, might be united into one,
with the confent of the bifliop, patrons, and incumbent, Sec. It feems
by the preamble to this ad, that there were many parfonages in Eng-
land, whereof the glebes, tithes, and other yearly protits, were not fuf-
ftcient to maintain a pricfl: or curate for the benefit of the parifliioners ;
and as within u mile or Ids of the faid poor parfonage, there happened
in many places to be another pandi church fituated as conveniently tor
the faid parifliioners as their own church may be ; and v/hereas the ex-
penfe of fupporting the two churches, for reparations, &c. is greater
than iLch poor parifl'iioners can bear ; therefor, if one of thofe church-
livings happen not to exceed the yearly value of L 6 in the king's books,
it may be united to the other parifli church ; yet the union may be af-
terwards made void, provided the parifliioners of fuch poor parifli fliall,
in one year after fuch union, properly fecure to the incumbent of the
faid parifli tlie yearly [Kiymeut of fo much money as, with the fum that
the laid pariflies rated at in the king's court of firll fruits and tenths,.
ihall amount to the full fum of L 8 yearly.
* The. Fuggers,^ by licence from the king of failed to India, and owned a pait of every carpo
Portugal, ulcd to fend a fadur ill each iWp that of peppcr-impoited. \_Lmfchottcn, p. !i5o.] M--
VoL.iL n;
98 A^ D. 1546.
Henry VIII, by his lafl will and teflament, among other things, ' be
* queaths to his daughters Mary and Ehzabeth, at their marriages, tl>ey
' being married to any outward (foreign) potentate (by the advice of
' his counfellors), if he beftow them not in his lifetime, ten thoufand
' pounds, in money, plate, jewels, and houfehold fluff, for each of
' them, or a larger fum, at the difcretion of the executors.' [^Fcedera,
V. XV, p. 1 16.]
1 547. — In this year, the firfl; of King Edward VI, Peter Baude, a
Frenchman, was the firft who in England caft iron ordnance or can-
non, fays the author of an 8vo book, intitled, Englifh worthies in'
church and ftate (London, 1684). As the EngliiTi made ufe of can-
non 2CO years prior to this time, it is fomewhat flrange they were fo
late in making iron ones at home *.
Thuanus [/.. 129.] fpeaking of the progrefs of filk from the eafl to
the weftern parts, relates, that, in the reign of King Francis I of
France (who died this year), filk profpered in Touraine, but more efpe-
•cially in Provence, as lying mofl; foutherly, and alfo at Avignon, Lyons,
and feveral other parts of France; but near Paris, the climate was
found not to be proper for it, though the greatefl care was taken of the
lilk-worms at Fontainebleau,
The ftatute againfl: vagabonds [i 'Ediv. VI, c. 3.I carries fo many
marks of the antient bondage of the lower clafs of the people of England,
that it is no wonder it was repealed in the fame reign, and ftill farther
in the 39th of Queen Elizabeth, as improper for a free and commercial
people. It enads, ' That a runagate fervant, or any other who liveth
' idly and loiteringly by the fpace of tliree days, being brought before
' two juflices of the peace, they fliall caufe him to be marked with an
' hot iron on the breaft, with the mark V, and adjudge him to be the
' Have of him who brought him for two years after, who fliall take the
' faid flave, and give him bread, water, or fmall drink, and refufe
' meat, and caufe him to work by beating, chaining, or otherwife, in
' fuch work and labour as he fliall put him to, be it never fo vile ; and
' if fuch flave abfent himfelf from his faid mafler within the faid term
' of two years, by the fpace of fourteen days, then he fhall be marked
* on the forehead, or the, ball of the cheek, with an hot iron, with the
' fign of an S, and farther fliall be adjudged to be flave to his faid maf-
' ter for ever ; and if the faid flave fliall run away the fecond time, he
' fhall be adjudged a felon. It fliall be lawful to every perfon, to whom
' any fliall be adjudged a flave, to put a ring of iron about his neck,
* Stow, whom this author of Englifi -worthies invented by them ; and that Bawd continued in
is pcihaps following, fays, tliat in the year 1543, the reign of Edward VI to make ordnance of call
Henry VIII employed r«cr Bawd a Frenchman, iron, and was the inftruftor of a fuccefiion of
ar.d another foreigner called Peter Van Collen, to artills in that m^-inufadure. \_jiimalcs, p. 983, ed.
make mortars for bombs, which he reprcfents as 1600.] M,
A. D. 1547. ' 9^'
* arm, or leg. — A juftice of peace may bind a beggar's man-cliild ap-
' prentice to the age of fourteen years, and a woman-child to the age
* of twenty years, to any that will require them ; and if the faid child
' run away, then his mafter may retain and ufe him for the term
' aforefaid as his flave * — All impotent, maimed, and aged perfons, who
' cannot be taken for vagabonds, lliall have convenient houfes pro-
' vided for them, and otherwife fhall be relieved in the cities or towns
' where they were born, or were moft converfant, by the fpace of three
' years, by the willing and charitable difpofition of the parifliioners,
' and none other fhall be fuffered to beg there.' This very lame claufe
contains an exprefs contradiction, the firil part of it being an injundioii
in behalf of the poor, and the latter part leaving it to the willing and
charitable difpofition of people. Such provifions for the difabled and
aged poor are to be foimd in the ftatute-book both before and after
this time ; but as they were merely recommendatory, they always prov-
ed ineffeiftual.
At this time, it feems, the antient city of York was much decayed.
A ftature of the fame year [c. 9.], i"epreients its declenfion in the fol-
lowing terms, viz. ' In that city and fuburbs there are many parifh-
' churches, which heretofore (the fame being well inhabited and re-
' plenifhed with people) were good and honefl livings for learned in-
' cumbents, by reafon of the privy tithes of the rich merchants, and
' of the offerings of a gi"eat multitude ; which livings being now fo
' much decayed by the ruin and decay of the faid city, and of the trade
' of merchandize there, the revenues and profits of divers of the fame
' benefices are not, at this prefent time, above the clear yearly value of
' L I : 6 : 8 ; fo that a great fort of them are not a competent and hon-
' ell living for a good curate ; yea, and no perfon will take the cure,
' but that of neceffity there is iome chantry-prieft, or elfe fome late re-
' li^ious perfon {i. e. monk), being a ftipendiary, taken and appointed
' to the faid cure and benefice, which, for the moft part, are unlearned
* and very ignorant perfons : ^Vherefore the mayor and recorder of
' that city, and the ordinary or his deputy, and fix juftices of peace in
' the faid city, are hereby empowered to unite the laid parifhes into
* fewer number, viz. fo many of the faid parifhes into one parifh, as
* fhall to them be thought convenient to be a living for one honeft in-
' cumbent, fo as the clear yearly value exceed not L 20. Tl;ie fuper-
' fluous churches ftiall be pulled down, toward the reparation and en-
* largement of the other churches,, or of the bridges of the faid city,
' and the relief of the poor.' The reft of this ad contains a provifion
* Tlie word flave is repeated here feven times, and twice more in a claufe, not tranfcribed, con. tm-
iiig clerks attainted or coiivictcd.
Nz
TOO A. D. 1547.
for the then incumbents of united parifhes, the king's firfl; fruits and
tenths, &c.
Ads of parliament frequently do not fet forth the true grounds of
the evils they are defigned to redify ; and it may be proper to remark
on this ftatute, that the fmallnefs of thofe livings in York (as in many
other places) was probably owing to the reformation from popery,
whereby the ignorant and ill-judged zeal of the laity receiv:"d a great
check. Dying perfons, and others, in ignorant times, frequently
erefted and endowed new pariflies unnecefTarily ; and many of thofe en-
dowments being even at firfl: but fmall, when at the reformation the
privy tithes of the rich, and the offerings of the multitude failed, and
money alfo became gradually lefs valuable, they became totally inade-
quate to the fupport of the incumbent, for which a wrong caufe was
often alligned. The zealous multiplying of parifhes in many cities and
towns in old times, renders it impoflible to form any certain judgment
of the number of inhabitants from that of the parilhes. Thus, for in-
flance, Newcaflle upon Tyne has but four parifhes, though it pro-
bably may now contain 40,000 inhabitants ; and York has ftill twenty-
eight pariflies, with lefs than half the population. Oxford and Cam-
bridge have each of them above thrice as many parifhes as Newcaflle,
with little more than a quarter of the number of people in each, and
the like might be faid of many other places.
The herring-fifliing of the Hollanders was now fo confiderable, and
was efteemed fo precious by them, that their great penfionary De Wit
\lnterejl of Holland, part ii, c. i .] relates, ' That the flates of Holland,
' though then but low, and although it was in a time of peace, fitted
' out eight fliips of war for the defence of the fifhery.'
Voltaire, in his introduction to his eflay on the age of Louis XIV,
fpeaking of the times of King Francis I, fays, ' the French, though
* poflefi^ed of harbours both on the ocean and Mediterranean, were yet
' without a navy ; and though immerfed in luxury, had only a few
' coarfe manufactures. The Jews, Genoefe, Venetians, Portuguefe,
' Flemings, Dutch, and Englifli, traded fucceflivcly for us, we being ig-
' norant even of the firfl principles of commerce.'
The ftatute [i Edzv.Vl, c. 14.] which now granted the king all the popifli
chantries, &c. in Kng'and not dilpofed of by the 37th of Henry Vlli, c.
4, direded part of the rents fettled on thofe chantries to be applied to-
ward the maintenance of piers, jutress, walls, or banks, againfi. the rage
of the fea, havens, and creeks. It hud been well if that application
had duly taken place for fo national a benefit. And by another ad:
[2 Edw. VI, c. 5.], all the fee-farms payable l^y any city or town-cor-
porate to t!ie crown, are direded, during the three following years, to
be beflowed foleiy upon the repajation of walls and bridges, and fet-
A. D. 1547. loi
ting the poor on work, or other good deeds, in every fuch city and
town. But few or none of thefe good deeds were ever put in pradice.
1 548 Avery neceflary ftature was alfo made [2,3 Ldw. VI, c. 15.] for
retraining the fellers of all kinds of provifions from combining together,
not to fell but at a fixed price ; and alfo for retraining workmen and
labourers from combinmg not to do their works but at a certain fixed
price, or to do but a certain work in a day, or not to work but at cer-
tain hours. A claufe, wifely intended, was added to this ad, licenfing
all workmen concerned in building houfes, &c. to follow their occupa-
tions in all cities and towns-corporate, although they did not live there-
in, nor were free of fuch corporations. But this wife claufe was re-
pealed by a fiatute [3, 4 Ediv. VI, c. 20.], apparently by the interpofi-
tion of the city of London. It lets forth, that the city of London be-
ing the king's chamber, and moft antient city of this realm, the artifi-
cers and crafcfmen of the arts, crafts, and myfteries, are at great cofls
and charges in taxes, tallages, fubfidies, fcot, lot, and other charges, as
well to the king's majefty as to the laid city, and at many and fundry
triumphs, and other times, for the king's honour ; and that it foreign-
ers (non-freemen) fliould come and work among them, within the li-
berties of the city, contrary to their antient privileges, the fame fhould
be a great decay of cunning, and an impoverifliment and driving away
of the freemen, being artificers of the crafts, arts, and myfteries afore-
faid, within the city of London, to the great hurt and deftrudion of the
faid city. Though the reafons for this repeal are expreflld as above only
inrefped to London, yet the repeal being general, took in all other cor-
poration cities and towns; and 1-b it remains to our own times, contrary
to the opinion of moft wife and judicious men.
There was a kind of Lent enjoined, partly ecclefiaflical and partly
political, by a flatute [2, 3 Edw. VI, c. 19.], whereby, although in
the preamble it is cxprefsly admxitted, ' That all days and all meats be
' of their nature of one equal purity and holinefs, none of which can
' defile c'nrifiiian men ; yet forafniuch as divers of the king's fubjeds,
' turnmg their knowlege therein to fatisfy their fenfuality, have of late
' more than in times pad. broken and contemned fuch abftinence as
* have been ufed in this realm upon the Fridays and Saturdays, ember-
' nig days, and oth.er days commonly called vigils, and in the time
' commonly called Lent ; and confidering that due and godly ubftin-
' ence is a mean t6 virtue, and to iubuue men's bodies to their foul
' and fpirit ; and confidering alfo th.at fifiiers may thereby the rather
' be fet on v.ork, vvhereby much flefh fiiall be faved and increafed ;
* and alfo for divers other confiderations, it was enaded, that all form-
' er laws concerning falling be repealed ; — that none eat iiefli on Fri-
' days, Saturdays, and embering days, nor in Lent, nor on any fuch
' other day as is and has been accounted a fifla day (this claufe feems
** 102 A. D. 1548.
to be purpofely exprefled very loofely for a loophole), on pain of for-
feiting 10/ for the firft offence, and ten days imprifonment, without
all that time eating any flefli, and 20/" and twenty days imprifonment
for the fecond and for every following offence — This a6t vi'as ' not to
' extend to any who might have the king's licence, nor to aged, weakly,
' fick, or maimed perfons, nor to women with child or lying-in, nor to
' prifoners, nor to the king's lieutenants, or captains of his army or
' forts ; neither was it to extend to St. Lawrence even, St. Mark's day,
' nor to any who heretofore had obtained licence from the archbifhop
' of Canterbury.'
An aft [2, 3 Edzv. VI, c. 6.] for the encouragement of the New-
foundland and Iceland fifheries, obferves in the preamble, that within
a few years naff the officers of the admiralty had exaded fums of mo-
ney, fliarts of fifh, &c. from the fifhermen, to the great difcourage-
ment of the fifheries, and damage of the whole commonwealth ; and
ther.efor enacted, that all fuch exaftions fhould be abolifhed.
About this time the Emperor Charles V is faid to have begun to
execute a defign he had long been forming, of reducing the republic of
Genoa to a ftate of abfolute dependence on him, thereby to keep a
door always open for his armies from Spain to pais into Italy. For the
Genoefe, notwithftanding the decay of their former vaft commerce, were
ftill immenfely rich, and being great bankers and dealers in money, he
realonably concluded, that if, by extraordinary allowances for intereft, he
could draw their moneys into his exchequer, he fhould, in that cafe, pof-
fefs himfelf of the furefl; plt-dges he could have of their fidelity. In this
year, therefor, that emperor being in' the Netherlands, lent for his
e^de(l fon Philip, who failing from Barcelona to Genoa (in order to go
through Germany to his father), the Genoefe, for a fortnight together,
entertained him with furprifing magnificence (lays their hiftorian De
Mailly). The prince, whilft there, propofed to the republic that the
Spaniards fhould build a citadel in their Tuburbs, the garrifon of which
would fecure them from the frequent confpiracies and tumults they
were fo liable to. But that propoial was unanimoufly rejeded by the
fenate, who were with very good rtafon fufpicious of his great reti-
nue, which occafioned a great fquabble between them and the Genoefe,
and made the prince glad to leave Genoa. Whereupon (fays De
Mailly) the emperor took other meafures to fecure to himfelf the fide-
lity of the Genoefe ; for he determined never to pay the fums which
he had borrowed of them for his occafions in Italy and the Nether-
lands (fee alfo Thuani hijiona, L. Ixi.) but only to pay them the inter-
eft, to the end that remuitiing always in their debt, they might live in
a conftant dread of embroiling themfelves with a prince who owed
them fo much. His fon Philip II improved upon his father's fcheme,
whereby many millions of money were borrowed of them on the fe-
A. D. 1548. 103
curity of the duties on the commerce of Spain and America. But
Philip being foon after greatly exhaufted by his Netherland wars, not
only fufpended the payment of any part of the principal, but even of
the interefl:, which produced much clamour and dillrels at Genoa,
where fo many families lived entirely on. the interefl of the money got-
ten in traffic by their anceftors *. King Philip's real or pretended ina-
bility to pay even the interefl of thofe vaft funis, made him at iirft be-
gin to cavil with the creditors, on account of pretended mifreckonings,
and to infifl that he had overpaid their interefl : He therefor obtained
the pope's approbation for deduding out of their principal debt fo
much as they had received more than what his holinefs and King Phi-
lip thought fit to call legal interefl. On their capital, however, thus
reduced, it is faid by fome (though it feems untruly) that the court of
Spain were ever after pundual in paying the interefl. By thofe vafl
loans the Genoefe are faid, in a great meafure, to have governed the
rate of iucerefl in otlier parts of Europe. Thus at firfl they had ten
per cent from thofe princes, afterwards it was reduced to feven per
cent, and fince lower ; and probably the fixing of ufury at ten per
cent by law in England in the year 1546, took its rife from the prac-
tice of Genoa j".
1549. — King Edward VI grantedapenfionofLi 66: 13:4 to Sebaftian
Cabot, who mufl then have been an old man;}:, it being fifty-three years
fince his voyage with his father to the American coafts in the reign of
* Many families are faid to live in the fame ' to be engaged in a foreign war, il is quickly
manner now at Antwerp, the great commerce of ' evident to their enemies, that they are not much
which has long ago declined : So comfortable are ' to be feared for their power ; and to their
the efFeds even of a departed commerce to the ' friends, that they ave not to be depended
fucceeding generations. ' on for help.' All which, we fear, may fuon
f The following paragraph of Mr. Anderfon's become eminently the cafe much nearer home,
being foreign to commercial hiilory, is inferted than it was at the time when that able author thus
here, that hii, patriotic zeal may not be fup- folidly warned the government to beware ot anii-
prefled : cipations, the whole national debt Icarcely amount-
And here let us add a melancholy and moil in- ing in 1698 to ten milhons. And although we
terelling remark (for the fcrious confideration of have not intended nor prefumed to dedicate any
thofe to whom it more immediately relates in our part of our work to any miniller of ftale what-
own days), which was made many years ago by ever, vet upon a review of this important remark
the ingenious Dr. D'Avenant, in his dilcourles on of D'Avenant's, the author, with profound ix-
the public revenues and trade of England, (in fpeft, and purely out of his warm zeal i^t the
8vo, anno 1698.) ' That thofe large anticipations public welfare, moft liumbly prefumcs to dcijicate
' of King Philip II, which were continued from and recommend to our prefeat patriot miniltry,
' year to year, without any mcafui es thought on and to their fuccefTors in power, this fmgle para-
* for leflening the debt, have more contributed to graph only, for tlieir moll ferious conlideration,
♦ fink the Spanilh monarchy than all iheir other as they would have the glorious epithet of patriot
' bad counfels put together. The chief bra^iches joined to their names to latelt pofterity, hunibly
' of that kingdom's revenue being employed in praying that his honeft zeal may not be conllrued
• payment of interell of money borrowed 100 as dictating to his fuperiors, which he is far from
' years ago, the nourifliment which fhould fup- prt fuming to do.
' port the body politic being diverted another ^ He was alive 26th May 1557, on which day
, ' way, it becomes weak and unable to refill ac he furrendered his penfion. [ Fadcra, V, xv,
' cideats : And when a people fo involved come p. 42"-] M,
104 A. D. 1549.
King Henry VII ; and the penfion was continued to him during life
by Queen Mary. [Fa'dera, V. xv, pp. 181, 427.J He was governor of
the Ruffia company ; and for the reil; of his life the great diredor of
our naval expeditions.
That good young prince gave great afliftance to perfecuted foreign
proteftants,' many thoufands of whom fettled in fundry parts of Eng-
land, but principally at London, Southwark, Canterbury, Sandwich,
Maidftone, Southampton, Norwich, and Colchefter, where they had
the free exercife of their religion in feparate congregations (fome of
which remain to the prefent time) and where manufactures were fo
greatly cultivated and improved by their means, as not only to enrich
thofe places where they were fettled, but to prove very beneficial to
the whole kingdom. In the iliort perfecuting reign of Qjieen Mary
thofe poor people were forced again to fly beyond fea ; but at her
death they returned to their habitations. They conlifted of Walloons,
Germans, French, Italians, Polanders, and Switzers ; and tliere was iu
thofe times even a congregation of proteftant Spaniards in London.
We have already remarked, that the humour of inclofing the lands
of England for pafture, inftead of arable, had made the common people,
at different times, very uneafy, infomiich that they had now begun vio-
lently to lay them open by inlurredions in many counties, vvithout
having patience for their being laid open by a proclamation from the
king already ilTued, becauie the proprietors were not fo quick in obey-
ing it as the mob expeded. And of all others that in Norfolk in this
year was the moft remarkable and furious, headed by Ket a tanner in
Windham, and Flowerdew, who, by firing beacons and ringing bells,
drev/ many thoufands of the lower people of Norfolk and Suffolk to
join them, and committed many grievous and Ihocking outrages. They
did iniinita damage and miichief to the city of Norwich, which they
almoil: laid deiolate, by either driving the indufirious and wealthy in-
habitants out of it, or elfe miltrably butchering them, inlbmuch that it
became a receptacle for idle, loole, and extravagant vagrants : ' In
' which condition (fays Roger Coke in his refledions on the Eaft-India
' ar,i African companies, printed anno 1695), it was thought fo dan-
' gerous to the gfivernrnent, that in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's
' reign, it was often debated in council whether for this caufe it fliould
' not be demoliflied. But a better fate attended that noble city,
' through the wifdom of that great queen, and the cruelty of the Ne-
' therland perfecution about twenty years after this time.' This infur-
redion occafioned the llaughter of about 5000 of the rioters, Ket their
leader being hanged on the top of Norwich caftle.
There had indeed been many inclofures lately made out of wafte,
marfhy, and other kinds of barren and common grounds, whereby
",reat improvements were eff^ded. But as the poorer fort were there*
A. D. 1549. 105
by deprived of the benefit of fuch grounds for feeding their cattle and
for fuel, it is not much to be wondered at, that great clamours were
thereby raifed, which at length burfl; out into open riots, firfl in Kent,
and afterwards in the counties of Eflex, Buckingham, Northampton,
Somerfet, Lincoln, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
Henry II, king of France, caufed the houfes in Paris to be numbered,
which amounted to 10,000, exclulive of churches, chapels, monafteries,
colleges, and other public edifices, and of nine market houfes ; and his
fon Charles IX found 100,000 perfons in this city, belides ftrangers,
fervants, and churchmen.
An ad of Parhament was pafled [3, 4 Edw. VI, c. 2.] with many
good provifions again ft frauds in the woollen manufacture ; fuch as for
the clothier's leal on his cloth; againft overftretching the cloths; for
the well-dying of cloths ; for the well-dying of all wools to be convert-
ed into cloths, or into hats or caps ; againft putting any deceitful thing
upon cloth, fuch as flocks, chalk, flower, ftarch, &c. ; agaijift the ufe
of iron cards in the rowing of cloths ; alfo for the juft meafuring of
cloths. For all thefe purpofcs overfeers are direded to be annually
appointed, not only in corporation towns, by their chief magiftrates,
jointly with the wardens, &c. of the clothvv'orkers, but in towns, vil-
lages, and hamlets not incorporated, by the juftices of the peace jointly
with the clothworkers ; which overfeers fliould, at leaft once in every
quarter of a year, or as often as they might think needful, vifit cloth-
iers, drapers, dyers, and preflers houfes, fhops, &c. to which overfeers
one moiety is hereby given of all the forfeitures and penalties of this
act, and the other to the king, &c. This evidently fliows the care of
the legiflature for that manufacture, and alio that it was at this time uni-
verfally fpread all over the kingdom, and in a flourifliing condition*.
1550 — A treaty of perpetual peace, and of mutual intercourfe of
commerce, was concluded between Edward VI of England and Henry
II of France. The fubftance of what relates to commerce is as fol-
lows.
I) A free and undifturbed commerce fhall be between both Vta-
tions.
II) The fliips of both nations going out armed, fliall, as in former
treaties, ftill give fecurity not to iniure the other party in any refped.
III) King Edward agrees, that in fix weeks time he will reftore to
France the city, forts, and territory of Boulogne. In confideration
thereof, Henry agrees to pay Edward 400,000 crowns of gold of
the fun. For the performance of all which, and alfo of King Edward's
delivering up the caftles of Dunglas and Lawder to Queen Mary of
* Another flatute was palTcd in the next fcflion but one for the very fame purpofcs.
Vol. 17. O
io6 A. D. 1550.
Scotland, and for conditionally demolifhing the caftles of Aynrtoitth &nd
Roxburgh, hoflagcs were delivered on both fides. [Foe^e/a, V. xv,
p. 21 1.]
In an acquittance for delivery of the artillery and ammunition of
Boulogne, there is probably the earliefl: mention of iron bullets f' boul-
' letz defer'): notwithftanding which, we fhall fee that flone bullets
remained in ufe confiderably later than this time. [^Fcedera, V. xv,
p. 218.]
The introdu6lion of the inquifition in the Netherlands this year,
created great uneafinefs, and even influenced commerce exceedingly.
The emperor being defirous to have that infernal tribunal introduced
into Antwerp, fo great was the influence of the Englifli merchants-ad-
venturers at that time (fays Sleidan in his Commentaries, L. xxii.), that
the city had no other means for effedually influencing the emperor, but
to tell him, that the Englifli merchants would certainly leave the city
and country if he brought the inquifition thither, which proved effec-
tual. For it feems the emperor, on a flirid inquiry, found that the Eng-
lifli merchants-adventurers employed at leafl: 20,000 perfons in the city
of Antwerp alone, befides 30,000 more in other parts of the Nether-
lands *.
Antwerp having had new and very fl:rong walls built round it about
this time (fays Guicciardin), including a large piece of ground for ad-
ditional new ft:reets, 3000 houfes on new foundations were ereded, and
above 1000 old ones rebuilt larger and finer; fo that, Paris excepted
(fays our author), there is hardly a city on this fide the Alps that ex-
ceeds it in power and riches ; and as, in general, it may be reckoned
among the principal cities of Europe, fo particularly, with refped: to its
vaft commerce, it may be deemed almoft the firft in the world f .
Yet Heifs [Hifiory of the empire, V. ii, p. 108.] obferves, that the em-
peror having this year ifllied his vigorous and famous edi6l againft: the
Netherland proteftants, efliablifliing fundry tribunals of inquifition for
their fevere punifliment, the edi(fi: paved the way for all the great changes
which happened afterward in thofe provinces ; but its immediate effecfl:
(as it regarded commerce), was fpreading terror and defpair amongft
the manufadurers and merchants, which more efpecially began even
now to affed: tlie tranquillity of Antw'erp.
At this time Captain Bodenham made a trading voyage to the iflands
of Candia and Chio in the Levant, where he took in wines, &c. At
Chio he found Englifli, as well as French and Genoefe merchants.
While Cundia remained fubjed to Venice, and Chio to Genoa, chrifl:ian
{hips conftantly traded thither ; but when the Turks afterwards con-
* It is proper to obferve, that this account is and therefor fome allowance muft. be made on that
from a book written in vindication of the exclufive fcore in the computation.
claims of the company of EugUfli inerchant-ad- f I apprehend this muft be the lame enlarge-
venturets, by J. Wheeler, their fecretary, in 1601 ; meut already noted in the year 1543. M.
A. D. 1550. 107
quered thofe iflands, the chriftian (hips frequented them no more, till
their refpedive fovereigns concluded commercial treaties with the Ot-
toman Porte. And this trade to thofe eaftern territories of Ve- ice gra-
dually brought on a dired trade to Turkey, as will be Teen in its proper
place *.
We have feen that the Portuguefe were acquainted with Japan ever
fince the year 134 ; they had got very great footing there about the
year 1550, or perhaps a little later: but, in the end, the intemperate
zeal of their priefts and miffionaries for the propagation of their reli-
gion, alarmed the Japanefe to fuch a degree, that after they had found
means to gain the emperor's favour, and had (as their liiflorians allege)
converted about a third part of the people of that empire, they were all
put to the mofi: cruel deaths, and together with them all the poor japan-
efe converts. Had the Portuj^uefe contented themfelves with enjoying
a toleration of their own relig-on for themfelves, they might probably
have remained there to this day.
The Portuguefe and others have accufed the Hollanders of having
been inftrumental in this maflacre, becaufe rhey were the only chriftians
excepted out of it. What is certain is, that they alone, of all chriftians,
are permitted to trade thither to this day, although indeed they are fo
very ftridly watched, that it is faid their guns, tackle, rudders, &c. are
brought on iliore as foon as they ai'rive, ever iince the year 1640, that
they landed fome cannon and aurmunition in a private manner, and"
had, it feems, actually begun to erect a fort, under the colour of its be-
ing only a large warehoule ; which d'.li ;n, however, the Japanele dif-
covered in good time. Since then, the Dutch commerce to Japan is
faid not to be near fo gainful as before, being only what they call in In-
* Tlie following palTage from the Journal of ' forfeit all his goods, farms, and Icafcs to the ufe,
King Edward VI is -well worthy of attention. — ' one half of the finder, the other ha i of the king ;
' '55°' September 22. A proclamation was fet ' whofo brought not in corn to the market as he
' forth, by the which it was commanded, I. That ' was appointed, ihould forfeit Lio, except the
' no kind of viftual, no wax, tallow, candles, nor no ' pntvtyors took it up, or it were fold to his
* fuch thing (honld be canied over, except to Ca- ' neighbours.'
' Jais, putting in fureties to go thither. 2. That It turiier appeals from the fame Journal, that
' no man fliould buy or lell the fame things again, on the 15th oi October 1550, piices were fet bv
' except broakers, who fhould not hare more than authority of government on corn, buttci, poultry,
' 10 quarters of grain at once. 3. That all par- &c. ; and that letters were feiit on the 20th of
' ties ihouid divide themfelves into hundreds, rapes, November to the gentlLvr.en of every fhire, dcfir-
' and wapentakes, to look in their quartei'S what ing them to enforce obedience to the proclama-
' fupcrfluous corn were in every barn, and appoint tion tor biinging provifious to markets. But the
' it to be fold at a reafonable price. Alfo, that anfwers to thoie letters rtprtlcnted that it would
' one of tlieni mull be in every market to fee the be impufuble to compel! the people to fell their
' corn bought. Furthermore, whoever fhipped goods for liie ba(e money then in circulation,
' over anything aforefaid to the parts beyond lea, (fee the tabic ot ironey in the appendix. No. II)
' or Scotland, after eight days following the pub- and the proclamation was annulled by a fubfe-
' licaiion of the ptocliimation, {liould forfeit his quent one of the 29th of November. Such mull
' ihip and the ware therein, half to the lord of the ever be the late of auy attempt to force the people
' franchize, and half to the finder thereof; whoio to fell their goods without a fatisf:id.ory price; for
■* bought to fell again after the day aforefaid, (hould people are never nviii'wg to be robbed. A'l.
O 2
io8 A. D. 1550.
dia a country trade, without having any houfe or fadory there, i. 6. a
trade by voyaging from Batavia thither, and back again to Batavia, or
to fome other port in India ; and it is fa id, that during their fhorr ftay
in Japan, they are always fhut up till their departure in a fmal! ifland
near the port of Nangafaki. The produftions of that great and opu-
lent empire, are corn and rice, in great abundance; the fineft of tea,
porcelain and lacquered ware, far exceeding thofe of China ; filk, cot-
ton, drugs, coral, ivory, diamonds, pearls, and other pretious ftones ;
alfo much gold and filver, fine copper, iron, lead, and tin. And the
Dutch, in exchange, carry thither woollen and linen cloths, looking-
glafles and other glafs-ware from Europe, and alio the various merchan-
dize of India, Perfia, and Arabia.
I 551 . — Provifions appear to have been very dear at this time in Scot-
land ; for an aft was paffed [Mar. pari, v, c. 25.] ' anent the ordouring
' of every mannis houfe ;' which limited archbifhops, bifliops, and earls,
to eight diHies of meat ; abbats, priors, and deans, to fix ; barons and
freeholders to four ; and burgefies and fubflantial men, w^hether fpirit-
nal or temporal, to three ; and decreed that only one kind of meat
ihould be in each difli. Marriage feafts, and entertainmeijts made for
foreigners by the lords fpiritual and temporal and the magiftrates of
burghs, are exempted from the rigour of this fumptuary law.
Sixty vellels failed this year from Southampton loaded with wool for
the Netherlands. So great was the demand for the woollen manufadures
of that country even now when England liad made a confiderable pro-
grefs in the fame manufafture.
1552. — Th.e ftatute [37 Hen. VIII, c. 9.] for fixing the interefi of mo-
ney at ten per cent was now repealed, and an a<ft palled [5, 6 Edw. VI^
c. 20.] prohibiting all perfons from lending or forbearing any fum of
money for iijiiry or increafe above the fum lent to be received or hoped for,
upon pain of forfeiting the fum lent and the increafe, with imprifon-
ment and fine at the king's pleafure.
We have fecn under the year 1515 a fi:atute for afcertaining the
length, breadth, and weight of Englifli woollen cloths ; as alfo another
more ample fiiatute in the year 1549, for more fully regulating the dif-
ferent kinds of them. In this year we have another fl:ill more extenfive
law for the like purpofe [5, 6 Edzv. VI, c. 6], wherein the Vv'ooUen ma-
nufactures of all the different counties of England and Wales are afcer-
tained, with refpeft; to lengths, breadths, weight, &c. whereby all for-
mer flatutes concerning this fubjed are repealed. Yet, as perfedl as this
fiatute might then be thought, there were many more fubfequent ones
made on the fame fubjed, not only for afcertaining the true dimenfions
and weight of cloths, but for difcovering and reftraining frauds and ir-
regularities in the manufadure ; the full recital of which would be both
tirefome and unprofitable to the generality of readers.
A. D. 1552. 109
Another monopolizing atT: was now pafTed relating to the manufac-
ture of felt-hats and thrummed hats, coverlets, and dornecks (diaper li-
nen), though fomewhat inore moderate than that in favour of the city
of York in the year 1544; for this law only confines the making of
thofe goods to the city of Norwich, and to all other corporate or mar-
ket-towns of that county. [5, 6 Edw. VI, c. 24.]
The time was now at length come that the eyes of the Englifh were
to be opened to difcover the immenfe damage fuftained by fuffering the
German merchants of the houfe or college in London, called the Steel-
yard, fo long to enjoy advantages in the duty or cuflom of exported
Englifh cloths, far beyond what the native Englifh enjoyed ; which fu-
perior advantage enjoyed by thofe foreigners began about this time to
be more evidently feen and felt, as the foreign commerce of England
became more diflufed.
The cities of Antwerp and Hamburgh pofleiTed at this time the prin-
cipal commerce of the northern and middle parts of Europe ; and their
fad:ors at the Steelyard ufually fet what prices they pleafed both on their
imports and exports ; and having the command of all the markets in
England, v»uth joint or united flocks, they broke all other merchants.
Upon thefe conliderations, the Englifli company of merchants-adven-
turers made predlng remonftrances to the privy council. Thefe Han-
featics were, moreover, accufed (and particularly the Uantzickers) of
defrauding the cufloms, by colouring (/'. c. taking under their own
names, as they paid little or no cuflom) great quantities of the mer-
chandize, of ocher foreigners not entitled to their immunities. They
v.-ere alio accufed of hiving frequently exceeded the bounds of even the
great privileges granted to them ; yet, by the force of great prefents,
liiey had purchaied new grants. They traded in a body, and thereby
underfold and ruined others *. And having for the Lifl forty-five years
liad the fole coamiand of our commerce, they had reduced the price of
Englifh wool to 1/6 per ftonc. In the preceding year they had ex-
ported no fewer than 4;,coo woollen cloths of all ibrts, whilfl all the
Englifh merchants together liad in the flmie year exported but iioa
clochs. The Steelyard merchants were aUb exempted from, aliens' du-
ties, and yet all their exports and imports were made in foreign bot-
toms ; a very conflderable lofs to the nation.
Upon mature confideration of thefe and fuch like reafons and argu-
ments, as well as of the aafwer thereto by the Steelyard or Hanfeatic
merchants, and of records, charters, treaties, depofitions of v.'itnefles,
and other proofs, it was made apparent to the king's privy councilj
]) That all the liberties and privileges claimed by, or pretended to be
granted tO the merchcmts of the Hanfe, are void by the laws of this
* This, though in fome cafes improbable, maj' in other rcfpecls be prafticable.
no A. D. 1552.
realm, forafmuch as they have no fufficient corporation to receive the
fame.
II) That fuch grants and privileges claimed by them do not extend
to any perfons or towns certain, and therefore it is uncertain what per-
fons or which towns {hould or ought to enjoy the faid privileges * ; by
reafon of which uncertainty, they admit to their freedom and immuni-
ties as many as they lift, to the great prejudice of the king's cuftoms,
and to the common hurt of the realm.
III) That fuppofing the pretended grants were good in law, as indeed
they are not, yet the fame were made on condition that they fliould
not colour any other foreigner's merchandize, as by fufficient proofs
it appears they have done.
IV) That above 1 00 years after the pretended privileges granted to
them, they uled to tranfport no merchandize out of this realm but on-
ly into their own countries : Neither did they import any merchandize
but from their own countries : Whereas, at prefent they not only con-
vey Englifli merchandize into the Netherlands, and there fell them, to
the great daniage of the king's own fubjeds, but they alfo import mer-
chandize ot all foreign countries, contrary to the true intent and mean-
ing of their privileges.
V) That in the time of King Edward IV they had forfeited their
pretended privileges by means of war between the realm and them ;
-(i. e. the Hanfe towns) whereupon a treaty was made, ftipiilating, that
our Englifh fubjects fliould enjoy the like privileges in Pruilia and other
Hanfeatic parts, and that no new exadions ftiould be laid on their per-
ibns or goods : V/hich treaty has been much broken in leveral parts,
and efpecially at Dantzick, where no redrefs could ever be obtained, ei-
ther by the requefts of the king's father or himfelf, for the faid wrongs.
In connderation of all which, the council decreed, that the privileges,
liberties, and franchifes, claimed by the faid merchants of the Steelyard,
Ihall from henceforth be and remam feized and refumed into the king's
grace's hands, until the faid merchants of the Steelyard fhall declare
and prove better and more fufficient matter for their claim in the pre-
mifes : Saving, however, to the faid merchants all inch liberty of com-
ing into this realm and trafficking, in as ample manner as any other
merchants-ftrangers have withm the fame.
Rapin adds, that the parliament had laid a heavy duty upon the mer-
chandize exported and imported by the Steelyard lociety ,; and the Han-
featic hiftorian Wardenhagen [K ii, part 5.] feems to think that the
high duty of 20 per cent (miiead of i per cent, their antient duty ever
fmce the reign of Henry III), was not laid on them till the beginning
.of Queen Mary's reign, ' at a time too (adds he) when almod all the
* This was no quibble, but a folid and material objcdion.
A. D. 1552. Ill
' commerce of the Hanfe towns was reduced to the port of London
• alone ; their other comptoirs, viz. Novogrod. Bergen, and Bruges, be-
' ing ahnoft deferted and very Httle frequented by them.'
This is the fubftance of the whole bufinels during the reign of Ed-
ward VI, of reverfing the privileges of the Steelyard merchants, taken
from our hiftories, but more particularly from J. Wheeler's treatife of
commerce, in 410, anno 1601 ; and as he was then fecietary to the
merchant-adventurers company, it is probably in the main a true ac-
count, and is furely an u("eful part of commercial hiftory. Wheeler
adds, that by reverfing their privileges, our own merchants-adventurers
this fime year {hipped off 40,000 cloths for Flanders. Rapin, in his hiftory
of England, obferves, that the regent of Flanders, as well as the city of
Hamburgh, earneftly folicited to have the Steelyard merchants re-inftat-
ed, but to no purpofe.
A project was laid before the miniftry for opening Hull and South-
ampton as free ports or mart towns ; but it was not put in execution. In-
deed thefe two ports feem extremely well (ituated for fuch a fcheme, if
at all pradiicable.
By a ftatute for promoting tillage, and preventing the increafe of in-
clofures for pafture [5, 6 Edw. VI, c. 5.] among fundry kinds of
lands excepted out of the prohibitory a6t, are thofe fet with faffron and
with hops. '
Three fhips from Briftol failed to Afafi and Santa Cruz in South Bar-
bary, with linen and woollen cloth, coral, amber, and jett ; and their
returns were fugar, dates, almonds, and melafles. Hakluyt obferves,
that till the preceding year 1551, England had no mercantile corre-
fpondence with Barbary. [Vbyoges, V. ii, pp. 7, 8, 9.]
By an act palled this year \c. 5.] none but fuch as can fpend ico
merks of yearly rent, or elfe are worth icoo merks, or be the fons of-
dukes, marquifles, earls, vifcounts, or barons, of the realm, ftiall have or
keep in their houfes any vefTel of wine exceeding ten gallons, on for-
feiture of Lio.
II) None ftiall keep a tavern for retailing wines, unlefs licenced ; and
that only in cities, towns-corporate, burghs, port-towns, or market
towns ; or in the to\Vns of Gravefend, Sittingborn, Tuxford, and Bag-
fhot, on forfeiture of Lio. And there ftiall be only two taverns for re-
tailing wine in every city or town, except in London, which may have
forty taverns ; York, eight taverns ; Norwich, four ; Weftminfter, three ;
Briftol, fix; Lincoln, three; Hull, four; Shrewihury, three; Exeter,
four ; Saliftiury, three ; Gloucefter, four ; Weft Chefter, four ; Here-
ford, three ; Worcefter, three ; Southampton, three ; Canterbury, four;
Tpfwich, three; Winchefter, three; Oxford, three; Cambridge, four ;
Colchefter, three ; Newcaftle upon Tyne, four. By this limitation, it
may be thought that a pretty near guefs maybe made at the magnitude
112 A. D. 1552.
•of cities and towns, allowances being made for towns fituated on very
public roads ; yet this matter is neverthelefs fUll very uncertain.
III) None of the fiid taverns fhall retail wines to be fpent or drank
within their refped:ive houfes.
IV) Merchants may ufe in their own houfes (but not to fell) fuch
wines as they fhall import ; alfo high-fheriffs, magiftrates of cities and
towns, and inhabitants of fortified towns, may keep velfels of wines for
their own confumption only.
' Hitherto (fays Sir John Davies) it is manifeft, that fmce the lafl
' transfretation of King Richard II into Ireland, the crown of England
' never fent over either numbers of men, or qitantities of treafure, fuf-
' ficient to defend the fmall territory of the Pale, much lefs to reduce
* that which was loft, or to finifh the conqueft of the whole ifland.' He
then fhows,that in this reign the border was extended beyond the limits
of the Englifh pale, after breaking the O'Moors and O'Connors, and
building the forts of Leix and Offaly, rooting out thole two rebellious
fepts, apd planting Engliih colonies in their room, in the reign of Queen
Mary.
That incomparable young prince, King Edward VI, died in July 1553,
having juft before his death endowed three of the great London holpi-
tals, viz. Chrift's, St. Thomas's, and Bridewell.
The annual expenfe of his houfehold was, according to Strype [K ii,
P- 454-]
I ft year, £49,187.
2d year, 46,902.
3d year, 46,100.
rWhy this year fo far exceeds the reft we know
, „ J not, nor why other years differ fo much ; im-
4 y ' » vSy • j i^fg jj be from the great debafing of his filver
|_coins in every year of his reign but the laft.
5th year, 62,863.
6th year, 65,923.
1553 In this year (fays Sir John Boroughs, keeper of the records in
the tower of London, in his treatife of the fovereignty of the Britifh
feas, written in 1633, and publifhed in 1651, />. 80.) ' Philip II king of
' Spain obtained licence for his fubjeds to fifh upon the north coaft of
* Ireland for the term of twenty-one years, paying yearly for the fame
* Liooo ; which was accordingly brought into the exchequer of Ireland,
' and received by Sir Henry Fitton, being then treaiurer there, as his
' fon Sir Edward Fitton haih often teftified.'
Under the preceding year, we have related the grounds upon which
King Edward's council abrogated the great privileges and immunities
which the Hanfeatic Steelyard Ibciety in London had enjoyed ever fince
the reign of King Henry III. ' Whereupon,' according to Rapin, ' the
A. D. 1553- 113
* parliament of that time had laid a heavy duty (20 per cent) upon
' their exports and imports,' inflead of their antient duty of one per
cent). He farther adds, ' that this adl was renewed in Queen Mary's
* firft parliament: But in the beginning of the year 1554, the queen,
' to gratify the Hanfe towns, fufpended the execution of thofe ads for
' three years, and difcharged them from the payment of that heavy du-
* ty, all ads to the contrary notwithftanding. And this (he obferves)
' was the firft effed of this queen's alliance with the empL-ror ;' fhe hav-
ing juft been married to his eldeft fon Philir *.
Two of the other three comptoirs of the lianfe league were now alfo
become of little confequence to them (fays Wardenhagen) ; ' for firft
' Novogrod, by reafon of the czar's arbitrary and tyrannical proceed-
' ings (who, without any juft grounds, aflumed a power to imprifon the
' German merchants, and to feize on their effeds), was nov? quite aban-
* doned ; the merchants having removed firft to Revel, and afterward to
' Narva.
' Bergen in Norway was alfo deferted by the Hanfeatics, by reafon
* of the like arbitrary proceedings of the king of Denmark ; For
* whereas the antient toll for pafling the found had been only a golden
' rofe-noble on every lail, which was always underftood to be meant on
' every fliip, the court of Denmark had for fome time paft put a new
* and arbitrary conftrudion on the word fail, by obliging all fliips to
' pay a rofe-noble for every fail in or belonging; to each fnip. More
' over, not content with this impofition, they proceeded to lay a duty
' on the corn and other merchandize per laft or ton, diftind from that
' on the fails ; which burdens obliged the Vandalic Hanfe towns' (i. e.
thofe towns on the German ftrore fituated within the Sound) ' to re-
' linquifti the Norway trade : And as they had vaft dealings in tranf-
* porting the corn of Poland and Livonia to other parts of Europe,
' thofe high tolls fo difcouraged them, that they alfo gradually left off
' that commerce, to which the Hollanders fuccceded, and have conti-
* nued thereiii ever fmcc, greatly to their advantage. Their third comp-
* toir, which was at Bruges, had, by the decay of that once moft opulent
' city, been removed firft to Dort, and afterward to Antwerp ;' where
indeed it continued to nrofper for fome time after.
Thuanus [A. 51] aftigns another good reafon for the decline of the
trade of the Hanfe towns to Eergen, where, he fays, the marks of their
»
•we
* Though Rapin exprefsly aflcrts llint tlure both tliofc tranf;nflioiis were any oilier tlian orders
were two aCi\s of parhanient, viz. one of the lall or determinations of the countil-boardo <'f thole
ytar of King Edward VI, aad another of the fii ll times, which in thole days, wLc.i the boiirds of
of Queen Mary, for laying on that high duty on the prerogative were more txtenlive, frequent]' af-
the imports and exports of the Steelyard mer- fumed fo grc.it a latitude ; at leaft, if they w: re
chants, yet in the printed ilatute-hook thi re is not re: ly llatutes, we migl^t have had their titles ir
fo much as the title of athti u thole fuppofcd th- printed Itatute-book.
flat, tea; which may make t doubt ul whether
Vol. II. P
ii4 A. D. 1553.
antient commerce are more plainly to be traced than any where elfe.
In the reign of Frederick II, the Danifli gentry, allured by the profpedl
of gain, began to carry on merchandize and fadorage themfelves, and
alfo eftablifhed manufadures, which the Hanfe towns in vain urged the
king to abolifli.
This year (according to Hakluyt, V. ii) Antony Jenkinfon being at
Aleppo, obtained privileges from the Turkifli fulran, Selim II, (then at
that place with an army going againft the Perlians) whereby he was to
pay no higher cuftom than the French or Venetians ; and he had liber-
ty (without being diflurbed by their confuls) to trade with his fliip or
fhips to the Turkifli ports.
This year was diflinguifhed by a great geographical and mercantile
difcovery. Some merchants of London, together with feveral noble-
men, emulous of the fame, and defirous of fharing in the profits ac-
quired by the Portuguefe and Spanifli difcoverers of unknown lands,
eftablifhed a company, with a capital of L6000 in 240 fhares of L25,
for profecuting difcoveries. The celebrated Sebaftian Cabot, who was
a principal advifer of the undertaking, was chofen their governor.
Three veflels * were fitted out under the command of Sir Hugh Wil-
loughby, and they carried letters from King Edward addrefi^d to all
kings and princes, requelling their friendlhip. Sir Hugh Willoughby,
being tofled about for a long time by tempeftuous wea,ther, as far as 72
degrees of north latitude, was compelled, by the fudden approach of
winter, to run into an obfcure harbour in Ruffian Lapland, called Arci-
na Keca, where he and the crews of two of his fhips (70 in number)
were frozen to death ; and where fome Ruffian fifhermen, in the fum-
mer following, found him fitting in his cabin, with his diary and other
papers before him ; it being the cuftom of thofe Laplanders to frequent
the fea-coafts in fummer for the benefit of the fifliery ; but when win-
ter approaches, to withdraw into the calmer inland parts, which occa-
fions thofe ftormy fhores to be defolate in winter. Richard Chancellor,
however, in the third fhip, accidentally fell into the bay of St. Nicholas,
or the White Sea, on the Ruffian coaft, where no fhip had ever been
feen before, and landed at the abbey of St. Nicholas, near Archangel,
then only a caftle, determining to wait on the czar, John Bazilowitz, at
that time engaged in the Livonian war ; which war having greatly in-
terrupted the Eaftland trade, that prince was the more inclinable, by
Chanqellor's interpofition, to grant the Englifh confiderable privileges at
Archangel, &c. The Ruffians, before thofe times, having no fea-ports
nor fhipping on the Baltic fhores, their rich furs, hemp, &c, were car-
ried to other parts of Europe from the ports of Livonia, lately poITefi^ed
• One of the vefTels was ftieathed with thin ( Anghrum navigaiio ad Mofcomtas) written by
plates of lead ; which is mentioned as a very in- Clement Adam, who received his materials from
genious invention in the account of the voyage Chancellor, M.
A. D. 1553. 115
by the Teut6nic knights of St. Mary of Jerufalem. Tims, though dif-
appointed in their hopes of arriving at China by this fuppofed north-
eafl paflage, thev made an ufeful and profitable difcovery of a trade by
fea to Ruflia ; and this difcovery, moreover, pointed out to the Englifh
the way to the whale-fifliery at Spitzbergen.
Chancellor, from Archangel, by the governor's leave and afliftance,
travelled on fledges to the czar at Mofcow, of whom he obtained privi-
leges for the Englifh merchants, and letters to King F.dward.
We muft here remark, that although Oclher had almoft 700 years
before juftly delineated the coaft of Norway to the great King Alfred,
yet through the negligence and ignorance of after times, the knowlege
of it was utterly loft, that the famous Sebaflian Munfter's Geogroph'm
vetus et 7iova, printed in foUo at Bafil 1540, in a map of the moft
northern parts of Europe, joins the country of Groneland, commonly
called Old Greenland, (now known to be a part of the great continent
of North America) to the north part of Norwegian Lapland, thereby
making the Northern Ocean merely a great bay, entirely fiiut in by
thofe two countries.
We find three (hips from Portfmouth trading for gold along the coaft
of Guinea ; though but one of thofe fhips returned home fate from this
adventure. In fome fubfequent years, we find by Hakluyt, &c. that the
Erglifli made voyages to Guinea, and imported confiderable quantities
of gold and elephants teeth : Yet till the Negro trade was believed to
be neceflary for the Weft India colonies, (however unjuftifiable it may
be deemed by many in a moral fenfe) it is fcarcely probable that any
confiderable trade to Guinea could have been long carried on to advan-
tage, in a country producing fo few articles for commerce, as being able
to tak€ off fo little of the produce of other nations.
By a ftatute [1,2 Phil, et Mar. c. 5] it was enaded, that when the
common price of wheat fliould not exceed 6/8 per quarter, and rye
/^per quarter, barley 3/", then they might be exported any where but
to the king and queen's enemies, Thisfliows that thefe prices v;ere then
efteemed low, or at kaft moderate.
1 554. — The ambafiadors of the free cities of the Hanfeatic league hav-
ing applied to Qiieen R:ary, (who, as we have feen, had, on her marriage
wi^h the emperor's fon, fuipended the abrogation of their privileges for
three years) in behalf of the German irierchants refiding in the Steel-
yard at London, complaining, that by an ad of the firfl year of her
reign, touching ihe payment of certain cuftoms or fubfidies called ton-
nage and poundae, the merchants ot the Steelyard were otherwife bur-
dened than hererofore, contrary to the effect of fuch charters and privi-
leges as by fundry of her predeceflors kings of England had heretofore
been granted to them : A^-^d the queen being informed that the faid de-
claration or complaint contains truth ; ana fhe being alfo defirous to
F 2
ii6 A. D. 1554.
obferve and contimie in equitable and reafonable fort the antient ami-
ty and intercourfe which had been betwixt her dominions and the free
cities of the Hanfe league, commanded her treafurers and barons of the
exchequer, her cuftomers, comptrollers, fearchers, &c. in London and
other ports, freely to permit the faid merchants of the Steelyard to im-
port and export all merchandize not prohibited, without requiring any
greater fubfidy or cuftom than in the time of her father or brother.
She alfo granted them a licence to export woollen cloths made in Eng-
land of the value of L6 Sterling or under, unrowed, unbarbed, and
imfiiorn, without any penalty or forfeiture on account of certain fla-
tutes of the 27th and 33d years of King Henry VIII, prohibiting the
faid exportation ; the merchants of the Steelyard reprefenting to the
queen that the price of cloths was now fo enhanced that they could,
fend over none at all, without incurring the penalties of thofe ads. [Fee- ■
dera, V. xv, p. 364.]
Notwithftanding all which, Wheeler [fTreatife of commo-ce, p. 100] af- -
firms, that Queen Mary afterward revoked the faid privileges again, for
that the Hanfes had broken promifes with her, in continuing an.
unlawful trade in the Low Countries, v^hereby fhe loft in eleven months
in her cufloms more than L9360, befides great damage to her fubieds
in their trade. And by Queen Elizabeth's, anfwers to the Hanfeatics, .
it feems probable that Wheeler's is a true account.
The famous Thomas (afterwards Sir Thomas) Grefham, the moft
eminent merchant of thofe times, had been much employed by King
Edward VI, as well as by Qiieen Mary, in tranfading their bills of ex--
change at Antwerp, and in purchafing ammunition, artillery, &c. for
their ufe ; for which fervices his daily allowance was twenty {liillings
Sterling. \Fcedera, V. xv, p. 371.] Sir Thomas's prudent condud in
difcharging the debts due by Edward VI to the people of Antwerp, and
his wife management of the exchange between London and Antwerp,
whereby he laved that prince a confiderable fum of money, was greatly^
praifed.
A Icatute [1,2 ThU. ct Mar. c. 7] was made, prohibiting linen-drap-
ers, w()()'le!,-v!rapers, haberdafhers, grocers, and mercers, not free of any
ciy, br.rgh, or c.:iporation town, and living in the open country out of
the laid cities and towns, from vending their wares by retail in cities
and towns, excepting in open fairs, and by wholef^le. The plaufible
pretence for this reftridion in the preamble of the ftatute is much the
fame as in oiher monopolizing ones, viz. for enabling thofe cities and
t(.wns-corporate to employ their people, to pay their fee-farms and taxes,
and 10 prevent 'heir utter decay, &.c.
The following iumptuary law was made for rcftraining the extrava-
gance and vanity of the lower claffes of people and fervants in Eng-
land, and alfo for encouraging our ov/.n raanufadures, viz. ' Whoever
A. D. 1554. 117
' flialFwear filk in or upon his hat, bonnet, girdle, fcabbard,hofe, flioes,
• or fpur-leather. fhall be imprifoned for three months, and forfeit Lio,
' excepting magistrates of corporations, and perfons of higher rank. And
' if any perfon knowing his fervant to offend againfl: this law, do not
* put him forth of his fervice- within 14 days, or fhall retain hira again,
' he (hall forfeit Lioo*.' [1,2 Phil, et Mar. c. 2.]
By the encouragement of King Edward VI and others, the flrfl voy-
age for difcoveries northward was made (as we have feen) in the
Lafl year of that prince's life, and a beginning made for a trade to Pvuflia ;
but Edward dyin^ before he had executed a very ample charter to
thofe adventurers, it was on the faid firfi: and fecond year of Philip and
Mary, (6th of February) that the fir ft charter of incorporation was
granted to the Rtiflla company (as it has fuice been nfually called), but
then by the name of the merchants-advencurei"s, for the difcovery of
lands, countries, ifles, &c. not before known or frequented by any Eng-
lifh. The preamble to this charter, and the fubftance of the whole it
fets forth is, that the marquis of Yv'lnchefter, then lord high treafurer ;
the earl of Arundel, lord fleward of the queen's lioufehold ; the earl
of Bedford, lord privy feal ; the earl of Penibroke ; the lord Howard
of Effingham, lord high admiral, &:c. had already fitted out fliips for.
difcoveries of countries northward, north-eaflward, and north-weftward, .
not as vet frequented by other chriftian monarchs in friendfliip with us. .
To have one governor (the firft to be Sebaftian Cabot, during his life) -
and twenty-eight of the moft {;\d (fedate), difcreet, and honefl of the
faid fellowftip?, four of whom to be called confuls, and the other twen-
ty-four to be called afliftants : The governor and two confuls (or three
confuls in the governor's abfence) and twelve afllftants, to be the quo-
rum of a court. This corporation might purchafe lands to the yearly
value of L66 : 13:4. to have perpetual fucceflion; a common feal;
may plead and be impleaded ; may impofe mulds, forfeitures, &c. on
offenders againfl the company's privileges, and may admit perfons from
time to time to be free of the company — May make conquefts of-
lands of infidels fo to be difcovered by them. And "whereas one of the •
faid fhips (Chancellor's) fet forth laft year (1553), arrived fafe and win-
tered in the dominions of our coufin and brother Lord John Bazilowitz,
emperor of all Rulfia^ who entertained them honourably, &c. and
granted them letters to us, with licence freely to traffic in his country ^-
with other privileges under his fignet. — Wherefore we grant this corpo-
ration liberty to refort, not only to all parts of that emperor's domi-
nions, but to all other parts not known to our fubjeds, none of whom
but fuch as fhall be free of, or licenced by this company, fliall frequent
* This ftatute, as deftruttive of the freedcm of trade, was repealed in the firft year of King Jamcs-I.
n8 A. D. 1554.
the parts aforcfaid, under forfeiture of {hips and merchandize ; one half
to the crown, one half to the company.
It feems the Briflol merchants had entered into the Ruflia trade foon
after its difcovery, being encouraged therein by Sir Sebaftian Cabot.
The czar of Ruflia made a very confiderable acquilition of territory
by the conquefl of Nagaian Tartary, efpecially the city and kingdom of
Aftracan, whereby he became mafter of all the country on both fides
the vafl river Volga down to the Cafpian fea ; and a communication
was opened from Ruflia into that fea, and thence crofs it into Perfia,
whither they have fince carried on a confiderable commerce.
1555. — Twenty-two Dutch merchant fliips, homeward bound from
Spain, wuh Indian fpices, &c. were attacked by nineteen French fliips
of war and fix fmaller ones well armed, who flopped the Dutch ftiips
w^ith hooks and chains, fo that the fliips being dofely compared toge-
ther, the fight refembled one on dry land. After fix hours combat the
Frencli loft 1000 men, and the Dutch but 300. But a fire happening
among the fliips, which confumed fix on each fide, the reft on both
Jides retired in confufion. This is the Dutch account ; [Meterani Hi/lo-
ria Belgica, L. i, p. 14] but Thuanus [L. 26] varies the flory fomewhat
in favour of his countrymen the French, who, he fays, loft but 400
men, and the Dutch 1 000 : and that in the confufion occafioned by
the fire, which made the men of both nations run from fliip to fliip, it
happened in five Dutch fliips that the majority were French, who hav-
ing maftered the Dvitch, carried the fliips into Dieppe, from whence
they (the French fleet) had come ; which port, adds this great author,
had ever been a principal one for naval exploits. Thuanus, in effed:,
will have the victory to be on the fide of the French, yet he owns it
was a lamentable vidory, and greatly to their lofs. Both thofe authors
admit the French to have been iuperior in number of fliips, men, and
artillery, this fleet having been then a confiderable part of the whole
naval force of France ; but the Dutch fliips were larger and ftronger
than the French.
Much the like complaints, in relation to the Englifli woollen manu-
fadlurers, as have been made in the prefent time, were, we find, made
above 200 years ago, as appears by a ftatute [2, 3 PML et Mar. r. n]
intitled. Who fijall uje the trade of zveaving, viz. that whereas the rich
clothicis do opprefs the weavers, fouie by fetting up and keeping in
their houles divers looms, and maintaining tliern by ounieymen and
perfons unlkilful ; fonie by ingrolfing looms into their hands, and let-
ting them out at fuch unrealbnable rents, as the poor artificers are not
able to maintain thc-mfelves by, and much lefs their wives and faniilits j
fonie again, by gving much lefs wages for the workmanlhip of cloths
than in times paft, whereby they are forced utterly to forlake their oc-
cupations, Sec. Wherefore it is hereby enaded, I) That no clotliier.
A. D. 1555. 119-
living out of a city, borough, or market-town, fliall keep above one
loom in his houle.nor let out any loom for hire. II) That no woollen-
weaver, living out of a city, burgh, or market town, fhali keep more
than two looms, nor more than two apprentices. Ill) No weaver (hall
have a tucking-mill, nor be a tucker, fuller, or dyer. IV) No tucker
nor fuller fhall keep any loom in his houfe. V) No perfon, who has
not heretofore been a clothmaker, fhall hereafter make or weave any
kind of broad white woollen cloths, but only in a city, burgh, tmvn-
corporate, or market town, or elfe in fuch places w'lere luch cl'~>ths have
been ufed to be commonly made for ten years preceding this afl *.
VI) No perfon fhall fet up as a weaver, unlefs he has prevumfly fervcd
an apprenticefhip of feven years to that bufinefs. Laflly, Nothmg in
this ad: is to extend or be prejudicial to the in'i 'bitants of the count 'es
of York, Cumberland, Northumberland, and Weflmoreland ; but they
may keep looms in their houfes, and do every orhtr matter relating tO"
fpinning, weaving, and cloth-making in the faid counties as before the
making of this ftatute.
Commerce beginning to increafe confiderably in the reign Oi ,)ueen
Mary, and the old roads being much frequented by lieavy carriages, an
ad [2, 3 FhiL et Mar. c. 8] which is flill m force, direded. that every
parifh Ihould annually elect two furveyors of the highways, ro fee that
the parifhioners, according to their lands, abilities, farms, &c. (hould
fend their carts, horfes, men, tools, 8tc. four da\s in every year, for
mending the roads. So that this is properly the firfl: general ftatute
made for mending the roads, extending to all England and Wales, by
the labour and expenfe of each refpedive parifh alone ; and on that
bottom alone, we find in all fix ftatutes relating to this fubjed in Queen
Mary's reign, and about nineteen in Queen Elizabeth's reign, and one
in King James I's reign ; after which there were none of this fort till
the refloration of Charles II. The parochial means for keeping the
roads in repair were found in moft cafes tolerably eflfedual, until after
the refloration, when the vaft increafe of commerce and manufadures,
and of the capital city of London, with the concomitant increafe of
luxury, brought in fuch numbers of heavy wheel-carriages, as rendered
it by degrees impradicable, in mofl cafes, for parifhes entirely to ktep
their own part of the roads in a tolerable condition, more efpeciaily in
the counties lying nearer London, and in manufaduring counties. This
has introduced the more equitable and effedual method of tolls, pay-
able at toll-gates (called turnpikes), by thofe who ufe and wear the
roads : and many fubfequent local ftatutes have been made for thofe
ends, and alfo feveral general ones for limiting the weight of waggon
loads, the breadth of wheel-rims, called fellies, the number of horfes, &c.
* This claufe appears to have been well intended, that the fearchers might be the better enabled to
attend to the good of the manufafture.
J 20 A. D. 1555.
And this mucli we thought fufficient to ferve for a fummary hif-
tory of the laws relating to the roads of England, fo as not to have
•much occafion to mention them any more in this work.
What we have here faid concerning keeping the roads of England in
repair, may alfo be partly applied to the fubjedl of deepening rivers and
harbours. With refpecl: to the former, we have feen that the firfl inftance
thereof in the ftatute-book is found in the acSs for deepening the river
• Lea from Ware to London [3 Hen. VI, c. 5. and 9 Hen. VI, c. 9.] After
that we find none till the reign of King Henry VIII, who repaired and
fortified feveral harbours : for that of the fourth of King Henry VII,
for preferving the river Thames, relates merely to the fifhing therein ;
(and that of the eleventh of the fame king, for removing wears and en-
:gines from Southampton harbour, was for the like end. But we find
-no more fiatutes of either kind till Queen Elizabeth's reign ; fome of
.which, as alfo fom.e fubiequent ones, we may perhaps think it necefiliry
;to take a more particular notice of in their refpedlive places ; as alfo
for bridges over rivers.
It mud needs be a miofl afFeding confideration, to read what the
bifhop of Chiapa in Mexico relates concerning the deftru6lion of the
native Indians of America by the Spaniards. In that humane prelate's
account of their firfl voyages to, and difcoveries in, the new world,
(which country, he aflerts, was granted to Spain by the papal fee, upon
•the exprefs condition alone of their inftruding the Indians in the chrif-
tian religion ; wherea?, inftead of converting their minds to the faith,
they, by unparalleled cruelty, firfl: tortured and then butchered their bo-
dies, merely for obliging them to difcover their treafures) it is related,
that in the early times of the Emperor Charles V they had butchered
upwards of forry millions of thofe poor Indians!
The goldfmiths of Scotland having debafed their filver plate to fix or
feven penny fine, an a6t of the Scottifli parliament fixed the ftandard
of filver plate at eleven penny fine, and gold plate at twenty-two carrats
fine, both upon pain of death. By eleven penny fine here mufl: be un-
derftood eleven ounces fine to a pound troy, and not eleven penny weight
to an ounce ; fince the other fuppofition mufl: not only leave their filver
plate very bafe, but it would alfo be greatly difproportioned to the fine-
nefs of their gold plate.
John Bodin of Angers, the famous civilian and hiflorian, eftimates
the number of fouls in Venice at this time to be i 80,440, which is about
10,000 more t'nan they are reckoned in our time. If his account be
true, the decreafe is n >t improbably owing to the great decay of their
commerce, fince the Portuguei'e, by their difcoverv of a way by fea to
India, have di'pr ved them of the vaft advantage of fupplying moft part
of Europe with the nerchan lize of the Euft.
Huet obferves (in his Memoirs of the Dutch commerce) that the religi-
A. D. 1555. 121
ous perfecutions of Charles V in Germany, Francis II in France, and
Mary in England, drove vafl; numbers of people to fettle in Antwerp,
which about this time was in tlie zenith of its proiperity, the common
refort of the traders of all nations, and the general ftorehoufe of the
world, as Amfterdam is now *. He adds, that it was a common thing
to fee 2500 ihips :at xixBtce lying in the Scheld.
The Ruflia company fent out their fecond adventure with their
agents and fadors, who had leti ^rs from King Philip and Qtieen Mary
to the czar John Bazilowitz. They, in two fhips, failed up the river
Dwina to Vologda, and thence Mr. Chancelor and his attendants trav-
elled in fledges to iViofcow, where they were entertained at the czar's
expenfe, who now granted them and their fucceflbrs for ever the fol-
lowing privileges, viz.
I) Freedom to retort at all times, with their fhips, merchandize, ferv-
ants, &c. into any part of his dominions, without any fafe conduct or
licence being required of rliem.
II) Neither their perfons nor goods fhall be arrefted, but only for
their proper and perfonal debts, &c.
III) Power is given them to chufe their own brokers, fkippers,
packers, weighers, meafurers, waggoners, &c. to adminifler an oath
•to them, and to punifli them for mifdemeanors.
JV) The chief factor recommended by the company to the czar, to
have full power to govern all the Englifh in his dominions, and to ad-
minifler juftice between them in all caufes, quarrels, &c. atid to make
fuch acts and ordinances, with his ailiftants, as he fhall think meet for
the good government of the merchants and all other Englifh there, and
to fine and iraprifon them.
V) The czar's ofRcers and minifters fhall aid and aflift the faid fac-
tors againfl: the rebellious Englifh, and lend them prifons and inftru-
ments of puniihmenr, &c.
VI) Juftice fliall be duly adminiftered in any complaints of the Eng-
Hfh againfl: Ruffians, and the Englifh ihall be firft heard, and may, in
cafe of ablence, appoint an attorney.
VII) In cafe any Eaglilliman be wounded or killed, due punifhment
fliall be inflidled; and in cafe the Englifh fiiall wound or kill any, nei-
ther their, nor the company's goc'ds, fliall be forfeited on that account.
VIII) The Englifli arrefted tor debt fhiill not be ^mprifoned if they
can give bail.
TX) It Englifh fhips fhall be robbed or damaged in or near Ruflia
by pirates, &c. the czar will do his utmofi: to procure fatisfadlion.
X) The czar promifes, for him and his fucceffors, to perform, main-
* Whatever Amfterdam miglit be \\\ Huet's, or puted in any pnrt of Europe, that Londoa is the;
even in Anderfou's, time, it will not now b» dif- gencial ftorehoufe ot the world. M.
Vol. II (^
522 A. D. 1555-
tain, and obferve all the aforefaid privileges, &c. and for that purpofe
has put his fignet thereto.
Another inetfecT^nal law was made [2, 3 Pbil. et Mor. c. 5.I for con-
fir-ning former ineflfedual ones of Henry VIIT and Edward VI, for
g ihering wc! kly relief for the aged and impotent poor of every parifh,
by the charitable devotion of the inhabitants, &c. and ordering that
a poor man licenced to beg fliould wear a badge on his bread and back
openlv *.
151^6. — At this time the merchants of London had fadors fettled in
the Caviaries, as we learn from an account of a voyage by Thomfon an
Envlifhiiian. who in his pafluge from Cadiz to New Spain, found ihem
there. He relates, that when he was at Mexico, in the year 1556, there
were not above 1500 families of Spaniards in that great city ; but that
in the fuburbs there were computed to be at leafl: 300,000 Indian in-
habitants.
Captain Stephen Burrough, in the Ruflia company's fervice,
failed northward towards Nova Zembla, in order to difcover the great
river Oby, in the Tartarian fea ; but he was unable to pafs the ftraits
of Wey;.,ats, becaufe of the huge quantities of ice, and therefor return-
ed unfuccefsful.
The Rullia company fent out two (hips, which returned the fame
year with the two fhips which had been frozen up in Lapland in 1553,
(in one of which was Sir Hugh Willoughby's body.) They alfo
brought over an ambaflador from Ruflia to Queen Mary ; but he being
fliipwrecked on the coafl of Scotland, loft almoft all the fine prefents
he had brought for the king and queen : yet being on his return, he
received fundry rich prefents for the czar, and alio for himfelf.
1557 The next year the company fent tour veflels to Ruflia. They
carried home the czar's ambaflador, and with him Mr. Anthony Jenkin-
fon, who the next year made very ufeful difcoveries towards Ferfia, for
the benefit of the company's commerce.
It was in this year (according to the Trcfent Jlate of England^ anm
1683, part !!!,/> 94.) that glalTes were firfl begun to be made in
England. The finer Tort was made in the place called Crutched-Friars
in London. Tht fine flint glafs (fays our author), little inferior to that
of V'enice, w;is firfl made in the Savoy-houfe in the Strand, London ;
but the firfl glais plates for looking-glafles and coach-windows were
made about tea years ago (1673) at Lambeth, by the encouragement
of the duke of Buckingham. England now excels all the world in
every branch of that beautiful manufidure.
'* It WAS not t!ll about t'u's timt:, if Biflinp wlii'ch lias, I believe, ever fuice been the principal
Leflcy [W/?. Scot. p. 24.] was rightly iiiformed, ftation of their innutiierabk millions on the weft
that the herrings began to freqient Loch- Broom, tuaft of Scotland. M.
A. D. 1558. 125
1558 After England had held the town and port of Calais (with
its dependent garrifons of Guifnes and Hamme) for 211 years (the
only part of the continent of France till now held by England), during
which time it was not only a door always open for the invafion of
France, but, which is more to our purpofe, was extremely well fituated
for a ftnple port, to difperle, in more early times, the wool, lead, and
tin, and in later times the woollen manufafbures of England into the
inland countries of the Netherlands, France, and Germany, the lofs
of this mofl; important place was imdoubtedly a confiderable prejudice
to the commerce, and not a little to the honour and influence of Eng-
land. Thefe confiderations fo affeded Queen Mary, that fhe i'aid, if,
when after her death, fhe fhould be opened, Calais wouid be found at
her heart. Hereupon the flaple for wool, &c. was removed to Bruges,
to the great benefit of that city, now declining from its antient opulence
and grandeur.
The Ruffians, having in this year conquered Narva in Livonia, and
thereby gained an opening into the Baltic fea, eftablifhed it as an em-
porium or ftaple port for the trade of Ruffia with the reft of Europe.
The Hanfeatic merchants hereupon removed their comptoir from Re-
vel, where it had been fixed fince the Mufcovites hadbarbaroufly driven
them from Novogrod. Thuanus [L. li.] only obfervcs, that the Ruffians
removed the ftaple to Narva, which, as far as related to their own trade,
it was in a great meafure in their own power to do; yet the great mafter
of the Teutonic knights of Livonia, and alfo the archbifhop of Riga,
made grievous complaints to the Emperor Ferdinand of the great in-
jury done to the empire, by drav/ing the trade from Revel to Narva ;
for at txie fame time the Engliffi, Dutch, and French nierchants remov-
ed alfo rroTTi Revel to Narva. Werdenhagen affigns two other reafons for
the removal of the Hanfeatics from Revel to Narva, viz. I) The felfifhnefs
of the Revaiians, who fain v.'ould have monopolized the entire com-
merce. TI) Their other motive for removing to Narva, was chiefly
v.'ith a view to be nearer to Novogrod, their antiently beloved refidence,
where they much longed to fettle again, (and whither, it feems, they
fent envoys in the year 1603, for that end, and where, in 1620, the
czar Demetrius gave them leave to ered a houfe for their commerce,
though, by reafon of the great declenfion of the general commerce of
the Hanfeatics, little good came of it.) The removal of the ftaple to
Narva was the handle which Eric XIV of Sweden foon after made ufe
of to feize the fhips of Lubeck returning from Narva, (lays our Han-
featic hifiorian), and to carry them to Revel and Stockholm, which
produced a war of eight years between the Hanle towns and Sweden,
to which a period was put by a treaty at Stetin in 1571 : Yet the
Hanfe league was flill confiderable enough for the Emperor Ferdinand.
Q.2
1 24 A. D. 1558.
to recommend to them, in this very year, the quieting of Livonia, then
greatly agitated.
We have already obferved that the comptoir of the Hanfe towns at
Bergen in Norway began to be deferted about the year 1553, chiefly
owing (fay the Hanieatic writers) to the arbitrary and extravagant in-
creafe of the toll in the found by Chriftiern III of Denmark, which
produced much altercation, infomuch that in this year 1558, when that
king died, that comptoir was almofi: funk to nothing, after having
greatly flourifhed for about 300 years ; yet others impute the true caufe
of that decline to the Danes therafelves about this time, who began to
traffic on their own bottoms, whereby that court (like England) faw
the expediency of abridging thofe Hanfeatics of their antient exceflive
privileges and prerogatives at Bergen, which, they alleged, had been
granted to them by former Danifh kings.
That moft diligent agent for the Ruflia company, Mr. Anthony Jen-
kinfon, now tirft fet on foot a new channel of trade, through Ruflia in-
to Perlia, for raw filk, &c. He failed down the great river Volga to
Nifi-Novogrod, Cafan, and Afl:racan, and thence acrofs the Cafpian fea
to Periia. At Eoghar, a goodly city, he foimd merchants from India,
Perfia, Ruflia, and Cathay (/. e. China), from which it was a nine months
journey to Boghar. Jenkinfon retiu-ned the fame way to Colmogro, in
the bay of St. Nicholas, in the year 1560, and fo home the fame year
to England. On his return, he publiflied the firfl: map of Ruflia that
had ever been made. This voyage, it feems, he performed feven dif-
lerent tinies : Yet fo promifing a profped: for that company was drop-
ped fome few years after, and remained as if it had never been, till the
year 1741, wlienit was revived by an ad: of parliament, enabling the
Ruflia company to trade thence into Perfia, upon which conflderable
quantities of raw filk were brought home by the very fame way that
Jenkinfon took from Perfia to Ruflia, and thence to England : Yet the
continual troubles and ravages in Perfia have fince ftifpended the good
effeds of that lav.'.
In this lafl year of Queen IMary, a preft (.'. e. loan) ' v/as granted to
' the queen by the citizens of London, of twenty thoufand pounds,
' which was levied of the companies ; for the which fum, to be repaid
' again, the queen bound certam lands, and alfo allowed for interefl:
' of the mo-ney L12 of every hundred for a year.' \_Stow s Annaks,
p. 1370, cd. I 600.]
in the fir ft year of Queen Elizabeth, the parliament pafiTed an ad
\c. 13.] repealing the former laws which prohibited the importation
and exportation of m.erchandize in any btit Englilh Ihips. This repeal
(clogged as it is with rellridions) would not perhaps be approved of in
our days ; yet there might probably be good grounds for it then ; at
lead: the legiflature thought the following a fufficieht reafon for it, viz.
A. D. 1558. 125
That fince the making of the faid ftatutes, other fovercign princes,
finding themfelves aggrieved with the faid ads, as thinking that the
fame were made to the hurt and prejudice of their country and navy,
have made like penal laws againft inch as fliould ftiip out of their
countries, in any other veflels than of their feveral countries and do-
ininions ; by reafon whereof there hath not only grown great dif-
pleafure betwixt the foreign princes and the kings of this realm, but
alfo the merchants have been fore grieved and endamaged. Yet
whereas fundry of the queen's fubjeds do frequently enter the mer-
chandize of aliens (liable to double duties) in their own names,
whereby the queen is defrauded in her revenue ; wherefore it was now
enaded, that whoever fhall, in time of peace, and when there is no
reftraint made of Engliili (liips, either embark or unlade any mer-
chandize (mafls, raffe, pitch, tar, and corn only excepted) out of or
into any foreign bottom or fliip, and whereof the mafter and the ma-
jor part of the failors are not Englifli fabjeds, (liall anfwer and pay
for the faid merchandize the like cuftom and fubfidy as aliens do.'
This judicious claufe in a great meafure anfwers the end propofed by
the navigation a6ls, now to be repealed. Another claufe was inferted
in favour of the two focieties of merchants-adventurers, and of the
merchants of the Itaple, at their feveral fleets or fliippings of cloth and
wool from the river Thames alone, made at mofl twice in every year :
* That thofe two focieties m.ay lade the faid merchandize on foreigners
* fliips, provided there be not Englifli fliips fufficient in number for
' fuch embarkations, without being, for that caufe, fubjeft to aliens
* duties.'
' Lafily, the merchants of Brifliol having of late fuflained great lofl^es
' at fca from enemies, who have taken all their befl; fliips and much
' fubflance, fo as they are unable to provide fufficient fliips of their
' own within the time limited for the duration of this adt (viz. five
' years), if there be no Engiifh fliipping fufficient within forty miles of
' Briftol, they may lade their merchandize on loji'eign fliips, without
' being liable to aliens duties.'
Several other judicious regulations and laws were made in this firft
year of her reigii ; as, ftatute 14, for regulating the manufadure of
cloth and kerfey in certain tov/ns in Efiex ; c. i^, for preventing the
deflruction of timber in making iron; c. 17, againfl; taking the lpav>^n
of lalmons, trouts, &c. at improper feafons ; which five fl;atutes, like
many more of her reign, were fo judicioufly framed, that they remain
in force at this day, though with fome few improvements and alterations.
1559. — Mezeray acquaints us, ' that King Henry 11 of France was
' the firfl: who now wore filk fl:ockings, at the marriage of his fifi:er to
' the duke of Savoy : Yet,' adds he, ' till the troubles under Chai'les IX
' and Kenry III, the courtiers did not ufe much filk ; but after that
126 A. D. 1559.
' the very citizens began to wear it frequently ; for it is an infallible
' obfervation, that pride and luxury are moil predominant during pub-
' lie calamities.'
1 1560. — The manuflxdure of fine woollen cloth in the Spaniih Ne-
therlands muft have been prodigionlly great before the Englifli got fo
much into it. Louis Guicciardin, their hlftorian, affirms, that in thofe
former times, upwards of 40,000 packs of Spanifh wool had been an-
nually imported thither ; but (adds he) as the Spaniards have, of late
years, made more cloth at home than formerly, they do not now (in
this year 1560 that I am writing this work) import into the Nether-
lands above 25,000 packs of Spanifh wool yearly. The decreafe of the
woollen manufadure of the Netherlands was, doubtlefs, the true caufe
of their importing a fraaller quantity of Spaniih wool than formerly,
though Guicciardin did not choofe to allign it.
The poet Milton, in his brief hiftory of Mufcovia, fays, ' the En-
' glifli began this year to trade to Narva in Livonia, the Lubeckers
' and Dantzickers having till then concealed that trade from other na-
' tions.' Although Milton does not mention the true reafon of this
circumftance, we conceive it to proceed from the Rullians having con-
quered Narva, as we have feen two years before this time.
Queen Elizabeth, finding the popifh princes very jealous of the fup-
port given by her to the proteftants abroad as well as at home, wifely
provided for her own fecurity, by filling her magazines with ammuni-
tion, military and naval flores. She foon after made gunpov\'der (a
nevi^ manufaifture in England), and cauled brafs and iron ordnance to
be caft : She alio built a confiderable number of fhips for v.'ar, whereby
ihe formed the moft refpedable fleet that England had ever feen ; and
for the fafeguard thereof, flie ereded Upnore caftle on the river Med-
way : She moreover confiderably increafed the pay of her naval officers
and feamen ; whereupon (fays Camden) foreigners ftiled her the re-
ftorer of naval glory and queen of the northern leas.
In imitation of the queen, the opulent fubjeds alfo built fliips of
force. The national navy, including the queen's and the private fliips
of war, was able to carry 20,000 fighting men againfl; an eneniy ; and
England no longer depended on Hamburgh, Lubeck, Dantzick, Genoa,
and Venice, I'br a fleet in time of war.
Elizabeth, about this time, reftored the filver coin nearer to its fler-
ling purity than it had been for 200 years bef<:)re ; her father, more
efpecially, having, towards the clofe of his reign, fhamefully debafed it
by mixing it with copper for his own profit, though greatly to the de-
triment of the public.
Guicciardin (in his Defaiptlon of the Netherlands) fays that the Dutch,
even before their revolt from Spain, carried on fo great a trade, that
•about this time they brought annually from Denmark, Eailhnd, Livo-
A. D. 1560.' 127
nia, and Poland, 60,000 lafts of grain, chiefly rye, then worth
1,680,000 crowns of gold, or L56o,ooo Flemifli. Holland poflefled
above 800 eood (hips, from 200 to 700 tons burden, and above 600
bufles for filhing, from i :o to 200 tons. Fleets of 3C0 Ihips together,
from Dantzick and Livonia, arrived twice a-year at Amfterdam. 500
great (hips were often feen lying together before that city, moft of them
belonging to it ; lo that for the greatnefs of its commerce Amflerdam
was even then next to Antwerp, of all the towns in the Netherlands.
This authentic teftimony of the flourilhing ftate of Amflerdam at this
time is fufhcicnt to confute what too many have ignorantly written to
the contrary.
Speaking of the commerce between the Netherlands and England, he
fays, they then imported upwards of 1 200 facks of Englifh wool
to Bruges, worth 2^0,000 crowns ; but, adds he, it is marvellous to
think of the vail quantity of drapery imported by the En;\lifli into the
Netherlands, being undoubtedly, one year with another, above 20c,co")
pieces of all kinds, which, at the mofi: moderate rate of twenty-five
crowns per piece, is five millions of crowns, or ten millions ot Dutch
guilders (about one million of pounds Sterling:) ; fo that, fays he, thefe
and other merchandize brought to us by the Englifh, and carried fr(.> n
us to them, may make the annual amount to be more than twelve mil-
lions of crowns, or twenty-four millions of guilders (about L2,400,ooo
Sterling), to the great benefit of both countries, neither of which could
poffibly (or not without the greatefl damage) difpenfe with this their
vaft mutual commerce ; of which the merchants on both fides are fo
feniible, that they have fallen into a way of infuring their merchandize
from lofles at fea by a joint contribution. This is the firft inftance v.e
have met with of inlurances from lofles at fea, though probably in ufe
before this time, and firft praftiled in Lombard-ftreet in the city of
London, as will be feen under the year i6cr.
As Antwerp was in its zenith of profperity, we imagine that a ge-
neral view of its commerce at this time, with all foreign nations (as
given by Guicciardin), may not be unacceptable to many curious readers,
as therein the ftate of manufactures, produdl, 8cc. ot different coun-
tries may be feen, and fundry uleful interences may thence be drawn.
' I) Befide the nativv;s and the French, who are here very numei"ous,
' there are fix principal foreign nations who refide at Antwerp, both
' in war and peace, making above I030 merchants, including fadors
* and fervants, viz. i) Germans, 2) Danes and Eafttrlings, people
' from the ports on the fouth fliores of the Baltic, from Denmark to
' Livonia, 3) Italians, 4) Spaniards, 5) Englifh, and 6) Portuguele.
' Of thofe fix nations the Spaniards are the moft numerous. One of
' thofe foreign merchants (the famous Fugger of Augfhurg, whom
' he ftiles the prince of merchants) died worth above fix uullions of
128 A. D. 1560.
' crowns. There are many natives there worth from 200,000 to
■* 400,000 crowns.
' II) They meet twice a-day, in th-e n'tornings and evenings, one
' hour each time, at the Engliih Bourfe, where, by their interpreters
' and brdlcers, they buy and fell all kinds of merchandize. Thence
' they go to the new Bourfe or principal Exchange, where, for another
' hour each time, they tranfad all matters relating to bills of exchange
' with the above fix nations, and with France ; and alfo for depofit
' (the loan of money) at intereft, which (he fays) is vifually 1 2 per
' cent per annum ; for fuch was the intereft paid by Charles V and his
' fon Philip II to the merchants here; which high interefi: (fays Guic-
* ciardiii) brought the nobility to lend their money fecretly (the laws
* of nobility forbidding th:it pradice) and made many lazy merchants
' likewife deal in that way, though luch high intereft was a great
' grievance to the poor, as well as a great obflrudiion to commerce.
' III) With regard to their commerce with Italy, he fays,
• They fend to Rome a great variety of woollen-drapery, linen, ta-
* peftry, and many other things, the returns being only money or bills
* of exchange.
' To Ancona they fend great quantities of Englifh and Netherland
' cloths and fiuffs, linen, tapeflry, cochineal, &c. and bring back fuch
' fpices and drugs as the merchants of Ancona import from the Le-
' vant ; alfo filk, cotton, carpets, Turkey leather, &c.
' To Bolonia they fend ferges and other fluffs, tapeflries, linens,
'' merceries, &c. and bring in return wrought filks, cloth of gold and
' filver, crapes, caps, &c.
' To Venice they fend jewels and pearls, cloth and wool of England
* in great quantities, draperies of the Netherlands, tapeflry, linen, co-
' chineal, and many kinds of mercery, fometimes alto fugar and pep-
' per ; and formerly, before the Portuguefe found the way to the fpice
' illands, they brought back all forts of India fpices and drugs ; and
' even fo late as the year 151 8, there arrived five Venetian galeafles at
' Antwerp, laden with fpices and drugs for the fair there ; but they
' ftill bring from Venice the finefl and richeft wrought filks, camblets,
' grograms, carpets, cottons, and great variety of merceries ; alfo co-
' lours both for dyers and painters.
' To Naples they fend Netherland and Englifli cloths and fluffs in
' abundance, tapeflry, linens in vafl quantities, and feveral forts of
* merceries, as well of metals as of other materials *. The returns are
' vv'rought filks, raw fllk, thrown filk, fome fine furs or fkins, faffi'oa
* of Aquila, and excellent manna.
* By merceries Guicciardin appears to under- fold by retail, or by the little balance or fjjialt:
flacd toys, fm;Jl babtrdafltery wares, and all iliings fcaks.
A. D. 1560. 129
' To Sicily they fend cloths and ferges in great quantities, linens,
tapeftries, and innumerable forts of mercery, as well of metals as of
niany other kinds ; and they bring back galls in great quantities, '
cummin, oranges, cotton, iilk, and fometimes wines of various forts.
' To Milan, Antwerp fends pepper, fugar, jewels, mufk, and other
perfumes, great quantities of EngliHi and Netherland cloths and
ferges, tapeftries, vaft quantities of linens, Englifh and Spanifli wool,
and cochineal. The returns are great quantities of gold and (ilver
thread ; various wrought lilks, gold fluffs, fuflians, and dimities of
many fine forts ; fcarlets, tammies, and other fine and curious dra-
peries ; great quantities of rice ; mufkets, and other armoury ; various
forts of high-priced mercery ; and a confiderable quantity of Parme- -
fan cheefe.
' To Florence they fend many forts of woollen fluffs, Englifh wool,
linens, fans, frifes, even altliough by fea the Florentines and Vene-
tians are better provided with Englifh wool on the fpot itfelf. From
Florence they bring back many forts of very fine wrought lilks, gold
and filver fluffs, and thread, tine fhalloons, then called ralles, and line
furs.
* To Genoa they fend Englifh and Netherland cloths and ferges, ta-
peflry, linens, mercery, utenfils, and houfehold furniture ; and they
bring back vaft quantities of velvets of various prices (the befl in the
world), fattins and other wrought filks, the befi of coral, mithridate,
and treacle. By Genoa alio, Antwerp fends to Mantua, Verona, Eref-
cia, Vicenza. Modena, Lucca, &c. the fame forts of inerchandize, and
brings back the like returns as from Genoa.
' From Italy they alfo bring by fea to the Netherlands the alum of Ci-
vita Vecchia, the oils of Apulia, Genoa, and Pifa, various gums, fen-
na in the leaf, fulphur, orpiment, &c. ; and by fea alfo Italy receives
from the Netherlands tin, lead, madder, Brafil wood, wax, leather,
flax, tallow, fait fifli, timber, and fometimes corn and pulfe.' Our
author adds, ' that Antwerp's imports from Italy of lilks, gold and fil-
ver thread, camblets, grograms, and other fluffs (exclufive of other
wares), amounted to three millions of crowns yearly,' (each crown
being equal to two Dutch guilders) or about L6oo,ooo Sterling.
' Antwerp fends to Germany pretious flones and pearls, fpices,
' drugs, faffron, fugars, Englifh cloths, as a rare and curious thing,
' and of high price; alfo a good deal of Netherland cloths* and ferges,
' tapeflry, an infinite quantity of linen, and mercery of all forts ; and
* Antwerp receives from Germany, by land- carriage, filver in bullion,
' quickfilver, immenfe quantities of copper, fine wool of Hefle, glafs,
' fuflians of an high price (to the value of above 600,000 crowns year-
* Hence it appears that the cloths of England weK efteemed fiiperior to thofe of the Netherlands.
Vol. II. R
130 A. D. 1560.
' ]y), woad, madder, and other dyers wares ; faltpetre ; vafl quantities
' of mercery, and houfehold goods, very fine and good; all kinds of
• metals to an ineflimable value, and alfo of arms ; rhenifh wine, of
' great importance in commerce, of exquifite tafte, profitable for
' health, and proper for digeftion, and fo fafe, that one may drink
' twice as much of it as of any other wine, without afFeding either
' head or flomach ; of which (he fays) they brought annually above
' 40,000 tons, which, at 36 crowns per ton, amounted to 1 ,444,000
' crowns.' This vas indeed an almofl incredible quantity of rhenifh
wine for one year's importation *.
* Antwerp fends by fea to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Eaftland, Li-
vonia, and Poland, vafl quantities of fpices, drugs, faffron, lugar, fait,
Englifh and Netherland cloths and IfufFs, fuftians, linens, wrought
filks, gold fluffs, grograms, camblets, tapeftries, pretious ftones, Spa-
nifh and other wines, alum, Brafil wood, mercery, and houfehold
goods in abundance. And Antwerp nj'ceives from Eaftland and Po-
land wheat and rye to a vafl amount ; iron, copper, brals, faltpetre,
woad, madder, vitriol, fiax, honey, wax, pitch and tar, fulphur, pot-
afhes, fine Ikins and furs of various kinds, leather, timber (both for
fhipwrights and houie-carpenters) in vafl: abundance ; great quantities
of beer, of high price and efleem ; failed ilefh ; faked, dried, and
fmoked fifli ; yellow amber in great quantities, and numberlels other
particulars f .
' Antwerp fends to France pretious flones, quickfilver, filver in bulr
lion, copper and brals wrought and unwrought, lead, tin, vermilion,
azure blue and crimfon, fulphur, laltpetre, vitriol, camblets, and gro-
grams of Turkey, Englifh and Netherland cloths and ferges, great
* Wheeler (who wiote in the year 1601 ) fays, • who imported only ftonc pots, brufiies, toys for
' that a little before the troubles in the Low ' children, and other pedlars wares; but in Icfs
' Countries, the Aiitwerpians were become the ' than forty years after, there were in London at
' tfreattll dealers to Italy in Englifli and other ' leaft an hundred Nethrrlnnd merchants, who
' foreign merchandize, and alfa to Alexandria, ' brought thither all the commodities which the
' Cyprus, and Tripoli in Syria, beating the Itali- ' merchants of Italy, Germany, Spain, France,
' ar.s, Englirti, and Germans almoft entirely out • and EaiUand (of all which nations there were
' of that trade, as they alfo foon did the Germans ' before that time divers famous and notable rich
• in the fairs and marts of their own country. ' merchants and companies) ufed to bring into
' That thofe of Amilerdam, and other new up- ' England out of their own country direftly, to
' ilart towns of Holland, with their great liulks ' the great damage of the faid ftrangers, and of
' and other fliips, began to diminifli the trade of ' the natural born Englilh merchants.'
' the Eafterliiigs at Antweip ; and the Antwerp f We may here obierve, that the merchants of
' merchants having great wealth, were the bell thofe northern countries, where the ports are gene-
' able to fupply Spain for the Indies at long ore- rally frozen up all the winter, not being able in
• dit, whereby they fet their own prices on their thofe times to finirti a voyage to the fouthern parts
• merchandize. Antwerp alfo now fupplicd Ger- of Europe or up tlie Mediterranean, in due time to
' many, Spain, Portugal, and Eaftiand with get home before the winter, and feeing that they
' the wares which France was wont to fupply could be fupplied with the produce and manufac-
' them. It is not pall eighty years ago (i.e. tures of the whole world at Antwerp, found it moft
• about 152c), fince there were not in London convenient to make that city the grand ftaple of
' above twelve or fixteen Low Country merchants, their whole commerce.
A. D. 1560. ' 131
quantities of fine linen, tapeftry, leather, peltry, wax, madder, tallow,
dried flefh, and much fait fifh, &c. And France fends back to Ant-
werp by fea, fait of Brouage to the value of 180,000 crowns ; 40,000
bales of fine woad of Tholoufe, which at 7^ crowns per bale, amounts
to 300,000 crowns ; canvas, and other ftrong linen of Bretagne and
Normandy, in immenfe quantities ; about 40,000 tons of excellent
red and white wines, at about 25 crowns per ton ; faffron, fyrup of
fugar, turpentine, pitch, paper of all kinds to a great value, primes,
Brafil wood *. By land alfo, France fends many fine and curious
things in gilding (d'orures), fome very fine cloths of Paris, Rouen,
Tours, and Champagne, threads of Lyons, &c. which are highly
prized, excellent verdigreafe of Montpelier ; and, laflly, many forts of
merceries to a great value f .
* To England, Antwerp fends jewels and pretious fiones, filver bul-
lion, quickfilver, wrought filks, cloth of gold and filver, gold and fil-
ver thread, camblets, grograms, fpices, drugs, fugar, cotton, cummin,
galls, linens fine and coarl'e, ferges, demy-oftades J, tapefiry, madder,
hops in great quantities, glafs, fait fifh, metallic and other merceries
of all forts to a great value ; arms of all kinds, ammunition for war,
and houfehold furniture. From England, Antwerp receives vafl:
quantities of fine and coarfe draperies, fringes, and other things of
that kind, to a great value ; the finest wool, excellent faftron in fmali
quantities ; a great quantity of lead and tin ; flieep and rabbit fkins
without number, and various other forts of fine peltry and leather ;
beer, cheefe, and other forts of provifions in great quantities ; alfo
Malmfey wines, which the Englilh import from Candia.
' To Scotland, Antwerp fends but little, as that country is chiefly
fupplied from England and France. Antwerp, however, fends thither
fome fpicery, fugars, madder, wrought filks, camblets, ferges, linen
and mercery : And Scotland fends to Antwerp vafi: quantities of pel-
ti-y of many kinds, leather, wool, indifferent cloth, fine large pearls,
though not of quite fo good a water as the oriental ones.
' To Ireland, Antwerp fends much the fame commodities and quan-
tities as to Scotland. And Antwerp takes from Ireland, fkins and
leather of divers forts, fome low-priced cloths, and other grofs things
of little value.
' To Spain, Antwerp fends copper, brafs, and latten, wrought and
unwrought ; tin, lead, much woollen cloth of various kinds made in
the Netherlands, as alfo fome made in England ; ferges of all prices ;
oftades and demy-oflades, tapeflry,fine and coa.fe linens to a greatva-
* The French at this tiinc had a fettlenient in Brafil.
f The filk nianufafture of France, now in its infancy, afforded as yet notiiing for ixpjrtation.
% Qusere, if worfteds .'
R2
32 A. D. 1560.
lue, camblets, flax thread, wax, pitch, madder, tallow, fulphur, and
frequently wheat and rye, faked flefh and fifli, butter and cheefe, all
forts of mercery, of metals, filk, thread, &c. to a large amount ; filver
in bullion, and worked up into filverfmith's work ; arms of all forts,
and ammunition ; houfehold furniture, and tools of all kinds • and
every thing elfe produced by human induilry and labour, to which
(fays our author) the meaner people of Spain have an utter averfion.
Of Spain, Antwerp takes jewels and pearls, gold and filver in great
qua itities, cochineal, farfaparilla, guaiacum, faffron, filk raw and
thrown, and worked up into various fluffs, velvets, taffeties, fait, alum,
orchil, fine wool, iron, cordovan leather, wines of variovis kinds, oils,
vinegar, honey, melalTes, Arabian gums, foap, fruits both moill and
dried, in vafc quantities ; wines and fugars from the Canaries *.
' To Portugal, Antwerp fends filver bullion, quickfilver, vermilion,
copper, brafs, and latten, lead, tin, arms, artillery and ammunition,
gold and filver thread, and fuch other wares before named as they
fend to Spain. From Portugal, Antwerp brings pearls and pretious
fi:ones, gold, fpices to the value of above a million of crowns annual-
ly, drugs, amber, mufk, civet, ivory in great quantities, aloes, rhu-
barb, anil, cotton, China root, and many other pretious things from
India, with which the greateft part of Europe is fupplied from Ant-
werp ; alfo fugars from the ifland of St. Thome, under the equinoc-
tial line, and from other iflands on the African coafts ; Brafil wood
for dyers; Malaguetta, or Gumea grains, and other drugs from the
well coaft of Africa ; fugar alfo, and good wines from Madeira. And
from Portugal itfelf, Antwerp brings their fait, wines, and oils, woads,
feeds, orchil, many forts of fruits both moid and dried, preferved and
candied, to a great value.
' Lafl:ly, to Barbary, Antwerp fends woollen cloth, ferges, linen, mer-
ceries innumerable, metals, &c. And Antwerp brings from Barbary,
fugars, azure or anil (as the Portuguefe call it), gums, coloquintida,
leather, peltry, and fine feathers.'
Thus we have a fummary view of the exports and imports of Ant-
werp, the moft eminent city for commerce then in Europe. The port
of Armuyden, on the ifland of Walcheren, was, in Uuicciardin's days,
the place of rendezvous for the fliipping of Antwerp, where, fays he,
there have been often iccn 500 large fliips together, bound to or re-
turning from diftant parts of the world. He adds, that it was ufual for
,500 ihips to come and go in one day, and 400 to come up the Scheldt in
one tide ;. that 10,000 carts were conllantly employed in carrying mer-
chandize to and from the neighbouring countries, befide many hun-
dreds of waggons daily coming and going v/ith pafiengers ; and 500
Spain had not at this time received any fugars from the Weil Indies.
A. D. 1560. 133
coaches ufed by people of diftindion : that in Antwerp there are 169
bakers, 78 butchers*, 92 fifhmongers, 1 1 o barbers and furgeons, 594
tailors, 124 goldfmiths, (befide a great number of lapidaries and jewel-
lers), 3C0 mafler painters, gravers, and carvers, mercers (i. e. retailers
and pedlars), &c. without number: That the city contains 13,500
houfes : That lodgings are fo extravagantly dear as (except Lifbon) to
furpafs any city of Europe ; infomuch, that a fet of lodgings of five or
fix chambers, with a hall and garrets, do not let tor lefs than 200 crowns
yearly ; and the greater lodgings and fmaller houfes ufually at 500
crowns and upwards. Laflly, That by the great concourfe ot flrangers
at Antwerp, advice of all that pafTes in every other part of the world is
brought thither.
Having fufRciently enlarged on the noble city of Antwerp, Giiicciar-
din gives us a fkeich of the herring fifhery of the maritime pro\nnces
of Frifeland (Groningen was then part of Frifeland), Holland, Zealand,
and Flanders. Re fays, the number of fifhermen and veffels, eipecially
of thofe four provinces, and of the French (with fome few Englifh),
fifning firft on the coafl of Scotland, and next on that of England, is al-
mofl infinite. But, confining himfelf only to the Netherlands, con-
cerning which he hud made a very flrict inquiry, he fays, that in peace-
able times they employed 700 bufles and boats, which make each three
voyages in the feafon ; each vefTel on an average being computed to
take feventy lafls of herrings in the feafon, each laft containing twelve
barrels of 900 or icoo herrings each barrel ; and as a laft commonly
yields Lio Flemilli, or about L6 Sterling, the total amount of one
year's herring fifhery in thofe four provinces is L490,ooo Flemifh, or
L294,ooo Sterling f .
That, notwithftunding the great ground which England has gained'
on the Netherlands in this preceding century, their woollen manufac-
ture is ftill very great, although their own wool be very coarfe, com-
pared to that of England and of Spain ; as at Bois-le-duc, Delft, Haar-
lem, Leyden, and Amfterdam, they make above i 2,000 pieces of cloth
and lerges, &c. at each place ; alio at Ypres, where the antient hall for
woollen cloth is ; at St. Winnoxberg, Courtray, Menin, Tiel, and Lifle,
(which he efleems the next in commerce to Antwerp and Amfterdain)
Tournay, Mons, Valenciennes (where, befide woollen cloths, they make
great quantities of tafFeties, &c.). Maubeuge, Enghein, &.c, make fine
tapeflries.
Twenty thoufand pieces of linen, worth on un average ten crowns
* Is not the number of bakers and biitclic-rs too fifhery of thofe four provinces at a million of
fmall for a city which receives 400 ihips in a guilders, equal to Lico,ooo Sterling, and their
tfde ? M. falmon lirniiig in Holland and Zealand at 400,0c C
f About fixty years after this time Sir Walter guilders.
Raleigh computes the value of the cod and ling
134 ^- ^' ^5^0'
a piece, are annually made at Bois-Ie-duc, as alfo great quantities of
knives, fine pins, mercery, &c. At Nivelle (five leagues from Brufi^ls)
they make great quantities of very fine cambric, as alfo at Cambray,
from which that fine manufadure has its name. At Courtray they
make fine table-linen ; at Tiel, linen cloth and buckrams ; at Ghent,
the cloth called from it ghenting, in prodigious quantities, and various
forts of fine linen, woollens, tapeflries, fuftians, buckrams, &c.
At the fame time, fpeaking of the commerce of Amfterdam, he fays,
that fhips are conftantly feen in great numbers coming in and going
out, not only to and from other parts of the Netherlands, but alfo
France, England, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Livonia, Norway,
Sweden, &c. He obferves, that Veer (named alfo Campveer, or Ter-
veer) in Zealand, owes its principal commerce to its having been for
many years the fiaple port for all the Scottifti fhipping. In conclufion,
he pays the people of Holland the following fine compliment : They
have no wine growing in their country, yet they have great plenty of that
liquor ; nor flax of their own growth *, yet make the finefl linen in
the univerfe. They have no wool, either in good quality or quantity,
yet make infinite quantities of good cloth. They raife no timber, yet
they ufe more for fhips, dikes, &c. than perhaps all the reft of Europe
together. And here let us add what Sir "William Temple fays farther
by way of encomium on Holland above an hundred years later, viz.
' Never any country traded fo much, and confumed fo httle. They
' buy infinitely, but it is to fell again ; they are the great maftei^s of the
' Indian fpices and Perfian filks, yet wear plain woollen, and feed upon
' their own fifli and roots ; they fell the fineft of their own cloth to
* France, and buy coarfe cloth out of England for their own wear ; they
' fend abroad the beft of their own butter, and buy the cheapeft out
* of Ireland, or the north of England, for their own ufe. In fhort,
* they furniih infinite luxury, which they never pradife, and traffic in
' pleafures which they never tafte.'
' Thus, fays their own great De 'Witt, in his Interejl of Holland, are
* diligence, vigilance, valour, and frugahty, not only natural to the Hol-
' landers themfelves, but, by the nature of their country, are communi-
* cated to all foreigners who inhabit among them.'
This year (according to the judicious Mifi^elden, in his Circle of com-
merce, p. 55), Queen Elizabeth, by her charter confirmed all former
charters of privileges to the company of the merchants-adventurers of
England. This author affirms, that he took fpecial pains in the perufal
of all charters and grants to this company. Moreover, Wheeler (olten
already quoted) confirms this, and adds, that the queen granted them
two other ample charters, viz. one in the fixth, and another in the twen-
* Great quantities of flax are ralfed now in Holland.
A. D. 1560. 135
ty-eighth, year of her reign, in the former of which they firft had the
defia;nation of merchants-adventurers given them.
The fame yenr, the queen granted by charter to the merchants of
Exeter, by the title of the governor, confuls, and fociety of merchants-
adventurers of Kxeter, an exclufive trade to France *.
Sigifm'.md, kinii; of Poland, being at war with Ruflia, wrote to Queen
Elizabeth, requefting her not to permit her fubjeds to trade to Ruflia
by the wav of Nurva, as furnifhing his enemies with arts, arms, and
other nec'ir.iries ; and he threatened fuch fhips as fhould fo trade with
his utmoft refentment. But his threatenings on this and another famous
occafion, h(-reafter to be noticed, were very little regarded.
Eric XIV, king of S".eden, taking advantage of the depreflion of
the German knights of the crofs by the Ruflians, accepted of the re-
qnefl of the town of Rca'cI and of the country adjacent, to take them
under his protection, whereby Sweden got a footing in Livonia ; and by
the acquifition of that fine country, which Sweden held till the former
part of the eighteenth century, its commerce, weahh, and power were
confiderably increafed.
156 1. — In the next year, the Poles, Danes, Swedes, and Mufcovites,
having in their turns gradually deprefled the power, and greatly leflen-
ed the dominions of the Teutonic order in Livonia, the great mafter of
that order, Gottard Ketler, refigned that part of Livonia which now re-
mained to them into the hands of the Poles, after that order had held
it 357 years, according to T'huanus [L. xxviii.] Ketler thereupon re-
ceived from Sigifmund king of Poland the fovereignty of Courland and
Semigailia, under the title of duke, to be held by him and his heirs of
the crown of Poland.
The Hamburghers frill maintaining their claim to an exclufive fove-
reignty on the river Elbe, for the fupport of^ which they had feized a
Danifh fhip, Frederick II of Denmark, therefor now feized all the
Hamburgh fhips in the Daniih ports, and after much diipute obliged
that city to pay him 40,000 guilders for fatisfadfion.
Howell relates, [Hi/lory of the World, V. ii, p. 222] that Queen Ellza--
beth, in this third year of her reign, was prefented with a pair of b'.ack
knit lilk ftockings by her iilkwoman Mrs. Montague, and thenceforth
flte never wore cloth ones any more. He adds, that Henry VIII, that
magnificent and expenflve prince, wore ordinarily cloth hofe, except
when there came from Spain, by great chance, a pair of filk ftockings ;
for Spain very early abounded in filk. His fon, Edward VI, was pre-
fented with a pair of long Spanifli filk ftockings by his merchant Sir
Thomas Grelham, and the prelentwas then much taken notice of. Thus
it appears that the invention of knit filk ftockings came from Spain,
* Their privilege was confirmed and reflridted to their o\vn city by an aft of parb'ameiit 4 Jac. I,
r. 9.
1^6 A. D. 156 1.
Others relate, that one William Rider, an apprentice on London bridge,
feeing, at the houfe of an Italian merchant, a pair of knit -,v:.rii-d ft ick-
ings from Mantua, very ingenioufly made a pair exadly like them,
which he prefented to William Earl of Pembroke, being the firft of
that kind worn in England, in the year 1 564.
A rich mine of copper was dilcovered at Newlands, in Cumberland,
which had been negleded many ages, fays Carhden \Brit. p. 631.] And
at the fame time there was found in great abundance the ftone called
lapis calaminaris, or calamy ftone, fo necellary for turning copper into
brafs.
The country people, upon licence being granted for the exportation
of grain, began to ply their huflDandry more diligently than formerly,
by breaking up grounds which had remained untilled beyond all me-
mory of man.
According to Malynes's Ceutrs of the circle of commerce *, p. 93,
4to, 1623, Queen EUzabeth granted a new charter \yio regni] of con-
-firmation to the corporation of the mayor and conftables of the ftaple
of England, of all fuch privileges and liberties as they did, might, or
ought to have enjoyed, one year before the lofs of Calais, by grant,
charter, law, prefcription, or cuftom, notwithftanding any non-ufer,
abufer, &c.
The French feem to have traded very early to the coaft of Guinea
and its neighbourhood ; for the writer of an Englifti voyage to Guinea,
in the year 1591, fays, that about thirty years before that time the
French traded from the ports of Normandy to the river Gambia with
four or five fliips yearly f. [Hakluyt, V. ii, p. i 89, part ii.]
1562. — Some Frenchmen alfo, aflifted by the Admiral Coligny.made
an attempt to fettle in Florida ; but not being fupported from home,
they were forced to abandon that enterprife, being almoft famiftied for
want of proviiions, in the year 1564, after remaining in Florida two
fummers and one winter.
The fame year Coligny alfo projedled a fettlement on the fouth-eaft
coaft of Africa (fays Mezeray), near Mozambique or Melinda, to ferve
as a retreat for the French in carrying on the trade of Africa and Eaft
India, as was praclifed by the Portuguefe ; and three fliips, with 1200
foldieis, were fent out, but they were ftiipwrecked on the ifle of Madei-
ra ; and after a fcuffle with the Portuguefe there, they returned to
France without farther purfuing their original defign.
Mr. John Hawkins, aflifted by the fubfcriptions of fundry gentlemen,
now fitted out three fliips (the largeft being of i 20 tons, and the fmall-
•-
* A treatife written againft Mijelien's Circle of of Africa claims an antiquity of two centuries
commerce. Thefe diiputes have been long dormant, prior to this time, as I have fliown in its proper
f The French commerce with the weft coall place. M,
A. D. 1562. 137
eft but 40), and having learned that negroes were a very good commo-
dity in Hifpaniola, he failed to the coaft of Guinea, and took in ne-
groes, and failed with them for Hifpaniola, where he fold his negroes
and Englifh commodities, and loaded home his three velTels with hides,
fugar, and ginger, and alfo many pearls, returning home in the year
1563, and making a profperous voyage. This feems to have been the
very firfl attempt from England for any negro trade.
1563 The Ruflia company did not lofe fight of their trade intoPer-
fia by the way of Ruflia ; for in this year they fent three of their agents
to the Perfian court at Calhin on the bufinefs of their traffic.
By an ordinance of this year, when the price of wheat does not ex-
ceed lof, rye, peafe and beans 8/", and malt 6/8 per quarter, they may
be exported in Englifh fliipping. This fhows that thofe prices were
then efteemed fo moderate, that for the benefit of farmers they might
be exported. Thus we fee that the rates of provifions, and confequent-
ly of living, are confiderably advanced fince the coins were reduced to
the modern weight, &c.
The firft flutute was now enaded for the relief of the poor, [fee the
year 1597] ; for whereas hitherto all the ads of parliament only recom-
mended voluntary contributions for the poor, it was now found necef-
fary to go a ftep farther. It is certain that the fuppreflion of the con-
vents had not a little increafed this diforder ; thofe houfes having been
a great relief to the poor on their own lands, and in their neighbour-
hood, to whom not only their kitchens but their granaries were ever
open, more efpecially in times of dearth. When therefor the church
lands were fold by King Henry VIII at fuch eafy pnrchales, it was then
declared to be for enabling the buyers to keep up that wonted hofpita-
lity, which however they greatly neglecied to do : And there was no
compulfory law till the prefent acl, which, after direding poor and im-
potent perfons of every parifn to be relieved by what every perion will
of his charity give weekly, to be gathered by coUedors, and diftributed
to the poor, fo as none of them fliall openly go or fit begging ; and if
any parilhioner fiiall obftinately refufe to pay reafonably towards the
relief of the poor, or fliall difcourage others, then the juflices of the
peace, at their quarter-fellions, may tax him to a reafonable weekly
fum, which, if he refufes to pay, they may commit him to prifon : Yet,
where the parifiies have more poor tlian they can relieve, the jufi:ices
may licence fo many of their poor as they fhall think good, to beg in
one or more hundreds of the refpedive county. Lallly, beggars, in any
other place than where legally licenced, are to be punifhed according to
the laws againft vagabonds. [5 EUz. c. 3.]
The next flutute of this fedion \c. 4], intitled, a repeal of fo mucli
of former ftatures as concern the hiring, keeping, departing, working,
or order of fervants, labourers, 8cc. and a declaration, who {hall be com-
VOL. II. S
138 A. D. 1563.
pellable to ferve in handicrafts, and who in hufbandrv.and their feveral
d'lties, &c. gives the fubftance of many fonner laws, with titir imper-
fections and contrariety ; and remarks, that the wages, afctvtained in
many of thofe ads of parHament, were now become infufficient, by
reafon of the advanced prices of all necellaries fiuce thofe times. Yet,
as large and comprehenfive as this ad is (which is partly ftill in force),
there are fundry fubfequent flatutes, both in this and fucceeding reigns,
for regulating difputes between mafters and their fervants, apprentices,
and labourers, concerning their wages, time of labour, &c.
The next law [r. 5], intitled, conftitutions for the maintenance of the
navy. Sec. contains many good claufes for encouraging our own (hip-
ping and mariners: As,T) By permitting herrings, and other fifh caught
on our coafts, to be exported duty free. II) That no foreign fhips fhall
carry any goods coaftwife from one Englilh port to another. Ill) Wines
and woad fhall be imported from France in Englifh fhipping only, with
fome inconfiderable exceptions. IV) That, for the maintenance of
fliipping, the increafe of fifhermen and mariners, the repairing of port
towns, and the increafe of the flelh vidual of the realm, it fliall not be
lawful for any to eat flefh on Wednefdays and Saturdays, under the for-
feiture of L3 for each offence, excepting cafes of ficknefs, and alfo thofe
by fpecial licences to be obtained ; for which licences, peers were to
pay Li : 6 : 8 to the poor's box of the parifh, knights and their wives
13/4, and others 6/S each. But no licence was to extend to the eat-
ing of beef on thofe days at any time of the year, nor to the eating of
veal in any year from Michaelmas to the ill day of May *.
The ingenious author of the Prefent ftate of England (8vo, 1683,
p. yy), acquaints us, that the manufadure of knives in England was be-
gun in this year by Thomas Matthews on Fleet-bridge, in London.
How flrangely are things altered iince thofe times ? for now London
excels all the earth in this refped, and fupplies many other nations
therewith in great quantities.
1564. — Many good laws had been lately made in England for the
cmploynient of the people for improving the woollen manuladure,
againfi the importation of foreign manufadures interfering with home
ones ; and for fetting up new manufadures, and improving old ones,
more efpecially Iince the acceffion of Queen Elizabeth : Particularly an
ad of parliament [5 E/iz. c. 7] ftridly prohibiting the importation of
girdles, rapiers, knives, {heaths, hilts, pummels, lockets, chapes, fcab-
bards, horle -furniture of all kinds, gloves, points, ftirrups, bits, leather,
laces, and pins. Thefe regulations greatly alarmed the Netherlanders ;
and the citizens of Antwerp more efpecially became quite enraged to
* Wedntfday was afterwards exempted from ftill viftuallcrs were forbidden to utter flefh in lent,
\\'\% i-o'iitical faliin;;, or abllinence from flefh ; but and on Friclaye and Silurdays. [27 EH^.c. 2.]
A. D. 1564. 139
lee the Englifli taking fuch large ftrides towards an univerfally-ex ten-
five commerce. Moreover, the raifing the cuflom on cloth exported to
the Netherlands, and of merchandize imported from thence into Eng-
land, had given great offence to the Netherlanders. All thefe confi-
derations now induced the duchefs of Parma, governefs of the Nether-
lands, to iffue her proclamation prohibiting the exportation of any ma-
terials for the above manufadures to England. Moreover, by way of
retaliation, but vmder the pretext of the plague, which at this time
raged in England, (he prohibited the importation of Englifh woollen
goods into the Netherlands. In this year, therefore, the Englifh com-
pany of merchants-adventui-ers were obliged to carry their woollen
cloths to Embden in Eafl Frifeland, where for a while they kept their
flaple, entirely deferring the Netherlands. Whereupon Philip II of
Spain abfolutely prohibited all his fubjecls from trading with the Eng-
lifh at Embden : Yet, in the end, the fleadinefs of Elizabeth got the
better of all oppofition ; for Philip, knowing that the true interefl of
his Netherland fubjecis required peace and commerce with England,
found himlelf obliged to revoke all his prohibitions, and to admit the
Englilh to trade with the Netherlands as formerly, on the bottom of the
interctirfiis mogmis. Camden, in his hiftory of Queen Elizabeth, re-
lates, that our general trade with the Netherlands at this time amount-
ed to twelve millions of ducats, five millions of which was for Englifh
cloth alone.
Qj-ieen Elizabeth concluded a general treaty of peace and commerce
with King Charles IX of France, the commercial part of which was ex-
actly the fame with that of the year 1559. {Jo^dera, V. xv, p. 640.]
Puffendorf, in his hiftory of Sweden, relates, that about this time (for
he is too regardlefs of chronology), in a fea-fight between the fleet of
Eric XIV, king of Sweden, and that of Frederic II of Denmark, the
Swedifh fleet coniifted of 40 fiiips, their admiral fhip mounting 200
brafs cannon ; which huge fhip being feparated from the refl of that
fleet by a ftorm, fuflained alone the attack of the whole Danifh fleet,
joined by that of Lubeck, and funk the admiral of the latter by her
fide. But being at length furrounded and overpowered by the enemy's
fleet, fhe was fet on fire, and totally deftroyed. This is probably the
firft, and it is as probable will be the Lift vellel of fo enormous a fize *.
The Hollanders, in the zenith of their naval power and glory, feldoni
or never went beyond 90 cannon for their firfl-rate fliips of war ; and
it feems more for the lake of found than for folid advantage, that the
Englifh and French have run into an higher number of cannon. We
* Unlefs we knew the fize of the br.ifs cannon, were not very heavy, may be inferred from the Hen-
thf number of them cannot warrant a beh'ef tliat ry Grace deDieu, built by King Henry VIII, car-
Ihe was larger than fome antient, or many modern, rying 122 guns, though only of loco ton» bur-
rtiips. That the guns carried by fhips at this time den. M.
32
140 A. D. 1564,
may in this place remark, that in proportion as the northern crowns in-
creafed their correfpcndence with the foathern parts of Europe, they
improved in their naval flrength and commerce ; and in nearly the
fame proportion did the Hanfeatic towns decline in both thofe refpeds,
efpecially thofe within the Baltic fea. Mr. Burchet, in his Naval hiftory,
obferves, that as Denmark poflefles many iflands, and a large extent of
country along the ocean, the Danes have for many ages had a confider-
able naval force. Whereupon he inflances the above named (which he
calls fignal) vidory over the Svvedifh fleet, and their admiral fliip of 200
cannon, which he fays was called the Nonefuch. He adds, that a little
before, King Chriftian III, at the inftances of the French king Hen-
ry II, aided the Scots againfl England with a fleet of 100 fail, manned
with 10,000 men; which tranfacT:ion is however very flightly touched
by mod: Englifli hiflorians.
Sir William Monfon (who w^rote his Naval trads in the year 1635)
has the following hiftorical remark on this fubjed, viz. till of late, which
perhaps (lays he) few will believe, moft of our fliips of burden were
bought from the Eafl:-country men (on the fouth fide of the Baltic fea),
who likewife enjoyed the greateft trade of our merchants in their own
veflels. And, to bid adieu to that trade and thofe fliips, the Jefus of
Lubeck, a veflel of great burden and fl;rength in thofe days, was the
laft fliip bought by the queen, which in the year 1564 was caft away in
the port of St. John de Ulloa, in New Spain, under Sir John Hawkins.
A charter, dated 8th July 1564, granted to the company of merchant-
adventurers of England, conft;ituted them a body politic or corpora-
tion in England. The queen thereby grants them a common feal, per-
petual fuccefllon, liberty to purchafe lands, and to exercife government
in any part of England. ' But if any freeman of this company fliall
' marry a wife born beyond fea, in a foreign country, or fhall hold
' lands, tenements, or hereditaments in Holland, Zealand, Brabant,
' Flanders, Germany, or other places near adjoining, he fhall be dif-
' franchifed from the faid fellowfhip of merchants-adventurers, and be
' utterly excluded from the privileges thereof.' Wheeler (as already
noted under the year 1560) obferves, that this charter gave them firft
the name of merchants-adventurers of Englai:id, i. e. as an Englifli cor-
poration of that name ; for in a charter or grant of privileges from
King Henry VII in 1505, we have feen them called by that name,
though tliey never were till now properly a corporation in England.
This year a patent was granted to the Hamburgh company for ever.
With liberty to export 30,000 cloths, though not wrought or dreffed ;
whereof 25,000 to be above the value of L3, and under the value of
L6 per cloth ; and the other 5000 to be above the value of L4 per
floth *.
* Til's appears from an aft [6 Ann, c. 9] for the exportation of white woollen cloths.
A. D. 1565. 141
1565. — Admiral Coligny pcrfuaded ChcirlesIX, king of France, again
to attempt the fettlement of a colony in 1 lorida ; for v/hich purpofe
Laudonier was fent tlnther in three (hips, with people and neceilaries ;
and he ereded fort Caroline at the mouth of the river May. The next
year Ribault was fent thither ; but fix large fliips, purpofely fitted out
from Spain for the deftrudion of the French fettlement, coming upon
the coaft, the French fliips got to fea, and efcaping the Spaniards, re-
turned back to their fettlement, and prepared to attack the Spanifli
fhips : But a fudden fl:orm defl:roying or difperiing all the French ftiips,
encouraged the Spaniards to attack, and finally to deflroy the fort,
where Laudonier was left with a few men, mofl of whom the Spaniards
flew. Laudonier, with a few more, efcaped to France by the way of
England.
It appears that the maritime ftrength of the Turks was at this time
very confiderable ; for although they failed in their attempt againfl:
IMaka (being forced this fame year to raife the fiege of it), they had in
that expedition 160 galleys, 20 great {hips, fuch as we commonly call
men of war, and a great number of fmaller veflels. [Meterani Hiftoria
Belgica, Z.. i.]
The firfl; new projed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, is her exclufive
grant to Armigill Wade, Efq. and William Herle, Gent, for the fole
making of brimftone for thirty years ; and alfo for the fole making or
extrading from certain herbs, roots, and feeds, an oil proper to be ufed
for wool, and for drefling woollen cloth ; they having, with great la-
bour and application, and not a little expenfe, found out the faid fe-
crets. \YKdera, V. xv, p. 650.] Thefe are the firft new and exclufive
projeds found in the Foedera ; yet if none had been in the pradice of
either of them before in England, we cannot fo properly term them
monopolies, the proper definition of which is an exclufion of all others
from what they had been in the pofl^eflion and pradice of till that ex-
clufion took place.
Sir John Hawkins, in his voyage to the Spanifli Wefl;- Indies, forced
a traffic with the people of thole parts, and did much miichief to the
Spaniards.
In the fame year, Queen Elizabeth, after reciting that ftie had hereto-
fore granted licences to certain Dutch or Germans to dig for alum and
copperas, as well as for gold, filver, copper, and quickfiiver, in feveral
counties, granted two exclufive patents to Humphreys and Shute (who
had brought into England upwards of twenty foreign workmen) to dig
and fearch for thofe metals, and alio for tin and lead, and to refine the
fame in England, and within the Englifli pale in Ireland ; and this is
known to this day by the name of the charter for the mines-royal. She
alfo in the fame year granted them the fole ufe of the calamy ftone, or
lapis calaminaris, for compofition of a mixed metal called latten, and all
14* A. D. 1565.
forts of battery works, cafl-work, and wire. And in the year 1568 flie
incorporated Sir Nicholas Bacon, lord-keeper of the great feal, Thomas
duke of Norfolk, and others, jointly with the faid Humphreys and
Shute, by the name and defignation of the governors, afliftants, and fo-
ciety of the mineral and battery works *.
Before this undertaking, it feems that all Englifh iron wire was made
and drawn by man's ftrength alone, in the forefl: of Dean and elfewhere,
until thofe foreigners introduced the method of drawing by a mill :
wherefor, till then, they neither could make any great quantity of
wire, nor fo good in quality. The greateft part therefor of the iron
wire ufed in England, and alfo of ready-made wool cards, and fucli
things, were till now imported from foreign parts.
1566. — We have feen that King Henry VIII ereded a marine corpo-
ration, which has been of fmgular utility to the navigation of England,
intitled, the mafter, wardens, and alliftants of the trinity-houfe at Dept-
ford-ftrond. They were now impowered, at their own cofts, from time
to time, to ered beacons, marks, and figns for the fea, in fuch places of
the fea-fhores and uplands near the fea-coafls for fea marks, as to them
fhould feem requifite, and to continue and renew them at their cofts.
[8 Eliz. c. 13]
It appears that the gold ducat or florin of Florence was now equal to
five {hillings SterUng. \Fadera, V. xv, p. 654.] "
The Englifli Ruflia company having in the preceding year fent feve-
ral of their fadors with Engliili cloth. Sec. from Ruflia into Perfia, they
found that the Venetians from Aleppo ufually bartered their woollen
cloths and kerfies for raw filks, fpices, drugs, &c. and that much Vene-
tian cloth was worn in Perfia. In this year they obtained from the fo-
phi an immunity from tolls or cufloms on their merchandize, and full
proteflion for their perfons and goods. The company was moreover
this year dignified by the fandion of an ad of parliament f ; the rea-
Ibns alfigned for which were, \) ' That fundry fubjeds of the realm»
* perceiving that divers Ruflian wares and merchandize are now im-
' ported by the faid fellowfliip (after all their great charge and travel),
* fome of which be within this realm of good eftimation, minding, for
' their peculiar gain, utterly to decay the trade of the faid fellowfliip l,
* have, contrary to the tenor of the faid letters-patents, in great difor-
* der, traded into the dominions of Ruflia, &c. to the great detriment
* of this commonwealth.
* II) And for that the name by which the faid fellowfliip is incor-
' porated by the letters-patents of Queen Mary is long, and confifteth of
* This charter of incorporation was made a book, is given at large by Hakluyt. [P'oyages,
pretence for a copper bubble in the famous year F. i, p. 369, eii 1598.]
1720. \ Here the marginal note fays, ' this is meant
f The aft, though not printed in the ftatute • by Aldennau Bond the elder,!'
A. D. 1566. 14^
very many words, therefor be it enaded, that the faid fenowfhip,
company, fociety, and corporation, fhall henceforth be called only by
the name of the fellown)ip of Englifli merchants for difcovery of new
trades ; by that name alone to continue a corporation for ever, with
all the powers and privileges of their faid charter, or of any other
corporation ; particularly, they may purchafe lands not exceeding 100
merks yearly, &c. And that no part of the continent, ifles, ports, or
arms of the fea of any emperor, king, prince, ruler, or governor, be-
fore the faid firfl enterprife, not known or frequented by the fubjeds
of this realm, and lying from the city of London northwards, north-
weftwards, or north-eaflwards, nor any parts now iubjed to the czar,
John Bazilowitz, or to his fucceffors, fovereigns of Ruflla, nor the
countries of Armenia, Media, Hyrcania, Perfia, or the Cafpian fea,
nor any part of them, fliall be failed or trafficked into, nor frequent-
ed by any fubjeft of England, either by themfelves or their fadors,
&c. diredly nor indiredly, other than by the order, agreement, con-
fent, or ratification of the governor, confuls, and afliftants of the faid
fellowfhip, or the more part of them and their fucceffors, upon pain,
for every offence, to forfeit all fuch fliips, with their appurtenances,
goods, and merchandizes, one moiety to the queen, the other to the
company.
' I ) Provided, however, that it fliall be lawful for any fubjed of this
realm to fail to the port, town, territory, or caftle of Wardhoufe, or
to any of the coafls of Norway, for trade of fifhing, or any other
trade there ufed by Englifh fubjeds.
' 2) Provided that, for the better maintenance of the navy and ma-
riners of this realm, it fhall not be lawful to the faid company to tran-
fport any commodity of this realm to their new trade, but only in
Englifli fhips, and with a majority of Englifh mariners ; and the like
in bringing into this realm, and into Flanders, any merchandize from
their new trade ; on pain, for every offence, of forfeiting L200, one
moiety to the queen, and the other fliall go to any Englifh port town
(having a decayed harbour) that will fue for it.
' 3) Provided, that no woollen cloths nor kerfies, unlefs they be all
drelfed, and for the mofh part dyed within this realm, fhall be export-
ed to Ruflia, &c. by the faid company, under forfeiture of L5 for
every fuch cloth ; moiety to the queen, moiety to the clothworkers
company of London.
' 4) Provided, that if in time of peace the faid fociety fhall difcon-
tinue wholly for the fpace of three years the difcharging their mer-
chandize at the road of St. Nicholas bay in Ruflla, or at fome other
port lying on that north coafl of Rulfia, &c. then, during the time of
any fuch difcontinuance, it fliall be lawful for all the fubjcds of this
realm to trade to the Narve, only in Englifh bottoms.
144 A. D. 1566.
* 5) Provided alio, that every of the queen's fubje(!!ls inhabiting the
* city of York, and the towns of Newcaftle upon Tyne, Hull, and
' Bofton, who have for the fpace of ten years continually traded the
' courle of merchandize, and who before the 25th of December 1567
' fliall contribute, join, and put in ftock with the faid company, fuch
' fum and fums of money as any of the faid company who hath tho-
* roughly continued and contributed to the faid new trade from the
' year 1552 hath done, and before the faid 25th of December 1567
' fliall do, for the furniture of one ordinary, fall, and entire portion or
' fhare, and in all things behave himfelf as others of the fociety are
' bound to do, (hall from the faid 25th of December 1567 be account-
' ed free, and as one of the faid fociety and company in all refpeds.'
This laft claufe, in favour of thole northern ports, was occafioned by
their having been early contributors to the firft attempt for a north-eaft
palTiige.
We need only farther to remark on this ftatute, that it was the firft
which eftablilhed an exclufive mercantile corporation.
By a llatute for regulating the drapers company in the town of
Sbrewfbury, we learn that the trade in Welfh woollen cloth and lining,
commonly called Welfh cottons, frifes, and plains, had for a long time
been confiderable in that town ; the drapers company there employing
above 600 perfons as fheermen or fi-ifers. [8 Eliz. c. 7.]
1567 The commotions were now beginning in the Netherlands ;
and the court of Spain raflily determining to proceed to extremities with
a people who highly prized their liberty, great and terrible were the
confequences : for (as Sir William Temple obferves), upon the firft re-
port of the duke of Alva coming into the Netherlands with 10, ceo ve-
teran foldiers, the trading people oi the towns and country withdrew
from the provinces in fuch vafl numbers, that the duchefs of Parma,
the governefs, wrote to Philip II, that in a few days above 100,000 men
had left the country, with their money and goods, and that more were
following every day ; fo great an antipathy (fays that author) there ever
appears between merchants and foldiers. The governefs, forefeeing the
ills that were coming, delired leave to refign, and was fucceeded by the
duke of Alva, whofe fevere and cruel proceedings, on account of the
late infurrecftions, and in lupport of the inquiiition, produced the convul-
fions, which coft Europe fo much blood, and Spain a great part of the Low
Country provinces. For after the feizvn'e of the Counts Egmont and
Home, fuch numibers of Netherlanders were perfecuted by Alva, that
Germany, the Eaft Country, Cleves, Embdcn, France, and England,
were filled with thofe induftrious people, although the prifons in the
Netherlands v/ere likewife crowded with fuch as the cruel governor
could detain, many of whom however efcaped out of prilon. Hence,
fays Meteranus, after Alva had hanged, beheaded, and burnt fo many.
A. D. 1567. 145
yet fo many more had fled to find fhelter and bread for their families
in foreign parts, carrying thither arts and manufadures, before only
known in the Netherlands, that in England the decayed cities and
towns of Canterbury, Norwich, Sandwich, Colchefler, Maidflone, South-
ampton, and many others, were filled with manufacturers of woollen,
linen, and filk, weavers, dyers, cloth-dreflers, filk-throwfters, &c. whofe
pofterity have at this day a confiderable (hare of the landed intereft in
Kent, Eflex, &c. Juft fo, above 200 years before (about the year 1360)
the Belgians and Flemings, by frequent inundations driven from home,
firft taught the Englifh the art of making woollen cloth, of which they
were before ignorant ; being till then only fkilled in hulhandry, flieep-
keeping, and war ; for the Belgians and Flemings then fupplied the whole
world with cloth *. It was now that the fugitive Netherlanders taught
the Englifh to make bayes, fayes, and other flight fluffs, as alfo linen,
and made their country very populous. So likewife the Hollanders,
Zealanders, Brabanters, &c. taught not only England, but Germany
and other countries, the art of fifliing, and many other manual arts,
whereby thofe countries greatly increafed in riches and people. [Mete-
rani Hijl. Belg. L. iii.]
Hereby (fay alfo our own authors) the city of Norwich, which Ket's
rebellion in the year 1549 had almo/l defolated, learned the manuJaSture of
thofe fine and light fluff's, zvhich have ever f nee gone by its name, and have
rendered that city not only opulent, but famous all over Europe. The bay-
makers fettled chiefly at Colchefler, and its neighbourhood, in Efi'ex,
ever fince famous for that ufeful and profitable manufacture, fo much
in requeft in the warmer climates of Europe and America. The bayes,
fayes, and other flight woollen goods, are what are ufually called the
new drapery, as being fo much later introduced into England than the
old drapery of broad-cloth, kerfies, &c.
It may here be noted, that the Flemings in the neighbourhood of
Norwich introduced gilliflowers, carnations, Provence-rofes, and other
flowers hitherto unknown in England.
Martin Frobiflier now made his firft voyage for finding a north-weft;
pafiage to the Eaft-Indies, wherein he was aflifted by Ambrofe Dudley
earl of Warwick. He fet out with two barks of twenty-five tons each,
and one pinnace of ten tons, and entered the ftrait going into the great
bay, fince called Hudfon's, which he named Frobiflier's ftrait. He alfo
gave names to Queen Elizabeth's foreland. Cape Labrador, Gabriel's
ifland. Priors found, &c. which are ftill retained in charts and maps.
He brought home one of the natives, and alfo a kind of bright ftone,
which being tried by the London goldfmiihs, contained a great propor-
tion of gold, and are faid to have promifed great matters, if any quan-
* Hi oiiglit to have faid, on this fide of the Mediterranean fea.
Vol. it. T
14^ A. D. 1567.
tity thereof could be had ; which flattering hopes produced a fecond
voyage ten years after, although no north-weft paffage was found.
Sir Thomas Grefham, an eminent merchant of London, who in the
ftile of thofe times was called the queen's merchant, becaufe he had the
management of all her remittances, and her other money concerns with
foreign ftates, and with her armies beyond fea, ereded a building in
London (then efteemed a fine one) for the daily public refort of mer-
chants. The queen would not have that place called, as in other coun-
tries, the Bourfe, but gave it the name of the Royal exchange. Its fi-
gure is to be feen in fundry books, confifting, like the prefent one, of a
fquare piazza, with a building over it, much like that at Grefliam col-
lege, which was Sir Thomas's own dwelling-houfe. When it was finifh-
ed, the queen came in perfon, and proclaimed its name with the heralds
at arms, trumpets founding, &c. It was burnt dov/n in the great con-
flagration of the year 1666, and foon rebuilt in its prefent much greater
fplendour. There was before this time a place in Lombard-ftreet for
the meeting of merchants, but it was now by the increafe of commerce
found to be too fmall.
We have feen, under the year 1564 to 1566, the ill fuccefs of the
French in their attempts to fettle in Florida. Another attempt was now
made by Captain Gourgues, who arriving with three (hips in Florida,
took the Spanifh forts, and put all the Spaniards to the fword ; but not
having ftores fufficient for remaining there, he re-embarked, promifing
the Indians to return the following year, and arrived in France in 1568.
It was conjec^ired that the admiral Coligny intended Florida as a laft
refuge for thofe of his own perfuafion, the proteftants of France, fore-
feeing that they would probably be overpowered by the catholics ; yet
no farther attempts were made by the French : And the fame country
was afterwards colonized by the Englifh, and divided into the provinces
of North CaroUna, South Carolina, and Georgia.
We muft here obferve, that in all thofe voyages to Florida, there
were many plaufible accounts given of gold and fiiver mines, pearls and
pretious ftones, which later difcoveries have proved to be entirely fabu-
lous. And this remark may be applied to almoft all our own firft Eng-
lifh attempts for fettlements in the iflands and continent of America.
1568 — Some fhips of Bifcay being chafed by the French into Ply-
mouth, Falmouth, and Southampton, Queen Elizabeth detained the fum
of 200,000 piftoles, found onboard them, upon a prefumption of its
belonging to Spaniards ; but fome Genoefe merchants, who intended
to form a bank in the Netherlands, proving it to be their property, fhe
reftored it to them : neverthelefs, the duke of Alva thereupon feiz-
ed the effeds of the Englifh merchants-adventurers at Antwerp, to
the vakie of about Lico,ooo Sterling ; and Elizabeth, by way of re-
prifal, feized the Netherland and Spaniili fl;iips and effedls in England,,
A. D. 1568. 147
to the value of about L200,ooo Sterling; for in thofe times the Nether-
landers and Spaniards had more (hips and efleds in England than the
Englifli had in thofe countries, however different the cafe may be in
modern times. This obliged the Englifli merchants-adventurers to re-
move from Antwerp to Hamburgh, whence, by the influence of the
emperor, they were obliged to remove to Staden, where they remained
till the year 1597, though much difturbed by the Hanfeatic league, be-
caufe Queen Elizabeth had put the merchants of the Steelyard on an
equal footing with her own fubjedls, in refped; to the cufl:om on cloth,
&c. exported. When the Englifli merchants-adventurers firfl; fettled
at Staden, it was fo unmercamile a town, that there were no other mer-
chants found there ; but during the time that company remained there,
Staden wonderfully increafed in wealth and buildings.
Charles IX of France continuing to diftrefs and perfecute his prote-
ftant fubjeds, notwithftanding the manifefl; prejudice of fuch condudl
to the true intereft of himfelf and his kingdom, by driving great num-
bers of his mofl induflrious fubjeds into foreign countries ; concerning
which hardfliip of his people of her own perfuafion. Queen Eliza-
beth, by her ambaflador Norris, frequently and earneftly retnonftrated ;
and particularly in this year, Camden (in her hifl;ory) acquaints us, ' that
fhe exhorted him not to incenfe his good people (the proteflants) by-
trying arbitrary and dangerous experiments ; but rather to beware of
thofe bad minifl:ers, who, by driving out his beft fubjeds, did but weaken
the power of France to fuch a degree, as to leave it an eafy prey to fuch
as defired to difturb it.' But not being lifl;ened to, fhe thereupon found
herfelf obliged to aflill; thofe diftreffed people, by generoufly fending
them 100,000 angels (fays Camden), with warlike ammunition, as they
now religioufly protefled, that they took up arms againfl their king fole-
ly for their own defence. Queen Elizabeth about this time received
and courteoufly entertained all fuch French proteffants as fled to Eng-
land from perfecution at home, whereby fhe increased the riches and
populoufnefs of her own kingdom.
The Englifh Ruflia company's frefh adventure through Ruflia into
Perfia began in this year, and lafted to 1573, according to Hakluyt, and
would have proved exceeding profitable, had they not, in their return
acrofs the Cafpian fea, with Perfian raw filk, wrought filks of many
kinds, galls, carpets, Indian fpices, turquois flones, &c been robbed by
Coffac pirates, to the value of about L40,ooo Sterling, fome fmall part of
which, however, they recovered by veffels fent out from Aftracan.
The tyranny and cruelty of the Spaniards to the Moors, who ftill re-
mained in great numbers in the countries of Granada and Murcia, pro-
duced a terrible infurredion of thofe people, which lalfed almoit two
years. For though Ferdinand and Ifabella had conquered Granada, the
laft Moorifh kingdom in Spain, and driven out vail numbers of Moors,
Ta
148 A. D. 1568.
yet there ftill remained a great number in Granada and Murcia, who
outwardly made profeflion of chriflianity to preferve their property.
The bigoted Romifh clergy had before this time frequently fet on foot
perfecutions againfl thofe miferable people, as particularly againfb
thofe of the Albaizin, a quarter in the city of Granada, where great
numbers of very rich Mooriih merchants inhabited, as did alfo fome
of their nobility, and of the blood of their antient Moorifli kings, rec-
koned to amount to i o,oco men lit for war. In other towns alfo ot
Granada, particularly in the mountainous parts, there were above
100,000 families of Moors, moil of whom were fliepherds and farmers.
All thefe were the defccndants of thofe Moors, to whom Ferdinand and
Ifabeila, on their conquefl of Granada, had promifed that they and their
pofterity fliould remain there with all fafety and liberty, to enjoy their
religion, fo long as they obferved the laws, and paid taxes as other fub-
jeds. But that had been long before broke through, after a flout re-
iSftance by the Moors of Alpuxarra, who were at lad compelled to be-
come Chriftians or leave the country. Such as remaiiaed in Spain, and
conformed outwardly to the eftablifhed religion, were termed new
Chriftians by the Spaniards ; and they were compelled to fend their
children to fchools, wherein they were to be taught the Caftilian tongue
only. They were, moreover, forbid to keep any Arabic books in their
houfes, the doors whereof were to be kept open on Fridays, Saturdays,
and Sundays, that any might enter and fee what they did. They were
now alfo to leave their Mooriih drefs, and to wear a Spanifli one ; to
leave off the ufe of baths ; to affift at mafs on all Sundays, feftivals,
&c. under fevere penalties ; wherefor they lived in continual vexation.
It can therefor be little wondered at, that the Moors, whole religion,,
language, garb, and manners, were now no longer to be tolerated, fhould
rebel. In their firft fury, ^:hey murdered all the Spaniards they could
find in the country of Alpuxarra, efpecially the clergy. They elected
a king, and at firft had a confiderable force along the coafl as far as
Gibraltar, and fortified fome pofts among the mountains near the fhore,
in hopes of fuccours from their brethren of Barbary and Conftantin-
ople. They were at length di (armed, when King Philip II promifed
that they Ihould not be molefted, provided they would behave peace-
ably, and remove from their inaccellible caftles and precipices in the-
mountains of Andalufia and Murcia, and fettle in level countries. In
fliort, this war is faid to have coft Spain 30,000 lives, and five millions
of crowns, befides the perpetual and rancorous hofiility of the pofterity
of thofe Moors, who preferring their confcience to their intereft, had
exiled themfelves from their native country, and fettled on the oppofite
coafl: of Barbary.
On the fide of the Moors fo great a multitude of all ages and of both
fe:<,eswas deftroyed as is almoft incredible ! How much wifer and happier
A. D. 1568. 149
had it be<?n for Spain, to have gradually gained them over bygtntlenefs
and kindnefs to their religion and interefts, than by blood and violence,
which not only increafe their obftinacy and abhorrence of their oppreff-
ors, but impoverifli and depopulate their country !
1569. — The firft Englilh book on the Italian art of keeping mer-
chants' accounts, or book-keeping by double entry, was publifhed by
James Peele (London, 1569, folio). Though his ftile be now obfolete *,
he evidently underftood the principles of book-keeping as well as fome
who have written much later. In his preface, he takes notice that
' many merchants themfelves were fond of learning of him, and of
' getting their apprentices to be taught by him ; and although the art
' be in a fort new in Eriglaiid, yet it had long been ufed by merchants in
' foreign parts f .'
It appears from A difcrarje upon iifury, by Dr. "thomas IVilfon, that the
fund of the orphans of the city of London now paid a regular annual
interefl for their ufe.
Some differeiice having arifen between the czar of Mufcovy and the
Englilli RulTia merchants, or their fodors, the queen diipatched thither
Sir Thomas Randolph, who concluded a new treaty for them with the czar,
who again granted them an exemption from all cuftoms, and (as former-
ly) leave to tranfport their merchandize to Perlia, &c. though other fo-
reign merchants were not allowed (lays Camden) to trade beyond the
city of Molcow|. The pradice of the Englifn in thofe times was to
tranfport their goods in canoes up the Dwina to Vologda, thence over
land in fevcn days to Jeroflaw ; and thence down the great river Volga
ia thirty days to Aflracan, near its mouth ; whence they crofled the
Cafpian fea ; and thence through the vaft deferts to Teverin and Cafbin
(cities of Perfia), hoping at length to diibover Cathay (China). But by
reafon of the war between the Turks and Perfians, and the robberies of
the barbarians, the Londoners were dilcouraged trom puriuing this
laudable enterprife, fays Camden.
As England produced no military flores, Queen Elizabeth was obliged
to buy 'all her gunpowder and naval ftores from the German Steelyard
merchants at their own prices, there being as yet but few Engliih mer-
chants dealing in that way ; and this was one of her greateft induce-
ments to encourage commercial companies, whereby her own mer-
chants of P.uliia, and of the two elder companies of the Staple, and the
merchants-adventurers, were confiderably increafing in trade ; the
* Inftead of writing Dr. and €r. on the oppo- up tliroiigli nil the daiknefs of the middle ages hi
fite ps^es of liis leger, he has A oivclh, and A is Italy ; and thence it has got t!ie name of ItnHaii
(hi; to hatie. book-keeping. M.
f If I amright in my opin-'in (which feems fup- f Camden alfo fays that the czar gnve tlicm
ported by good authority), that book-keeping by houfcs for making ropes in, and a track of land.
double entry was known to the Romans, it may five miles in compafs, with the woods upon it, foe
be prefumed that fome knowlege of it was kept making iron. M.
150 A. D. 1569.
former in the exportation of wool (not as yet legally prohibited), and
the latter of cloth, both to the great advantage of the revenue. This
made the Hanfeatics labour to render thofe companies obnoxious to
other nations by various calumnies ; yet, in fpite of their malice, an
univerfal fpirit of adventuring in foreign parts for difcovery and traffic,
as well as for improving manufadlures at home, dayly increafed in Eng-
land, whereby they foon became an overmatch in naval flrength, com-
merce, and riches, for the declining Hanfeatics ; whofe threatenings
therefor the queen difregarded ; and Werdenhagen, their hiftorian, a
few years after this acknowleges, that the Englifh in all thofe refpedls,
as alfo in the bravery of their commanders and failors, excelled the
Hanfe towns ; and Hamburgh, though a potent Hanfe town, which had
formerly rejected the Englifh merchants, now began to court their re-
fidence ; in confequence of which they removed from Emden to Ham-
burgh, whence they foon extended their commerce into Saxony, Pruflia,
and Rullia, which gave great umbrage to the Danes.
1570 The ifland of Scio, or Chio, being taken by the Turks from
the Genoefe, the Englidi trade to that ifland was interrupted for fome
time. This year the Turks alfo conquered the ifland of Cyprus, which
the Venetians had poflefled almofl; a century, which was a further inter-
ruption of the commerce of all the Chriftian flates with the eaftern
coafl:s of the Mediterranean.
The prince of Orange having withdrawn into Germany to raife an
army againfl the duke of Alva, fome Ihips commiflioned by him, after
preying on all Spanifh fhips near the Netherlands, landed on the ifle of
Voorn, alfaulted and carried the town of Briel, pulled down the popifti
images in the churches, and making open profeflion of the protefl:ant reU-
gion, protefted againfl the taxes and the tyranny of the Spanifli govern-
ment. Whereupon they were forthwith feconded by the revolt of moll
of the inhabitants of Holland, Zealand, and Wefl;-Frifeland, who ex-
pelled the Spanifli garrifons, and renouncing their fidelity to King Phi-
lip II, fwore allegiance to William prince of Orange as their fladtholder.
It is needlefs to trouble the reader with a detail of what may be found
in all the hifl:ories of Europe, viz. the return of the prince of Orange
with a frefli army from Germany, whereby he effedually fupported the
revolters, and became the main inftrument of eflablifhing the republic
of the feven united provinces.
Sir Robert Cotton, in a tradl on the manner and means how the kings
of England have from time to time fupported and repaired their ellates
(printed in a book, intitled Cottoni Fojlhuma, 1651, 8vo), relates, ' that in
this I 2th year of Queen Elizabeth, the yearly profit of the kingdom *
* The prcjit of the llngdm comprehended the on the people in times of peace : and this annual
queen's annual income from her manors and lands, profit was pretty nearly the fame one year with
her cuftomt, efcheata, &c. for (he raifed no taxes another.
A. D. 1570. 15 I
(befide the wards and duchy of Lancafter), was £188,197 -4' "'"^ the
yearly payments and aflignments amounted to Li 10,612 : 13, of which
the houfehold was £40,000, the privy purfe L2000, the admiralty
£50,000, which by an eftimate in May 1604, was £40,000, and is now
(1609) fwoln to near £50,000 yearly, by the error and abufe of offi-
cers ! What a prodigious increafe two centuries have produced in the
national revenue and expenditure !
The firft of thofe fowls, called by the Englifh turkeys, and by the
French poules d'Indes, were faid to have been brought from Mexico,
and were this year ferved up as a great rarity at the nuptial feafl of
King Charles TX of France. Pofllbly our firft traders to Turkey feeing
thofe fowls at Aleppo, &c. might occafion our calling them turkey fowls.
1 571 An ad of parliament for the increafe of tillage, and the
maintenance and increafe of the navy and mariners of the realm, di-
redl:s that corn of all kinds may be exported, when the prices at home
are fo low as that no proclamation to the contrary fliall be iffued ; yet,
even in this cafe the queen referves the cuftoms due thereon. [13 Eliz.
c. 13.] This is the third law made purpofely for the benefit of the
farmers by exportation of corn.
The a61s pafTed in the reign of Henry VI for the improvement of the
river £ea had hitherto been of little effed : wherefor an ad: was pafled [i 3
Eliz. c. 18], diredling a new cut or trench to be made within ten years,
at the charge of the lord mayor, commonalty, and citizens of £ondon,
whereby that river was to be made to convey all viduals, corn, and
other neceflaries between Ware in Hertfordfhire and £ondon ; where-
by a very confiderable expenfe of land-carriage has been faved, and
Ware has become a confiderable town.
The cappers, or knir-cap-makers of England, obferving the great in-
creafe of hats made of felt, had before this time obtained an ad of par-
liament for preventing foreign materials from being worked up into hats;
but that not anfwering fully, they now obtained a fecond law [13 EU%.
c. 19] purporting, that every perfon above feven years of age ftiould
wear on Sundays and holidays a cap of wool, knit, made, thicked, and
drefl!ed in England, and drefled only and finiflied by fome of the trade
of cappers, on the forfeiture of 3y4 for every day fo negleded to be
worn : Excepting, however (out of this ad), maids, ladies, and gentle-
women, and every lord, knight, and gentleman of twenty marks land,
and their heirs ; and alfo iuch as have born office of worfhip in any
city, town, or fliire, and alfo the wardens of the £ondon companies.
Neverthelefs, the fafhion of felt hats prevailed fo much, as the very ad
feemed to portend it would, for their fuperior ftrength, lightnefs, and
beauty ; and being a better defence from fun and rain, the knit caps
are long ago driven out, and are now only to be feen in fome of the
poorefl and remoteft parts of the kingdom.
1^2 A. D. 1571.
This year the ftreets to Whitechapel-bars and its neighbourhood, in
the eaftern fiiburbs of London, were by law directed 'O be paved : and
alfo all the ftreets of the town of Ipfwich. [13 FJiz. cc. 23, 24.]
W^e have feen the blind zeal of the parliament in the reign of Ed-
ward VI againft ufury, or intereft for money. By the vaft quantities
of bullion now conftantly brought from America, and the increafe of
fhipping, commerce, and manufadures, while very little (if any) of our
filver was as yet carried to India, there were now confiderable fums of
money ready to be lent out by fuch as were not immediately engaged
in commerce, nor had laid out their money upon lands. Moreover,
money began now to be confidered to be as much a commodity as other
things, and that it was reaibnable its poflelTors ftiould improve it as
much as thofe did who poflelTed lands, houfes, or merchandize. An ad
of parliament was therefor pafled (reviving that of the 37th of Hen-
ry VIII, c. 9) for eftablifhing the rate of intereft at 10 per cent per an-
num. The preamble lets forth, ' that the prohibiting ad of King Ed-
ward VI had not done fo much good as was hoped for; but that rather
the vice of ufury, and fpecially by fale of wares and fhifts of intereft,
hath much more exceedingly abounded, to the utter undoing of many
gentlemen, merchants, occupiers, and others, and to the importable
hurt of the commonwealth ; as well, for that in the faid late ad there
is no provifion againft fuch corrupt ftiifts and fales of wares, as alfo for
that there is no difference of punifliment upon the greater or lefler ex-
adions and oppreilions by reafon of loans upon ufury. It was there-
for now enaded, that the law of the 37th of King Henry VIII be re-
vived; and that all bonds, contrads, and afl"urances, collateral or other,
to be made for payment of any principal money to be lent, or cove-
nant to be performed, upon or for any ufury, in lending or doing of
any thing againft the faid ad now revived, upon or by which loan or
doing there ftiall be referved or taken above the rate of Lio for the
hundred for one year, fliall be utterly void.' [13 EUz. c. 8.]
Neverthelefs,when after reading this claufe, fo plainly licencing ufury
(that is to fay intereft of money, for the word had ftill no other import
than intereft has in modern times), at 10 per cent, we come to read the
next paragraph, it does not convey the moft advantageous idea of thofe
proteftant (and one would think more enlightened) lawgivers, thus to
juggle with mankind ; viz.
' And forafmuch as all ufury (being forbidden by the law of God) is
' fin, and dcteftable ; be it enaded, that all ufury, loan, and forbearing
' of money, or giving days ^ox forbearing of money, by way of loan,
' chevifance, ftiiffs, file of wares, contrad, or other doings whatfoever
' for gain ; whereupon is referved or taken, or covenanted to be referv-
' ed, paid, or given to the lender, contrador, ftiifter, forbearer, or de-
' liverer, above the fum of Lio for the loan or forbearing of Lioo for
A. D. I57I- ^53
"' one year, fo much as fliall be referved by way of ufury above the prin-
* cipal, for any money fo to be lent or forborn, fhall be forfeited,' &c.
Thus, although the legillature knew that every one, who had occafion,
gave intereft for money, yet the old prepofleffions againft the lawtulnefs
of ufury or intereft were tlien ftill fo ftrong and univerfal, that fome-
what was thought neceflary to be faid againft the very thing they now
found themfelves neceflitated to re-eftablifti for the welfare of the nation.
N. B. By an ad of the 39th of EHzabeth [c. 18] this ad was made
perpetual.
Mr. Anthony Jenkinfon, who had before made three voyages to Ruf-
fta, was now appointed ambaflador from Queen Elizabeth to the grand-
duke John Bazilowitz ; but at his arrival he found, that prince had fuf-
pended the company's privileges, through the bad condud of lome ot
their fervants, the envy of fome irregular Englifti traders, and the mif-
reprefentations of the Ruftian ambaflador, returned from England, who
could not bring Queen EUzabeth into all his mafter's views. The com-
pany had alfo fuffered many lofl'es by ftiipwrecks, by the Polifti pirates
at fea, and by bad debts, &c. and were now in other refpedts in a bad
fituation : Yet Jenkinfon had fo much addrefs as to obtain a reftoration
of their privileges from the czar, and fatisfadion for ibme part of their
lofles, which amounted to above 100,000 rubles; although the greateft
part was never made good to them, notwithftanding the czar's promife.
1572. — Ever lince the year 1553, the Englifti had at various times
traded to the coaft of Guinea, notwithftanding the claim of the Portu-
guefe to an excluftve right to that coaft, as the firft difcoverers, who had
frequently difturbed the Englifti and other nations in their trade for
gold duft, Guinea grains, and ivory. But now, the Portuguefe finding,
they could not hold all that coaft iolely to themfelves, made a treaty of
peace with England, whereby all former difputes were adjufted, and
freedom of trade thither was ftipulated.
The Hanfeatic fociety, relying on the many privileges and immuni-
ties they enjoyed or claimed, fell into a frefh quarrel viith the neigh-
bouring princes, on the following occafion. In the preceding year, the
city of Lubeck had concluded a peace at Stettin with John king of
Sweden, after a war of eight years : one ot the articles thereof was, that
the Lubeckers might freely trade with Livonian Narva, then in the
hands of RulTia ; yet now, the Swedifti monarch finding himfelf more
powerful, on pretext of his war with Ruflia, prohibited the Lubeckers,
&c. from reforting to Narva, and even feized their fliips trading thither.
Hereupon the Hanfe towns held this year a grand aftembly of their de-
puties for deliberating on this and other points. Thuanus fays [L. lij
' that fome of the points they agreed on related to their internal go-
' vernment ; but that other refolutions reluted to foreign ftates and
* princes, moft part of which laft proved ineffedual :' which (hows that the
Hanfeatics were at this time greatly decUning in power and influence.
Vol. II. U
J54 -A. D. 1571.
According to Meteranus [L. iii], Queen Elizabeth, in order to quiet
the un^afinefs of her fubjeds for the feizure of their efFeds in the Ne-
therlands in the year 1568, concluded a treaty of commerce with King
Charles IX of France at Blois, wherein the Enghfli obtained ample pri-
vileges for the vent of their merchandize. But this author adds, that
the horrid maffacre of the French proteftants at Paris, &c. perpetrated
on St. Bartholomew's day this year, rendered the treaty ineffedual, by
the terror it ftruck into the EngUfh merchants. The admiral Coligny,
and the reft of the proteftants, were decoyed to Paris, on pretence of
the nuptials of the king of Navarre, and were moft inhumanly butcher-
ed. The French papifts gloried fo greatly therein that medals were
ftruck in its commemoration.
By that treaty [^article xxiv] the Englifli were to be allowed a maga-
zine or ftorehoufe in France, for depoliting their cloth, wool, &c. as
they were wont to have at Antwerp, Bergen-op-zoom, and Bruges ; and
alfo [<7r;?V/^ xxv] a place for affembling themfelves, in order to chufe
their governors and other officers, &c. \_Colk£lion of treaties^ V. ii, ed. 1 732.]
The queen being at this time on bad terms both with Spain and the
emperor (the later partly on account of the Hanfe towns), thofe two
articles feem to have been intended to induce them to be more favour-
able to the Englifli commerce; for in the 16th article the French king
ftipulates, that in cafe any prince ftiall hereafter moleft the EngUfli in
their trade and merchandize in the Netherlands, or in Germany, or
Prullia, he fliall interpofe for their relief; and by the 17th article, he
ftiall, in caie of refufal and delay, arreft the perfons and goods of the
merchants of fuch prince being in his territories, till the Englifli and
Irifli fo arrefted be reftored. And in article 20, the queen obliges her-
felf to perform the like fervices for the fubjeds of the French king in
iimllar cafes. Yet fome think that neither of thofe monarchs were fm-
cere in this treaty, Charles's aim being to hoodwink Elizabeth, whilft
he was perpetrating that horrid maflacre ; and Elizabeth's, by this treaty,
to bring Spain and the emperor to trad:ability.
From Hakluyt's fecond volume we learn, that in this year there refid-
ed at Conftantinople confuls from the P>ench, Venetians, Genoefe, and
Florentines, but none from England ; the trade in the Levant having,
it feems, been quite difcontinued from the year 1553 to the year 1575.
The fame indefatigable author has pubhfhed an Englifliman's letter
to him from New Spain, fignifying, that feven years before this time
the Spaniards tirft found out the pafl^age from Acapulco to the Philippine
ifles ;.that the city of Mexico contained 50,000 families, 6000 of which
were Spaniards; that the city of Tlafcalla contained i6,coo families,
near which place all the cochineal grows ; that the beft filver mines
were north of the city of Mexico ; and that the refining of filver with
quickfilver was then hut a late difcovery, it having before, been done
with lead.'
A. D. 1572. ^55
An act of parliament [14 E/iz. c. 5] intitled, How vagabonds fliall be
puniflied, and the poor relieved, diredted, that aflefTments ftiould be
made of the parifliioners of every parifh, for the relief of the poor of
the fame pariOi. And this was the firft legal and effedual parochial
aiTeiTment for the poor in England.
1573. — There feems to have been much injury done by the Portu-
guefe, as well on land as on the feas, to the Englifh about this time :
For Queen Elizabeth ifliied a commillion to her high-admiral, iundry
lords and gentlemen, and two merchants, to inquire into the fame ;
wherein fhe obferves, that the fhips, merchandize, and money of her
merchants were feized, and the debts due to them detained, in the do-
minions of the king of Portugal, and on the feas by his fleets, under
his authority, contrary to the ftrid friendfhip that had fo long fublilled
between the two crowns. Therefor, the queen impowers her commif-
fioners to inquire into the complaints of her fubjeds, and to take an
account of all the Portuguefe property in her dominions, that compen-
fation may be made to the fufferers. \Foedera, V. xv, p. 721 .]
Sir James Ware, in his Annals of Ireland, obferves, under this year,
that * the money which the queen had fent to Ireland, from her accef-
fion to the crown to this time, amounted to L490,779 : 7 : 67 ;' whereas
the whole produce of the revenue of Ireland during all that time, viz.
for fifteen years, amounted but to Li 20,000. How happy is the change
in thefe refpeds fince thofe times in Ireland !
As Burchet's Complete hiftory of the moft remarkable tranfadlions
at fea, from the earliefl accounts of time down to the conclufion of
Queen Anne's war, is a work which may in general be depended on, he
having been fecretary to the board of admiralty for a long feries of
years, we fhall here, from his preface, exhibit the entire navy of Queen
Elizabeth, as it flood in the year 1573, viz.
I (hip of 100 guns.
9 from 88 to 60.
49 from 58 to 40. .
Total, 59 fliips of the line of battle, as they might be reckoned in thofe
days.
58 from 38 to 20.
29 from 18 to 6.
Total, 1 46 Ihips.
Neverthelefs, he fays \p. 20], that the merchant fhips of England
were then eileemed the principal part of our maritime power ; ot which,
in the 24th year of Queen Elizabeth (1582) there weje reckoned 135,
U2
156 A. D. 1573-
many of them of 500 tons each ; and in the beginning of the reign of
King James, it was computed there were 400, but thefe not of fo great
burden. The (hips of war belonging to the crown in the time of Queen
Ehzabeth were only 13, to which ri were added by King James 1.
And all, or moft of the 146 fhips, called Queen Elizabeth's naval power,
confiiled of merchant fhips, occafionally hired by her, excepting her
own 13: And it is highly probable, that the ten largefl fhips in the
above liflwere part of the faid 13.
In an efTay written by Sir Robert Cotton in 1609, [Pq/lhuma, p. 196]
he obferves, ' that in the year 1573, there was brought in an xmmea-
* furable ufe of luxurious commodities in England, as wines, fpices,
' filk, and fine linen ; for of the later fort, of above ten groats the ell,
' there is above L36o,ooo yearly fpent, which is half the value of our
' woollen cloths exported, aad maketh the flate to buy more than they
' do fell ; whereas a good father of a family ought to be a feller, not a^
' buyer.' Camden, in his hiftory of Queen Elizabeth, under the year
1574, fays, the people (he mufl mean only the rich) wore filks glitter-
ing with gold and filver, either embroidered or laced, which the queen
in vain endeavoured, by her proclamation, to reflrain, and to oblige
people to conform to a prefcribed rule. Feafting was much in fafhion
at this time ; gi'eat improvements were alfo made in buildings ; and
noblemen's and gentlemen's country feats were re-edified, in greater
beauty and largenefs than had ever before been known ; and certainly
(fays he) to the great ornament of the kingdom, though to the decay
of hofpitality. All which, however, when rightly confidered, was no'
other than the natural eflPeds of increafing riches and commerce.
The proteftants in France (fays Burchet in his Naval hiftory) were
become fo powerful in (hipping, that in the year 1573, they commit-
ted fpoil, without diftindion, on all they met, and plundered feveral
Englifli fliips ; whereupon Queen Elizabeth fent out Holftock, comp-
troller of her navy, with a fquadron, who retook feveral Englifh fhips,
feized on fome of thofe cruifers, and difperfed the reft..
1574 — Bondage was not as yet quite worn out in England, as we find
by Queen Elizabeth's commiflion to her lord treafurer Burghley and Sir
Walter Miidmay chancellor of her exchequer, for inquiring into tile
lands, tenements, and other goods, of all her bondmen and bondwomen
in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerfet, and Gloucefter, viz. fuch
as were by birth in a ftavifh condition, by being born in any of her
manors ; and to compound with fuch bondmen or bondwomen in
thofe counties for their manumiflion, and enjoying their lands, tene-
ments, and goods, as freemen. By this commifiion, probably, confi-
derable fums of money were raifed for the queen's ufe, the commonalty
continually growing richer by the gradual increafe of the nation's com-
merce. [Fxde/a, V. xv, p. 731.I
A, D. 1575. 15,7
1575. — We have before obferved, under the year 1548, that the
Emperor Charles V, for poHtical ends, had allowed a large rate of in-
rereft on the great fums he had borrowed of the republic of Genoa,
which was alfo for fome time continued by his fon King Philip TI, and
thofe loans farther increafed on the fecurity of the revenues of Spain
and Spanifh America ; and although upon the reducftion of the interefl;
on thofe debts, Philip had given alTurances to the Genoefc that the re-
duced interefl fliould afterward be pundnally paid, yet we find that at
feveral times after, and particularly in the year 1575, he again flopped
the payment of their interefl, at a time when divifions ran high at Ge-
noa between the old and the new nobility. He alio ordered a revifal
of his accounts with the Genoefe for fifteen years backward, which
greatly alarmed them, as (according to their hiflorian De Mailly),
[Z,. xii.] they had taken fuch advantage of that prince's neceffiiies, as
to make eleven, twelve, and fometimes eighteen per cent interefl on
their loans, whereby the antient nobles alone had drawn annually from
Spain a revenue of fifteen millions of gold. And this review of tiie
court of Spain is faid to have produced a farther redu(51ion of interefl
on thofe debts due to Genoa.
In the firft volume of Hakluyt's voyages (London, 1598, p. 413),
we have this year the ' requefl of an honefl merchant, by letter to a
'friend of his, to be advifed and direded in the courfe of killing the
' whale.' The anfwer in fubftance was, that there fhould be a fliip of
200 tons burthen, with proper utenfils and inflruments. But what is
mofl to be noted is, that all the neceflary officers were then to be had
from Bifcay; which fhews (what is alfo elfwhere to be obferved) that the
Bifcayners were the earlieft whale-filhers of any nation of Europe, ex-
cepting however the people of Norway, who were employed iji that
trade at leafl as early as the time of King Alfred.
1576. — Many new devices having been found out for impairing, di-
minifhing, fcaling, and otherwife lightening the coins of England, or
the coins of other realms allowed by proclamation to be current in
England, all fuch arts were declared to be high treafon. [iS EUz.
c. i.]
The {greets of the city of Chichefter v/ere firfl directed to be paved
with flone. [18 Eliz. c. 19.]
An accord being at length patched up between the old and the new
nobility of Genoa, after their quarrels had brought the very exiflence
of the republic into great danger, it was now fiipulated, that the old
and new nobility fhould for ever after be deemed but one body, utter-
ly abolifiiing the former diflindlion of old and new nobles. And as
idlenefs is ever pernicious to the public, noblemen were now permitted
to exercife certain arts or trades, and alfo to pnidife a wholelale trade
or merchandife, without any difparagement of their nobility ; proviu-
158 A. D, 1576.
ed, however, that they fhould not keep an open or retail fhop. [De
Mailly, L. xii.]
Hakluyt acquaints us, that, although the Ruflia company had an ex-
clufive charter, which, as we have feen, was confirmed by SlQ. of par-
liament, yet Alderman Bond (formerly mentioned) had difputes with
that company, becaufe of his trading without their leave to Narva in
Livonia, and alio to Kola, Kegor, &:c. in Ruffian Lapland ; but Narva
was then under the Swedes.
At this time, and fome years before, the Ruffia company had been
at confiderable expenfe in fending out fliips for difcovering a fuppofed
paflage through Waygatz ftrait north-eaftward to China and the Eaft-
Indies. But they were abfolutely obftruded by the ice as well as by
the intenfe cold.
*577- — ^^^^ Engli{h genius was not to be difcouraged by former un-
fuccefsful attempts for finding a pafTage to China and Eaft-lndia without
interfering with the Portuguefe by the Cape of Good Hope, nor with
Spain by the flraits of Magellan ; and as they had already attempted in
vain a north-eaft pafiiige, there feemed now only the north-weft pafTage
to be explored, which we have feen had been already attempted by
Frobifher. The Portuguefe and Spanifli chart-makers and cofmogra-
phei-s were, it feems, exprefsly enjoined by their fovereigns, not to give
any kind of light to other nations in this refped ; becaufe they were
juflly apprehenfive that if there were any fuch paflage, it would prove
a much fhorter courfe to India and China than theirs, either by the
fouth-eaft or fouth-weft paflage. To encourage the Englifh to this at-
tempt, fundry treatifes were publiflied by Sir Humphry Gilbert, Rich-
ard Willes, &:c. moftly founded upon romantic reports, without any
folid probability. Yet upon fuch grounds, and the encouragement of
friends, Captain Frobiflier now made his fecond attempt with one of
the queen's own fliips, two barks, and 140 perfons, fome of whom were
gentlemen. He again entered the flraits he had named after himfelf
in his former attempt, where he found ftore of the glittering ftones and
fand he had feen in his laft voyage, with which he now loaded his vef-
fels. And, as it is needlefs to relate his adventures with the favages, fo
often already printed, he returned home the fame year with his ima-
ginary treafure, which afterwards, upon a more folid trial, proved good
for nothing.
Queen Elizabeth ifliied a commiflion for the reftitution of fliips and
merchandize taken from the Portuguefe ; which reftitution was thereby
declared to be in coni'equence of a treaty with the king of Portugal.
The fame commiflioners were empowered to treat with thofe of France
concerning depredations at fea, and other injuries on both fides. [Fo£-
dera, V. xv, pp. 769, 770.]
A. D. 1577. 159
Commiffioners were alfo appointed to inquire into the complaints of
fome Scottifh merchants, whofe (hipping had been plundered by feme
Englifli vefTels, and to make fatisfadion at the expenfe of the offenders.
[Fcedera, V. xv, p. 779.]
Queen Elizabeth fent Mr. Edmund Hogan as her envoy to Muley
Abdelmelek emperor of Morocco, in which country there were already
fome Englifh merchants refident, for whom certain commercial privileges
were now obtained. There he found alfo Spanifh, Portuguefe, and
French merchants. Sir William Monfon, in his Naval trads, obferves,
that by degrees the Englifh have beaten the Portuguefe out of that
trade, though at firft they laboured to do the like by us.
The ingenious author of the prefent State of England (in 8vo,
1683), obferves, that about this time pocket watches were firft brought
into England from Germany. Nurenberg is ufually afligned for
the place where watches were firft invented, though the time be very
uncertain.
15-78 The fuppofed gold ore which Frobifher brought home in
former voyages from Meta-incognita (as Queen Elizabeth had named .
the countries about Frobifher's ftraits), together with the hopes of a
north-weft paffage to Cathai (i. e. China), encouraged the queen to ap-
point commiffioners for thofe ends, who at firft making a fuppofed
proof of that ore, and alfo aftigning certain grounds for the probability
of a pafiage, Frobifher was thereupon, in the year 1578, fent out a
third time, with fifteen fhips, and with miners for the ore, which they
were to bring home, and to leave 120 perfons to inhabit Meta-incog-
nita, with three fhips to attend them. They arrived at the entrance of
Frobifher's ftraits, loft one of their fhips, fpent their provifions, and re-
turned home, without leaving any perfons (as they had intended) to
fettle in the country, or making any ufeful difcovery, or even fo much
as going into the ftraits. They however loaded their fhips with 300
tons of the fuppofed treafure, and after much hazard by ice and ftorms
returned home one by one. Their fuppofed gold ore, brought home in
this and former voyages, was at length found to be of no value, being,
only a glittering fand.
Hakluyt gives us an account of the Newfoundland fifhers from Eu-
rope in the preceding year (1577), viz. 100 fhips from Spain, 50 from
Portugal, 150 from France, and 15 from England: That the Englifh
had the beft fhips, and therefor gave the law to the reft, being in the
bays the protectors of others ; for which it was then, and had been of
old, a cuftom to make tuem fome fort of acknowlegment as admirals ,
fuch as a boat-load of fi\lt, for guarding them from pirates, and other
violem intruders, who often drive them from a good harbour, &c.
He fays, the fifuery of the Englifli at Iceland was the reafon we had not
then fuch numbers of fhips at Newfoundland ; that the Spaniards had..
l6o a. D. 1578.
then next to the Englifli the beft fhips there ; that there were there aifo
20 or 30 {hips from Bifcay, to kill whales for train oil *. His friend, in
a letter from Newfoundland, is earnefl for the Englifh to fettle at the
ifle of Cape Breton, for the benefit of the fifhery, and in another ifle
at the mouth of the great river St. Lawrence. Hakluyt was in thofe
times a mofl indefatigable inquirer after new trades and difcoveries,
and was undoubtedly of great ufe to our adventurers, by giving them
much light into the nature and means of difcoveries, and feems to have
been a public blefling to England in thofe days.
Queen Elizabeth's firft public treaty with the ftates-general of the
United Netherlands, after their revolt from Spain, was dated at Bruf-
fels, 7th January 1578. It is intitled, an offenfive and defenfive treaty
of peace with the Belgic ftates, therein ilyled the ' prelates, nobles, de-
* puties of cities, members of Brabant, Guelderland, Flanders, Artois,
' Hainault, Valenciennes, Lifle, Dowai, Oxchies, Holland, Zeeland,
' Namur, Tournay, Utrecht, Mechlin, Friefland, Overyfel, and Gro-
nmgen.
As this treaty was chiefly for the mutual fupport of each other againft
the exorbitant power of Spain, it is needlefs to be very particular in all
its articles.
The firft article confirms all the treaties niade between England
and the houfe of Burgundy, unlefs otherwife to be ftipulated.
No tranfaction of importance, relating to peace or war in the Ne-
therlands, fhall be concluded without the queen's participation, whofe
minifters fliall be prefent at all fuch deliberations.
Mutual general afliftance to each other with equal military forces.
All controverfies among the ftates fliall be referred to her arbi-
tration.
If the queen fliall find herfelf obliged to fit out a fleet for guard of
the feas, the ftates, at her inftance, fliall join it with forty ftiips of
theirs, with failors, foldiers, and ammunition, to be under the queen's
command, and at her expenfe ; none of which fliips to be of lefs bur-
den than forty tons.
Rebels or fugitives from England to get no protedion from the
ftates.
The ftates to make no treaty nor alliance with any prince or ftate
whatever without her confent.
The prefent and future governors in the Netherlands ftiall ratify
and confirm all the articles of this treaty, in the name and by the au-
thority of the catholic king.
Whenever a treaty of peace fhall be concluded between the faid
* There is no mention of whale fins (or whale whence it appears not to have been applied tc
J)rne) now iia fo much requeft for women's Hays; that ufe in thofe days.
A. D. 1578. 1 61
dates and the catholic king, theftates fhall oblige the faid king o^ Spain
to confirm and make perpetual all fuch of the laid articles as the queen,
fhall then judge expedient and convenient.
Signed by Francis Walsingham.
Thomas Wylson.
Cornelius Wellemaus.
Sealed with the queen's feal, and with the feal of tl^.e duchy of
Brabant, in the name of all the ftates-general. [Foedera, V. xv,
Queen Elizabeth had for a long time kept the Hanfeatics, or Steel-
yard merchants, in fufpenfe with relation to the renewal of their im-
munities, till her own fubjeds had gradually increafed in foreign trade
and {hipping. The Hanfeatics at length, finding they could not fhake
her firmnefs, applied to the Emperor Rodolph II, as their fovereign,
urging the neceffity of compelling her to reinflate them in their immu-
nities, and particularly that of paying only the antient cuftom of one per
cent. The queen replied to that emperor's remonftrances, that (he had
done the Hanfeatics no kind of wrong, having treated them on the
fame footing in which fhe had found them at her acceffion to the crown,
as it was her fifter who had abolifhed the old duty, and laid on that now
fubfifting.
This anfwer was far from fatisfadory ; and the Hanfeatics growing
louder in their complaints all over Germany, they at length iffued a
prohibition of the Englifh merchants to refide any longer at Hamburgh;
whereupon the queen publiflied a declaration, annulling all their an-
tient immunities, and only allowing them the fame commercial privi-
leges that other foreigners enjoyed. Soon after, fhe prohibited all fo-
reigners, and particularly the Hanfe or Steelyard merchants by name,
from exporting Englifh wool. This prohibition was faid to be owing
to the induftrious proteftant Netherlanders, lately driven out by the
Spanifh governors, and fettled in England, who advifed the queen to
forbid the exportation of wool unmanufadured *. This was a frefh
blow to the Hanfeatics ; and thereupon, in the following year, 1579,
their general afTembly at Lunenburgh laid a duty of yl^ per cent on all
goods imported into their territories by Engliflimen, or exported by
them ; whereupon Queen Elizabeth laid a like duty of 7^ per ce:.t on
all merchandize imported or exported by the German Steelyard mer-
chants. Thus matters became more and more embroiled between
* Tlie royal author of tlie ALmo'ns of Brandtn- foon as that wool was withheld, the manufaclire
burg obferves, that the manufafturers of that declined. He addt, that Auguflus and Ciiriitiaii,
country had made no good cloth, till the French elctlors of Saxony, in imitation of Elizabcrh, by
refugees came among them in the year 16B5, inviting Flemifh artills into their territories, put
without a mixture gf Englilh wool ; aud that, as their manutactures in a flourifhing condition.
Vol. II. X
iSi A. D. 1578.
England and the German Hanfe towns, the masrnanimoiis nueen be-
ing firmly determined never to yield to their unreulona'^^l- aemands.
According to Hakluyt, the Englifh Rudia company this year com-
plained of the Hollanders for trading to Kola, a port in Ruffian Lap-
land, where it feems there was fo great a trade for fifli oil and falmon,
that the company's fliips fometimes brought home 10,000 of thofe fifh.
1579. — Though, as we have feen under the year 1561, the citizens
of Hamburgh had fmarted for their pretenfion to a fovereignty on the
river Elbe, yet they ftill kept up the fame romantic claim. This pro-
voked Frederic 11 king of Denmark to forbid them all his ports, as he
had formerly done ; which prohibition was found to be fo prejudicial
to their interefts, that in order to be relieved from it they were obliged
to pay that prince 400,000 livres in five years time.
The prince of Orange, confidering the emulation among the great
men, and the difference of religion in the feveral provinces, which
could hardly ever be reconciled, and being defirous to fecure himfelf,
and to eftabliih, as far as poffible, the proteftant religion, procured the
Hates of Guelderland, Holland, Zealand, Frifeland, and Utrecht, to meet
at Utrecht in this year ; when they mutually and folemnly ftipulated to
defend one another, as one joint body, and with united confent to ad-
vife of peace, war, raxes, &c. and akb to fupport liberty of confcience.
Overyflel and Groningen were foon after admitted into the confederacy,
and completed the number of the Seven united provinces, which
compofed the mofl potent republic the world had feen fince that of old
Rome, and of the greateft commerce and maritime power that (as a re-
public) ever was on earth : For that fo fmall a ftate ihould, betwixt this
year 1579 and the year 1609, not only preferve its independence againft
the mightieft potentate in Europe, but likewife get footing in Flanders,
by mailering the ftrong and imiportant port and town of Sluyce, with
Hulfl, &c. ruin the trade of the mofl famous city of Antwerp, conquer
the flrong forts of Bergen-op-zoom, Breda, and fundry other places on
the Meufe and Rhine, &c. alfo attack and annoy fo great a monarch
in his own ports at home, and maugre all the va'd expenfe of fuch
great exploits, grow rich and opulent, as well as potent, will perhaps
fcarcely obtain credit in another century : but with us it ferves only to
{hew the immenle effed-s of an univerfally extended commerce, and in-
defatigable induftry, joined to unparalleled parfimony and economy !
Soon after this famous period, the induftrious and parHmonious traders
of thofe united provinces pufhed into a confiderable fhare of that com-
merce to feveral parts of Europe which till then England had folely en-
joyed. Yet the great and happy accellion of the fugitive Walloons to
England about the fame time, v/hereby the old Englifli drapery was fo
much improved, and fundry new and j^rofitable manuficlnres intro-
duced, did movQ than counterbalance the lofs of ibme part of the Eng-
A. D. 1579. 163
lifh commerce to the Dutch. Neverthelefs, the immenfenefs of the
fidiery of thofe Netherland provinces, with which they about this time
fuppHed the mofi: part of the world, is almoft: incredible, and could
only be defcribed by fo great a genius as Sir Walter Raleigh. Their
Eafl-India trade foon nfter this time commenced, and, like all new
trades, brought profit in the beginning, frequently even twenty times
the original outfet. In brief, the Hollanders loon thrufi: themfelves into
every corner of the univerle for new means of commerce, and for
vending their vaftly improved manufadures ; whereby Amfterdam foon
became, what it ftill is, the magazine or flaple for almoft all the com-
modities of the univerfe.
The popifh perfecutions at the commencement of the reformation in
religion, had driven vafi: numbers of people from Germany, France,
and England, to feek flicker in the feventeen provinces of the Nether-
lands, where the antient liberties of the country, and the privileges of
the cities, which had remained inviolate under a long fuccefiion of princes,
gave protection to thole oppreflld ftrangers, who filled their cities with
people and trade. But now when the feven provinces were united,
and began to defend themfelves with fuccefs, under the conduct of the
prince of Orange and the countenance of England and France, and
when the perlecution became much hotter in the Spanifli Netherlands,
all the profeflbrs of the reformed religion, and haters of the Spanifn do-
minion, retired into the flrong cities of this new commonwealth, and
gave the fame date to the growth of trade tliere, and the decay of it at
Antwerp.
It would be too tedious to inftance all the other caufes of the vaft in-
creafe of the wealth and power of the United Netherlands, in thofe
times and afterwards, fuch as, the long civil wars, firft in France, next
in Germany, and laftly in England, which drove thither all that were
perfecuted at home for their religion ; moderation and toleration to
all forts of quiet and peaceable people, naturally produce wealth, confi-
dence, and firength to fuch a country ; the natural ftrenglh of their
country, improved by tlieir many fluices for overflowing it, and ren-
dering it inaccelfible to land armies ; the free conftituiion of their go-
vernment ; the fecurity and convenience for all mens property in the
bank of Amfterdam.
As we apprehend a proper provifion for the poor in every well-regulated
country to be of confiderablc importance to the peace and welfare of fo-
ciety, we Ihall take notice of an act of the 6th of Iving James VI in Scotland
for the punifhment of vagabonds and fturdy beggars, and for confining all
other beggars to their own proper parifhes ; ajfo for taxing all the inhabi-
tants of pariflies to a weekly contribution for. fufhilning all their own beg-
gars, and to give paffes to the poor of other parifhes: and in poorer parifhes,
the poor to have authentic licences to beg their meat from houfe to houfe
X2
164 A. D. 1579-
in their own parifh, fo as to be fuftained within the fame, without
being chargeable to others, or to flrangers. A very good law this, had
it been duly executed. But though it was afterward ratified in the fame
and following reigns, and in the reign of Charles II, work-houfes, called
houfes of correftion, were appointed for employing the poor in all
burghs, and overfeers appointed in every parifh for colleding contribu-
tions for that end ; and though all former laws were ratified by laws of
the late King William, yet this point is not to this day efFedually pro-
vided for.
The laws made this year in Scotland againft the exportation of faked
flefh and coals feem. to us, at this diftance of time, not fo well calcu-
lated for the benefit of that country ; which, breeding an infinite num-
ber of black cattle, and producing coals in vafl quantities, it fliould
feem to have been more prudently devifed, and more for the benefit of
that nation, to encourage the exportation of both.
By another Scottifli acl of parliament of this year, every one refiding
in the Netherlands for commerce was to pay Lio Flemilh, (or about
L6 Sterling) as entrance-money, for leave to trade there. Another law
of this fame year confifcates all the goods and merchandize of non-free-
men trading thither ; of which confifcation, two-thirds were to go to
the crown, and one-third to the Scottifli confervator in the Netherlands.
This lad law was confirmed in the year 1597.
From thefe laws it appears that the Scots trod in the very fam.e fleps
with the Englifh, in relation to exclufive or refi:ri<5tive laws in commer-
cial matters, and alfo perfifted therein long after England faw the in-
conveniencies of them.
We have feen, in various periods of time, that the merchants of Eng-
land had charters from the crown for regulating their commerce into the
Eafl: country, a name of old, and flill given by mercantile people to the
ports of the Baltic fea, but more efpecially in Pruflia and Livonia.
Queen Elizabeth now, agreeable to the genius of the age, granted them
a charter, exclufive of all who fhould not take up their freedom in
their company, by the name of the Fellowfhip of Eaft-Iand merchants.
Their privileges were, ' to enjoy the fole trade through the Sound,
' into Norway, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, (excepting Narva, which
' was within the Ruflia company's charter) Prufila, and alfo Pomerania,
' from the river Oder eaflward, Dantzik, Elbing, and Koningfberg ;
' alfo to Copenhagen and Elfinore, and to Finland, (here called an ifle)
' Gothland, Bornholm, and Oeland ; to have a governor, deputy, or
' deputies, and twenty-four afliflants, who may make bye-laws, and im-
* pofe fines, imprifonment, &c. on all non- freemen trading to thofe
' parts.' It was principally defigned by the queen for the encourage-
ment of her own merchants, in oppofition to the Hanfeatics.
A. D.I 579- 1^5
This was what is called in England a regulated company, i. e. a com-
pany trading, not on a joint ftock, but every one on his Teparate bottom,
under certain regulations. We fhall fee this charter farther confirmed
by one from King Charles I, in 1629. Neverthelefs, they have been
frequently complained of by the Englifh merchants as a monopoly, and
were therefore curtailed by legal authority (as we fhall fee) in the year
1672. And finally, being, with all other monopolizing companies,
(not confirmed by parliament) deemed illegal in times of true liberty,
after the revolution, in confequence of the aft called the declaration of
rights, &c. they do not now exifl commercially, or otherwife, but in
name only, which it feems they ftill keep up, by continuing to elect
their annual officers ; and having (like the merchants of the Staple,
another company in fimilar circumfl:ances) a little ftock in our public
funds, the interefl thereof defrays the expenfes of their yearly meetings,
which are for no end but to commemorate their former exiftence in a
reftridive capacity, and to eleft their principal annual officers, now
merely nominal, which they ftill continue to do.
"We cannot too much commend the indefatigable induftry of the fa-
mous patriot, (for fo he juftly deferves to be ftiled) Mr. Richard Hakluyt,
of the Middle Temple, London, in fo eamefi:ly promoting new difco-
veries and improvements for the benefit of England. In his fecond
volume of Voyages and difcoveries he directs Morgan Hubblethorne, a
dyer, who was fent into Perfia this year to learn the arts of dying there,
and of making carpets, &c. There are (fays he) perfons there who fi;ain
linen cloth ; it hath been an old trade in England, whereof fome ex-
cellent cloths yet remain, although the art be now loft in this realm *.
In the fame year, William Harburn, an Englifti merchant, fent into
Turkey by Queen Elizabeth, obtained of the fultan Amurath III, that
the Englifh merchants might in all refpefts as freely refort and trade to
Turkey, as the French, Venetians, Germans and Poles, did at this time ;
by which roncefiion a foundation was laid for the Euglifli Turkey com-
pany, which was foon after efiiablifhed.
1580. — Sir Francis Drake accomplifhed the fecond circumnavigation
of the terraqueous globe He began it in the year 1577, g^^^^S through
the Magellanic ■•trait, with five fhips, and 164 men. He pillaged St.
Jago of Chili, and other places on the weft coaft of America, which was
in fa 61: the principal end of his voyage. In fome of the harbours on
this coaft he found ftiips which had no perfon in them ; fo fee are were
the Spaniards, as not fo much as to dream of any enemy in thofe feas.
He at length took the imraenf^ly rich prize named the Cacofogo,
with twenty-fix ton of filver, and eighty pound weight of gold, befides
* Mr. Anderfon here confounds Haklayt of tioiis for Hubb'ctliurne, who, as we learn by the
Oxford, the coUeftor of voyages, with his coufin inftruftions, was fent out a'c tlit cxpenfe of the
of the Middle Temple, who drew up the inflriic- city of London. M.
i66 A. D. 1580.
jewels, &c — Having now but one fliip left, in which all his treafure was
embarked, and it being probable that the Spaniards would intercept
him fhould he return through the Magellanic ftrait, he determined
to fail to the Moluccos, and return home (as the Portuguefe were ac-
cuflomed to do) by the Cape of Good Hope. Being obliged to fail as
far north as 48 degrees, in order to get a good wind, he difcovered Ca-
lifornia, which he named New Albion, fetting up a pillar and plate,
on which Queen Elizabeth's name, title, &c. were engraved ; the Spa-
niards having never as yet had footing here. At the Moluccos, and at
Java, Drake was well treated, and arrived in England (by the Cape of
Good Hope) in November 1580.
On the complaint of the Spanifh ambaffador, the queen fequeflered
the treafure taken by Drake, or at lead a great part of it, for the king
of Spain's ufe ; but at the fame time alTeried the abfolute freedom of her
fubjeds to navigate the Indian feas as well as thofe of the king of Spain.
The managers of the Ruflia company of England are undoubtedly
highly to be commended for their various attempts to difcover a north-
eaft paflage by fea to China and India, how unfuccefsful foever they
proved, and how much foever their ultimate views might center in
their own private intereft. In this year 1580, they fent out Pett and
Jackman with two barks, to try a paflage that way through the ftraits
of Waygatz. After many perils and diflicukies from the ice and intenfe
cold, one of them returned home unfuccefsful, but the other was never
heard of more *.
In this fame year. King Philip 11 found means to unite the kingdom
of Portugal to that of Spain ; a very important accellion to the Spanifli
monarchy, had it been managed to the beft advantage. It remained,,
however, in this united flate till John duke of Braganza took the title
of king of Portugal, in the year 1640.
The city (or rather the fuburbs) of London, being about this time
confiderably increafed, the queen publifhed a proclamation, forbidding
any buildmgs to be erctSed on new foundations within three miles of
the city gates, and that only one family lliould inhabit each houfe.
Here Mr. Rapin, in his Hiftory of England, fubjoins, ' it were to be
' wifhed for England that this prohibition had been pundually executed
' even to this day, fince the city is fo enlarged that it grows a monflrous
* head to a body of a moderate fize, to which it bears no proportion.'
Notwithflanding this obfervation, there are many perfons in modern
times who do not view this increafe in that bad light, and rather thmk
it advantageous, and folely owing to the increafe of our wealth and
commerce ; and that even this great increaie of the metropolis is at-
* Plefcow, a city of Ruflia near ihi head o!" the from Perfia, Tartary, Sarmatia, Livonia, Germany,
lake Czuclfl<oc, is faid lo have been . lamous cm- Iritain, :rd other cuuntrics. \_Oderlormi Vila 'Tv-
porium at this time, and frequented by merchants unnh Bnjtlid'u, W'ltiha-g, 1585, /. R. 3.] M^
A. D. 1580* 167
tended with many vifible advantages to the nation, efpecially in point
of the annual fuppUes, and of the pubUc credit, as well as a greater
confumption of the produce of the kingdom, (fo much for the benefit of
the landed interefl) and of our manfaclures of all kinds.
The ufe of coaches is faid to have been now introduced in England
by Fitz-Allen, earl of Arundel. ,
1581. — This year the Scottifli parliament made a fumptuary law,
which laid heavy fines on all under the degrees of dukes, earls, lords of
parliament, knights, and landed gentlemen not pollefled of at leafl
L2000 yearly rent (L250 Sterling), who fliould wear in their clothing
or lining any cloth of gold or filver, velvet, latin, damaik, taffeties,
fringes, paflments (lace), or embroidery of gold, filver, or filk ; or any
lawn, cambric, or woollen cloth made in foreign parts, (with exception
of certain officers and magifiirates) ; and to the end that all others, thus
debarred from foreign fineries, might be fupplied with cloth and fluffs
of home manufacture, whereby alio the poor might be employed, no
wool was thenceforth to be exported, under forfeiture, &c. By an-
other fumptuary law of the fame year, all under the above mentioned
ranks were forbid the ufe of confedions, foreign drugs, and coftly
fpices, which, it feems, were then laviihly ufed at weddings, chriflen-
ings, and other banquets, by perfons of low eftate.
This year Queen Elizabeth granted to the city of Briflol, which had
long been a place of very confiderable magnitude as well as traffic, a
new and ample charter, with niany immunities, wherein fhe calls it
her city of Briflol, and terms it a large and populous city.
'This year there was publifhed a mofl judicious pamphlet, intitled, a
Compendious examination of certain ordinary complaints of divers of
our countrymen in thefe our days. (By W. S.) Therein, public fpirit,
or zeal for the community, — inclofures for paflure, then fo much cla-
moured againfl, — the dearth of provifions, — the decay of towns, — the
multitude of flieep, — the coin's being worn out, — the true ftandard and
intrinfic value of money, compared with that of foreign nations, — wool,
againll: its exportation, — our extravagant love of foreign wares, — and fun-
dry other national points of great importance, are all handled fo maf-
terly, and in fo pure a diftion for the time he wrote, as to give room
for conjecfturing it might have been penned by diretflion of the queen's
niiniflers, fince fcarcely any ordinary perl'on, in thole early days, could
be furniihed with fo copious a fund of excellent matter.
That author, fpeaking of the arts to be cheriflied m cities and towns,
finely oblerves, ' that often even one minute manutadture, made \k-
' culiar to any one town, lias enriched it. I have (^iays he) heard fay,
' that the chief trade of Coventry was heretofore in making blue ttiread ;
' and then that town was rich, even upon thac trade, in a manner, only ;
' and now our thread comes all from beyond fea ; wherefor that trade
i68 A. D. 158 1.
' of Coventry is decayed, and thereby the town likewife. So Briftow
' (Briftol) had a great trade by making of points, and that was the
' chief myftery (manufacture) that was exercifed in the town.'
This author is moft jufl: in his opinion of keeping up the purity,
parity, and quantity or weight, of the filver coin ; alfo in pleading for
the eafy admiflion of foreign artificers into our cities and towns, &c.
Several good laws were made in the reign of Queen EUzabeth for
the prefervation of the timber of England, and more efpecially of the
woods growing within a certain diftance from London, or the river
Thames, both for the ufe of Ihipping and of buildings at land. As
iron-mills, or works near London, were the great dellroyers of timber
and woods, it was now enadted that no new iron-work fhould be ere6t-
ed within twenty-two miles of London, nor within fourteen miles of
the river Thames, nor in feveral parts of SufTex, near the fea, therein
named ; neither fhould any wood, within the limits defcribed, be con-
verted to coal or other fuel for making of iron. [23 Eliz. c. 5.]
A fubfequent ad [27 Eliz. c. 19.] prohibited the eredlion of any new
iron-works in Surry, Kent, and Suflex ; and ordered that no timber of
one foot fquare from the ftub fhould be ufed as fuel for any iron-work.
We find in Camdeti's Annals, that Mr. Thomas Randolph was at this
time in the office of chief poftmafter of England ; but how it was ma-
naged does not fo clearly appear ; though from King Charles I's efla-
blifhment of the pofts, in the year 1635, it fhould feem there were but
very few regular poft-carriages till then in England *.
By an ad of parliament [23 Eliz. c. 9] for abolifhing certain deceit-
ful fluff ufed in dying of cloth, &c. ' logwood, or blockwood, of late
' years brought into this realm, is exprefsly prohibited to be ufed by
' dyers, the colours thereof being falfe and deceitful to the queen's fub-
' jeds at home, and difcreditable beyond fea to our merchants and
' dyers.' In the fequel we fhall fee the reputation of logwood fully
eftabhfhed.
The queen having fettled preliminaries at Conflantinople two years
before for the trade to Turkey, fhe now incorporated a number of emi-
nent merchants for that end, viz. Sir Edward Ofburn, an alderman of
London; Thomas Smith, Efq. Richard Staper, and William Garrett,
merchants. In their charter of incorporation fhe fets forth, ' that Sir
' Edward Ofljurn and Richard Staper had, at their own great cofts and
' charges, found out and opened a trade to Turkey not heretofore in
' the memory of any man now living, known to be commonly ufed
' and frequented by way of merchandize, by any the merchants, or any
* fubjeds of us or our progenitors : Whereby many good offices may
* Camden fays nothing further of Randolph's office, than merely calling him * eqiiorum difpofuo-
jum prscfcftus.' M.
A. D. 158 1. I 69
be done for the peace of Chriflendom, relief of chriftian flaves, and
good vent for the commodities of the realm, to the advancement of
her honour and dignity, the increafe of her revenue, and of the gene-
ral wealth of the realm. She therefor grants unto thofe four mer-
chants, their executors and adminiftrators, and to fuch other Engliflv-
men (not exceeding twelve in number) as the faid Sir Edward Ofborn
and Richard Staper fhall appoint to be joined to them and the other
two before-named perfons, and their fadors, fervants, or deputies, for
the fpace of feven years, to trade to Turkey, in fuch manner as the
faid company fhall agree between themfelves : during which time
they may make by-laws for their good government (not repugnant
to the laws of the kingdom). Nothing to be tranfatfled without the
confent of the governor for the time being, (Sir Edward Ofbome
being hereby appointed the firfl governor). The trade to Turkey
to be folely to them, their fadlors and fervants, during the faid term ;
and any other fubjedts trading thither, either by fea or land, without
their licence, to forfeit fliips and goods, moiety to the crown, moiety
to the company. For the laft fix of the faid feven years this com-
pany fliall export fo much goods to Turkey as fhall annually pay at
leafl L500 cuflora to the crown, (except in cafe of fliipwreck, &c.)
Provifo, that in cafe this exclufive grant fhall hereafter appear to be
inconvenient, the queen may revoke the fame upon one year's previ-
ous notice ; and the queen, during the faid term, may nom.inate two
perfons to be added to the faid number of patentees, with the fame
privileges, &c. as the refl herein named. Laftly, if at the end of
the faid feven years thefe grantees defire it, the queen will grant other
feven years to them, provided (as aforcniid) the faid exclufive trade
fhall not appear to be unprofitable to the kingdom.'
Nothing can be more cautioufly penned than this charter; and par-
ticularly we may obferve, that by the firfl provifo the queen in effed
kept it in her own power to dilTolve them at any. time, on giving one
year's notice.
Sir William Monfon in his Naval tra6ts, (written in 1635) alHgns
the following reafons that England did not fooner enter direftly on the
Turkey trade for Perfian and Indian merchandize, but till now fullered
the Venetians to engrofs that trade entirely, viz.
' I) Former times did not afford fhipping fufBcient for it.
' II) We could not ; becaufe of the great danger of falling into the
' hands of the Turks,' (he means the Barbary Moors), ' who in thofe
* days were fo ignorant of our nation, as to think England to be a town
' in the kingdom of London.
' That the Venetians in thofe times fent their argofies, or argofers,'
(the corrupt name for a certain kind of great fhip, conflruded after the
make of thofe of Ragufa) ' yearly to Southampton with Turkey, Per-
VoL. II. Y
I yo A. D. 1581.
' fian, and Indian merchandize. The laft argofer that came thus from
* Venice \7as u'-fortunately loft near the ifle of Wight, with a rich car-
' go and many paflengers, in the year 1587.'
1582. — The queen's letters to the grand fignior were received with
much civihiy, being delivered to him in the year 1582 by her ambaf-
fador Hareborn, whom fhe impowered to fettle confuls in the feveral
ports, and to eftablifli laws or rules to be obferved by the Englifh trad-
ing to Turkey. With the firft fad:ors, the indefatigable Hakluyt [K ii,
p. 164.] lent excellent inftrudions ' for inquring into the nature of dy-
ing fluffs of Turkey, and into the art of dying ; alfo what fpecies of
thofe might be produced in Englaiid, and how beneficial fuch new pro-
dudions would have been to us ; which he inftances in that of faffron,
firft brought into England by a pilgrim, and alfo woad, originally
from Tholoufe in Languedoc ; the damafk-rofe was firft brought in-
to England by Dr. Linacre, phyfician to King Henry VII and King
Henry VIII ; Turkey fowls about fifty years paft, [viz. about 1522.]
the artichoke in King Henry VIlI's time ; and of later times the
muflsi-rore, and feveral forts of plums by the Lord Cromwell, out of
Italy ; the apricot by King Henry VIIl's French gardener :' (but here is
no mention as yet of peaches nor of nedf arines). ' And now within theie
four years, (1578) have been brought into England from Vienna in
Auftria divers kinds of flowers called tulipas, and thofe and others pro-
cured thither a little before from Conftantinople. And it is faid that
fince we traded to Zante, (this muft have been but lately) the plant that
beareth the coren is alfo brought into this realm ; and although it
bring not fruit to perfection, yet it may ferve for pleafure and for
fome tife *. Many other things have been brought in that have de-
generated by reafon of the cold climate ; fome things brought in have
through negligence been loft : and Archbifliop Grindal brought the
tamanfk plant from Germany, and many people have received great
health by this plant.' On the commencement of the Englifti trade to
Turkey, the merchants having occafion to attend the queen and coun-
cil, they had there great thanks and commendations for the ftiips they
then built of fo great burden, with many encouragements to go forward
for the kingdom's lake, (fays the author of the Trade's increafe, who
adds, that the ordinary returns of this trade at the beginning were three
for one).
England, by entering into a direct trade to Turkey, procured all the
commodities of Greece, Syria, Egypt, Perfia, and India, much cheaper
than formerly. And (fays Sir William Monfon) when the Venetians
ferved us with thofe rich eaftern wares, by the way of the Red fea, and
*'T.i:s fliews that it was tier, but jiifl introduced, a.nd not w^il known.
A. D. 1582. iji
down the Nile to Alexandria, and alfo by way of the caravans to
Aleppo, they alfo were wont to take freight in their fliips from port to
port, whereas now (1635* all ftrangers are more defirovis to employ
our own fliips in that fervice. Jacobs \^Lex mercatoria, p. 9.] alleges,
(upon what authority I know not) ' that the Barbary merchants were
' incorporated in King Henry VII's time; but that company decaying,
* out of their ruins arofe the Levant or Turkey company, who, firft
' trading with Venice, and then with Turkey, furnifhed England that
* way with Eaft-India commodities, which, till then, were brought to us
' (raoflly) by land, and to the Portuguefe alone by long fea,' &c.
This year the fhip Sufan of London, mounting thirty-four guns, car-
ried out to Turkey the Englilli ambafllidor Hareborn, who now firft fet-
tled peace with Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, which piratical ftates had
taken many fhips belonging to London, Eriftol, &c. And Hareborn
having eftablifhed all the Englifh factories in Turkey, notwithftanding
the malice of the French and Venetians, returned over land to Eng-
land.
The fame year a voyage to China was attempted from England with
four fhips; which, however, went no farther than the coaft of Brafil,
and returned home for want of provifions, after having fought with
fome Spanifh fliips of war on that coaft.
Mezeray, in his Hiftory of France, acquaints us that the yearly reve-
nue of their king, Henry HI, v,'as now got fo high as thirty-two millions
of livres, (or L3, 200, 000 Sterling^ a livre being at this time equal to
two fliillings Enghfh.
The Hanfeatic merchants, in their complaints to the diet of the em-
pire againft England, afferted, that by the high duty laid on woollen cloth
in England, it was become (fays Werdenhagen) twice or thrice as dear as
it had before been : that hence Iprung the vaft increafe of England's
wealth, 200,000 cloths being yearly exported thence, three fourths where-
of were carried into Germany ; and from thence a great part was carried
into Poland, Denmark, and Sweden : that the remaining fourth part
was fent to the Netherlands and to France ; but little or none into Spain;
from whence it was eafy to infer the immenfenefsof the profit accruing
to that nation thereby. The only remedy therefor was to banifli the
Englilh merchant-adventurers out of the empire ; and abiolutely to pro-
hibit all manner of Englifh woollen manufactures, as what they judged
would effedually bring the queen to terms with the Hanfe towns. 'The
queen had fome friends in tins diet, who, together with her own able
envoy, Gilpin, long and ftreououfly defended her and her merchant-ad-
venturers. Yet in the end, the intereil of the Hanfe towns prevailed
with the diet, who palled fenter.ce againft the Englifh merchants, and
abfolutely prohibited all Englilh woollen goods : yet Gilpin by a iira-
tagera obtained that the fentence fhould not be executed till the decifioxv
Y2
I 72 A. D. 1582.
,of another diet ; and our merchants were afterward permitted to re-
move from Staden to Hamburgh, where they were well received.
In this year the Ruflia company fent out no fewer than eleven fhips,
well armed, for fear of enemies and pirates.
Pope Gregory XIII ordered ten days to be cut off from this year,
becaufe 365 days and 6 hours exceeded a year by 1 1 minutes ; one day
therefor is gained in about 132 years ; by which means, from the year
325, when the council of Nice was held, to this year 1582, 10 whole days
were gained. This was called the new flile, and doubtlels the jufleft ;
though we and other proteftant flates kept to the old ftile till very
lately.
1583. — Such was the cuftom and policy of thofe times, that Qiieen Eli-
zabeth was obliged, for the protection of the fhips of her Ruflia company,
(fays Camden in her Annals) to obtain the king of Denmark's permif-
flon for the company's fliips freely to navigate the North fca, by the
coafts of Norway and Lapland to the haven of St. Nicholas ; and in cafe
of foul weather, &c. to take fhelter either in Iceland or Norway, even
in ports by former agreements prohibited, provided they did not trade
there without that king's licence ; for which privileges the company
were to pay him 100 rofe nobles annually, during the term of this
grant.
Queen Elizabeth fent Sir Jerom Bowes to Ruflia : but the minifters of
the new czar, Pheodore Juanowitz, being, as fome faid, corrupted by
Dutch preients, he returned home without being able to obtain a re-
newal pf the company's exclufive privileges. The writers of thofe times
acquaint us, that, befides the main commodities fent from England to
Ruflia, viz. cloths, filks, velvets, &c. they carried thither coarfe linen
cloth*, old iilver plate, all kinds of fmall mercery wares ferving for the
apparel of both fexes, as linen and filk girdles, garters, purfcs, knives,
&c. Yet what by the expenfe of the firfl; dilcovery, (thirty years ago)
and the large prefents fince befl:owed on the czar and his minifters, and
the falfe dealings of others there, it had coft the company about
L8o,ooo before it could be brought to any profitable account ; and even
at this time, from the fickle temper of the czar and his people, the en-
croachments of the Hollanders, and the expenfe of ambafladors, &c. all
born by the company, this trade now flood on a very precarious bot-
tom.* Camden in his Hiftory of Queen Elizabeth fays that this new czar
promifed to remit to our company half of the cufioms paid by other
nations, in confideration of their having been the firfl difcoverers of the
Avay thither by fea. In other refpecls he added to their privileges out
of regard for the queen ; at the fame time accufing the com.pany of hav-
ing deak faliely with his people ; and no other anfwer than this could
* Great quantities of Lnens of vaiious kinds are now importtd from Ruffia : fuch are freq^uently
the vaft alterations in commerce.
A. D. 1583. 173
Dr. Fletcher obtain, who was fent afterwards ambaflador on this behulf
to Ruflia, in the year 1588.
The laft part of the preceding paragraph we have taken from a curi-
ous and judicious treatife of Captain CarHlle's, who was fon-in law lo
Sir Francis Walfingham, fecretary of ftate to Queen EHzabeth ; and
who this year alfo fet forta the hazard of the Enghfli in their voyages
to Turkey from the piratical ftates of Barbary, for prevention where-
of it cofl about L2000 yearly in prefents ; and the like hazards in our
trade to Italy, our failors being obliged to pay large ranfoms to the Al-
gerines for their redemption from flavery. Moreover, the Venetians,
envying our advancement in thole trades, have loaded us wiih high du-
ties on our merchandize, and on theirs which we bring back
Yet (fays Captain Carlifle) we drive a great trade with Spain and Por-
tugal, who take off much of our wares to their Indies.
Carlifle had, by the interell of Sir Francis Walfingham and others,
raifed Liooo fubfcription at Briflol, for an attempt to fettle in Ameri-
ca ; and had propofed to the Ruflia merchants to raife L3000 more at
London; which L4000 they deemed fufhcient to fettle 100 men in
their intended plantation.
Captain Carlifle judicioufly difp lays the many benefits which would
accrue to England by making a fettlement in North America : Such as
the great confuraption of our woollen and other manufadlures ; taking
off our idle and burdenfome people ; the great likelihood of rich mines ;
and fbll more, of our railing naval flores in America, which we are now
obliged at high prices to take from other nations ; that this propofed
fettlement may alfo be greatly helpful to the fifhery in thofe feas ; and
as there are grapes in plenty in America, and olives may be eafily propa-
gated there, both wine and oil maybe had in abundance: Furs alio,
and fkins in abundance.
Pippins (according to the author of the Prefent ftate of England,
printed anno 1683) were fiiil: planted in England about this time in
X.incolnfhire, prior to thofe of Kent.
In the year 1578 the queen had granted a patent to Sir Humphry
Gilbert (half-brother to Sir Walter Raleigh) and his afligns, to make
difcoveries weftwaid, and to fettle a colony. Accordingly, (after fun-
dry difcouragemenis) he failed this year from Plymouth with five fhips;
and at Newfoundland was aflifled by the Englifli fifhing fhips there in
taking poflefiion of that ifland for himfelf, under the crcwn of England.
He had carried with him many artificers, with toys, &c. for traffic.
There he fet up the queen's arms, and gave leaics to many perfons for
flages to cure their fifli ; the Portuguefe, French, and Spanifli fliips
trews agveeiiig thereto. He thence failed to Cape Breton, and to the
continent of North America, where he loft one of his fliips. Meeting
with rnany other difafters, he returned homeward ; but Sir Humphry and
174 A. D. 1583.
all in his fliip were loft in a great ftorm, and only one {hip got fafe home
to Falmouth. Walter Raleigh, then a young man, was deeply engaged
in this projeft.
The fame year a fhip of 250 tons belonging to Southampton failed
on a voyage to Brafil and Rio de la Plata ; but was in going thither un-
fortunately lofl on the coaft of Guinea. ''
Adrian Gilbert got the queen's parent to himfelf and others for five
years, for the difcovery of a north-weft palTage to China, &c. by the
title of the Colleagues of the fellowfliip for the difcovery of the north-
weft paflage ; which fcheme came to nothing.
The queen-mother of France, Catharine de Medici, aflifting the baf-
tard of Portugal, Don Antonio, with fliips and troops, he got poftefllon
of one of the Azores or Weftern iflands ; but the Spanilla fleet, confift-
ing of twelve galleys and fifty galleons, meeting with that of France, to-
tally defeated it. Voltaire in his General hiftory of Europe (part v.)
thinks, that this was the firft time that galleys were feen in the Ocean,
(/. e. without the Mediterranean fea) it being, fays he, very furprifing
that they fliould have been brought the diftance of 1000 leagues tothofe
ftrange feas. When Loiiis XIV, long after this time, fent fome galleys
into the Ocean, it was falfely fuppofed to have been the firft attempt of
that kind: yet this attempt was, it is true, more hazardous than that of
the Spaniards, the Channel being more tempeftuous than the Atlantic
ocean. The mercantile Venetian and Genoefe galleys, which formerly
referred to England, were very probably of a more folid ftrudure than
thofe ones which are only fit for fummer expeditions within the Medi-
terranean.
1584. — Sir Walter Raleigh, whole great genius inclined him to new
enterprifes and diicoveries, this year procured a fociety of gentlemen
and merchants to fubfcribe a confiderable funi ot money for forming a
fettlement on the continent of North America ; and on Lady-day 1584
Queen Elizabeth granted them a charter for that purpofe. Amidas
and Barlow, with two veflels, were accordingly fent; but they failed
about 1000 leagues out of their way: for the fliort courfe to the nor-
thern parts of America not being as yet known, they fteered the wonted
courfe of the Spaniards, by the Canary ifles, and thence into the trade-
wind to the Caribbee iflands ; thence failing through the gulf of Flori-
da, they anchored on the coaft of the country now called Virginia ;
where, making fome infignificant trade with the natives with toys for
their fars, they returned home with gain (as they faid) and greatly
magnified the richneis of the country, in order to encourage a fecond
adventure. They brought home fome pearls, and tobacco, (the firft of
that fort that had been feen in England). The queen feemed fond of
this defign ; and either flie hei felf, or Sir Walter Raleigh, gave the coun-
try the name of Virginia, which indeed they truly reprefented to be. a
A. D. 1584. 175
pleafant country, abounding in fine woods, deer, hares, wild fowl, fifh,
vines, currants, &c.
Raleigh therefor obtained Queen Elizabeth's patent to himfelf, &c.
for the poflellion of fuch remote lands, not then inhabited by Chriftians,
as they fhould difcover in fix years, of which they thereby had the pro-
perty granted to them for ever, referving to the crown the fifth part of
all gold and filver ore found therein ; with pov\^er to fei/e to their pro-
per ufe all fhips with their merchandize that Ihall without leave plant
within 200 leagues of this intended fettlement ; excepiing, however, the
queen's fubjeds and allies fifiiing at Newfoundland, &c. grants free de-
nization to the planters and their pofterity refiding there, rowers are
alfo granted to the patentees for making bye-laws there, not repugnant
to thofe of England. N. B. In this and forae other patents of thofe
times, there was no diftind: place, longitude, nor latitude fixed or limit-
ed for fuch plantation, although undoubtedly North America was the
country intended.
In the fame year Jerom Horfey, the queen's and the Englifh Ruflia
company's agent, is faid to have obtained more benefits of the czar Theo-
dore Ivanowitz than could be got in twenty preceding years. The czar
fent Horfey over land with his compliments to the queen, who fent him
back to him with her's : after which he took leave a fecond tir.ie, re-
turning with the czar's prefents for Queen Elizabeth. He was very ho-
nourably received at the new cafile of Archangel, and coming to St.
Nicholas, at the fea-fide, he was faluted with the cannen of the Englifh,
Dutch, and French fliips : which alfo plainly (hews that this compa-
ny's exclufive trade before this was quite abrogated *.
1585 Next year Captain John Davis with two barks from Dartmouth
firfi; failed into the fi:raits now fo well known by his name, and after
proceeding to the northward as far as 66 deg. 40 min. returned home
'the fame year, as all others fince have done, without difcovering a
north-weft paflage. At this time we find they knew the ufe of fome-
what like the harpoon, with which they killed a porpoife ; but though
many whales fell in their way, they knew not yet. the right manner of
killing them.
The fate of the noble commercial city of Antwerp muft not be over-
looked in the hiftory of commerce. That moft beautitul city, which
had long flour ifhed in the greateft opulence, the fruit of unrivalled
commerce and manufatlures, was now belieged and taken by the duke
of Parma, the governor of the Spanifti provinces in the Netherlands.
• Camden cxprcfsly aiTerts that tliis czar gave fea, by a propofal that {he fhould throw the trade
free pcrn^iiTion to tlie merchants of all nitions to open to all her fubjeft:; ; which Ihevvs, that the
trade to Rullla, and annvei-ed Elizabeth's demand Ruffian prince was not ignoiaut of the principles
of a reiKwal of the exclulive privileges, granted by of con'ra;rce, ard of the intcrell of his countiy.
his father to the Englilh company in the Wiiite J!/.
176 A. D. 1585*
For three days together the Spanifh foldiers wallowed in the plunder of
the city, from which they carried off at leaft two millions of piftoles,
befides which, an incalculable quantity of rich merchandize and furni-
ture was deftroyed by fire. Almoft 3000 of the inhabitants fell by the
fword, 1500 were burnt or trodden to death, and as many were drown-
ed in the Scheld.
The ruin of this famous city gave the finifhing blow to the com-
merce of the Spanifh Netherlands. The filhing trade removed into Hol-
land. The noble manufadures of Flanders and Brabant were difperfed
into different countries. The woollen manufadure fettled moftly in
Leyden, where it ftill flourifhes. The linen removed to Harlem and
Amfterdam. About a third part of the manufadurers and merchants
who wrought and dealed in filks, damafks, taffities, bays, fayes, ferges,
ftockings, &c. fettled in England, becaufe England was then ignorant
of thofe manufactures : and the reft of the merchants of Antwerp,
(more efpecially the proteftants) would probably alfo have fettled
in England, but that foreign merchants paid double cuftoms, and
were alfo excluded from all companies or focieties of commerce, as
were alfo foreign journeymen from fettin-g up to be mafter-workmen,
or even partners in any trades but fuch as the Englifli were unacquainted
with. And thus, through the madnefs of Spanifh popifli bigotry, and of
arbitrary power, commerce and manufactures, driven from their Nether-
lands, proved the means of enriching moft of the countries of Europe
weft and north of the Mediterriuiean fea. A moft ferious memento ta
all nations !
To this perfecution of the Flemifti proteftants the kingdom of Swe-
den is faid to be indebted for its greateft improvements. They firft
taught the Swedes to make iron cannon, and other iron, copper, and
brafs manufadures; for before this time moft of the Swedifti iron was
only run into pigs and fent to Dantzic, and other parts of Pruflia, to
be forged into bars; juft as the Englifti formerly fent their wool into
Flanders, to be made into cloih by the Flemings.
Malynes, in his treatife intitled Free trade, (8vo, 1622, p. 68) ob-
ferves, that no nation trafficked fo much to Antwerp, in bulk of ftaple
commodities, as England. This, fays he, is afferted by Botero, who
relates, that, two years before the taking of Antwerp, all the merchan-
dize of Chriftendom which were vended there in one year being valued
by the officers of that city, the Englifli merchandize alone amounted to
four fifths of the whole 1
Though Antwerp was the moft opulent city in the weftern parts of
the world, yet as moft part of its commerce was carried on by the
ftiips of foreign nations, it had not much fliipping properly of its own,
compared with thofe of modern London and Amfterdam. So that when.
it was facked, the ftiipping removed with the nations they belonged to>
A. D. 1585. 177
which was one reafon that it could never recover its former commerce,
as the Dutch forts on the Scheld, below it, was another, and more co-
gent one. In its glory it contained 13,500 private houfes, 42 churches,
22 markets, and 220 ftreets. From the Scheld on which it (lands, in the
figure of a crefcent, were cut eight principal canals into the city for load-
ed fhips to go into the heart of it. Not only England and Holland have
happily felt the advantages of the wild condudl of Spain, in their per
fecution of the proteftants of the Netherlands, by a very confiderable ac-
ceffion of induftrious manufadurers ; but hkewile fundry cities of Ger-
many were thence flocked with induftrious inhabitants : particularly,
the count de Hanau thereupon ereded what is called the new town of
Hanau (much finer than the old one), fince, however, increafed by the
perfecution of the French proteftants by Louis XIV.
It was ordered by the dean, high fteward, and burgefl^cs of Weftmin-
fter, that the number of ale-houfes fiiould not exceed one hundred, viz,
fixty for St. Margaret's parifti, twenty for St. Martin's, and twenty for
St. Clement's and the Savoy precindt. The inhabitants of St. Marga-
ret's parilh thus appear to have exceeded thofe of all the refi; of the
liberty by onefixth part ; and as there were, when Maitland wrote,
(about the year 1740) 1 164 ale-houfes in that city and Uberty, he right-
ly enough eftimates the whole to be about twelve times as large in his
time as it was then.
Sir Richard Greenville failed for Virginia, by the old round about
way above defcribed, with feven fhips loaded with arms, ammunition,
and provifions, and with men for a fettlement. He began with plant-
ing at Roanoke ifle, lying about five leagues from the continent *, in
36 degrees north latitude, where he left 108 men, who, negledling to
prepare their provifions in due feafon, and going far up the country in
quefl of mines, (for golden dreams were then univerfal) mofl of them
were either deflroyed by the natives, or perifhed for want ; and the few,
who furvived, were taken up by Sir Francis Drake on his return from
the Spanifh Weft Indies, who took them all home with him, even al-
though they had fown corn there, very near ripe, fufficient for two
years fuftenance. And they were but juft gone, when a fhip, fitted out at
the fole coft of Sir Walter Raleigh, arrived there with all forts of conve-
niences; as did Sir Richard Greenville foon after, with three other ftiips,
with a farther fupply : But finding the places quite defolate where the
Englilh planters had fettled, they all returned home f.
• The iflarnl of Roanoke is fcarcely five miles Camden, (in his y/nna/i of Elizabeth) fays, tliat
from the coaft of North Carolina ; for fo that part to the bed of his knowlege, the firll tobacco ever
of America was called, after the iiidifciiminate feen in England was now brought from Virginia:
name of Virginia was rcftriAed to the province and he obferves, that in a few years afterwards to-
now fo called. M. bacco taverns (or fmoking houfes) were as com-
f In thefe accounts there feems to be fomeconfu- nion in London as bccr-houles or wine-tavern*,
fion refpefling the time and the names of perfons, M.
owing to the careleffncfs of writers and traufcriberi.
Vol. II. Z
178 A. D. 1585.
The feven United provinces this year fent deputies to Queen Eliza-
beth, with requeft to take their provinces under her protedion , or elfe to
grant them fufficient aid during their war with the king of Spain. She
refufed to be their fovereign, but fent to their afliftance the earl of Lei-
cefler to command her troops, confifling of 5000 foot and 1000 horfe,
and to be governor of their provinces. [Fadera, V. xv, pp. 793 et feqq.
ColkBion of treaties, V.'ii, p. 83, ed. 1732.]
The flates-general, as a fecurity for her expenfes, put her in pofleflion
of the town of Flufliing, and the fort of Rammekins, in Zealand, and
the town of Brill, with its forts; which were to be reflored upon pay-
ment of the queen's dilhurfements. This is called the treaty of Non-
fuch, concluded the loth of Augufi; 1585.
It would be to little purpofe to recount all the private adventures of
Englifhmen againfl the Spaniards in America in Queen Elizabeth's
reign ; yet Drake's grand expedition (though undertaken only by pri-
vate adventurers) with 25 fhips, and 2300 men, may merit a brief ac-
count. He facked the town of St. Jago at the Cape de Verd ifles. He
failed thence to the Weft-Indies, and took and pillaged the city of St.
Domingo : then he took the city of Carthagena, and obliged them to
ranfom it. Thefeafon being far advanced, he found himfelf obliged to
return homeward, without following his original fcheme, which was to
march over land to Panama on the Ihore of the South fea. Wherefor
he iiiiled by the coaft of Florida, where he facked the fort of St. Auguf-
tine, and found about L2000 in money, with 14 brafs cannon. Next
he called at the infmt Virginia colony, and carried the people home
witli him, as already noted. Hakluyt makes the whole booty of this
expedition not to exceed L6oo,ooo, and fays they loft therein 700 men :
it therefor did not fully anfwer expectation.
This year Queen Elizabeth granted a patent to the earls of Warwick
and Leicefter, and to forty more, for an exclufive trade to the domi-
nions of Morocco during twelve years ; to the emperor whereof, Muley
Hamet, flie fent her minifter, Roberts, who remained three years there,
and obtained fome privileges for the Englilh ; particularly, that none of
the Englilli ftiould in future be made flaves in his dominions.
The Algerine pirates now firft venturing into the Ocean, (according
to Morgan's Hiftory of Algiers, V. ii, />. 588) with three fliips attacked
and pillaged the chief town of the Canaries, carrying home much booty,
and many captives.
The violences of the duke of Alva, aiid the fubfequent fack of Ant-
werp, had forced fuch multitudes of people to take ihelter at Amfter-
dam, that in a few years after it increafed above one half; and new ram-
parts, ditches, &c. were made round the increafed part of the city.
Werdenhagen obferves, that at one time 1 9,000 people retired from Ant-
werp into Holland, and moftly to Amfterdam ; whereby Antwerp, not
A. D. 1585. 179
only the finefl city of all Brabant, but almoft of all Europe, was niifer-
ably ftripped of its wealth and profperity, whilft riches, arts, ina;enuitv,
and induftry crowded into Amfterdam, in a manner fo fudden as hard-
ly to be paralleled in ftory ; fo that it now became the chief city of traf-
fic in all the Netherlands. For as the great penfionary De Witt ob-
ferves, in his Irderejl of Holland, although Antwerp was, in refped of
its good foundation and far-extended traffic, the moft renowned mer-
chandizing city that ever was (till then) in the world, fending many
fliips backward and forward from France, England. Spain, Italy, &c. and
making many lilk manufadtures, yet Brabant and Flanders were too re-
mote and ill-fituated for ereding at Antwerp, or near to it, the fifhery
of haddpc, cod, and herring, and for making that trade as profitable
there as it might be in Holland. The king of Spain defired to weaken
that ftrong city, (which he thought too powerful) and to difperfe the
traffic over his many other cities. The merchants of Antwerp, being
neceflitated to forfake that city, chofe Amfl:erdam to fettle in, (which
before the troubles was the next great city of commerce intheNetherlands)
becaufe the ifles of Zealand were not fo well fituated tor inland commerce ;
and there was then no toleration of religion either in France or England.
In the latter country alfo there were heavy duties on goods exported and
imported ; and their guilds or halls excluded foreigners : neverthelefs,
one third part of the dealers in, and weavers of, fays, damafks, {lock-
ings, &c. went cafually into England, becaufe thofe trades were then
new to the Englifli, and therefor under no halls or guilds. Another
great part went to Leyden ; and the traders in linen fixed at Harlem.
The Flemifli fi filing went alfo to Holland; thnugh fiiill the villages of
Flanders and Brabant retained much manufacture, by means of land
carriage into France and Germany. What Botero fays, in his Treaiife
of the caufes of the magnificence and greatnefs of cities, was even now
certainly true of the cities of Flanders, viz. that they were the moft
mercantile and the mofl frequented cities for commerce and traffic in
all Europe; a principal caufe whereof was, that the infinite quantity of
merchandize imported and exported paid but a very fmall cuflom.
At this time the new-ereded republic of the United provinces was in
great diftrefs, as not only King Henry III of France, but Queen Eliza-
beth of England, had again refufed to be their fovereigns. The fuga-
cious queen forefaw that when flie v.'as once engaged againft Spain in
defence of that fovereignty, it would be almoft impoflible to tell, when
fhe fliould be able to retreat with honour and fafety ; but the powerful
aid fhe intended to give the flates-general flie might either leflen or in-
creafe at pleafure. She now therefore ftipulated to fupply the ftates
with 5C00 foot and 1000 horfe, and to pay thofe troops whilft the war
lafted, but to be repaid at the end of it ; the three forts already men-
Z2
i8o A. D. 1585.
tioned remaining in her hands by way of fecurity for the fame, and for
Li 00,000 in money, which fhe had formerly lent them.
Sir Bernard Drake, with a fquadron of Englifh (hips, was now fent to
Newfoundland, where he took feveral Portuguefe Ihips laden with fifh
and oil, (Portugal being now united to Spain) which is all that we meet
with material concerning that ifland during the reft of this century.
1586 Miflelden [Circle of commerce, p. 54, ed. 1623, 4*^"] relates,
that Queen Elizabeth now confirmed all the former charters of the com-
pany of Englidi merchant-adventurers, granting them the like autho-
rity to hold their courts, and to exercife their trade in Germany as am-
ply as they had formerly done in the Netherlands, with ftrid prohibition
to all not free of that company to trade within their limits *. Where-
upon the city of Hamburgh invited them again to fettle there, and the
company fent thither two commiflioners : yet the imperial and Spanifli
party in the fenate fo far prevailed, that the commiflioners were oblig-
ed next year to go over to Staden, where they fixed the company's ftaple
to good purpofe. Before this time, Staden was unfrequented by mer-
chants ; but in ten years that the company refided there, Staden found
a great change for the better, till the year 1597, when the company
was forced to leave it.
Captain John Davis with three fhips made his fecond voyage for the
north-weft pafllige ; but finding no paflage in the ftraits of his name,
attempted it farther fouth, where he loft fome of his men by the na-
tives ; and returned after bartering toys for fome hundreds of feal-
fkins.
The Hanfeatic towns on the Baltic ftiores, and particularly Wifmar
and Lubeck, ftill continued to have a confiderable commerce while
they continued to fail dire(n;ly to Spain with their own vefl'els ; but from
this time forward, (fays their hiftorian Werdenhagen) by means of fuch
numbers of Netherlanders as had fled to Hamburgh, that city puftied on
a much greater commerce to Spain. From this period moft authors
date the great, but gradual, declenfion of the Hanfeatic towns on the
Baltic fea, and more efpecially that of Wifmar; the magnificent churches,
auguft market-place, town-houfe, capacious wine-cellars, and the large
and ftately private houfes of which city, fuflaciently teftify its antient
great trade arid opulence.
At this time flourifhed the famous Danifti aftronomer Tycho Brahe,
who made fome aftronomical difcoveries and improvements, which
proved very beneficial to navigation, and confequently to maritime
commerce.
According to Gemelli, theChinefe about this time granted to thePor-
taguefe the rocky ifle of Macao, below Canton, then inhabited by rob-
* Miflelden fays, he perufed the original charter. \
A. D. 1586, 181
bers, on condition of expelling them, as they accordingly did ; and there
they built and fortified the town of that name, which they hold to this
day, paying tribute and cuftoms to the Chinefe. Since the Portuguefe
were expelled from Japan, Macao is become quite inconfiderable, hav-
ing but five fhips left : it contained 5000 Portuguefe, and 1500 Chinefe
in the year 1699.
The fame year Sir Walter Raleigh fitted out from Plymouth two
fmall veflels, which at the Azores took five Spanifh fhips , and, after
fome other exploits, returned home with a good booty.
Thomas Cavendifh now commenced the fecond Englifh circumnavi-
gation of the earth at his own expenfe, which he effeded in two years
and two months, by the old route through Magellan's ftrait, and home
by the Cape of Good Hope, having lofl: two of his three fhips. He took -
a rich Spanifli fliip from the Philippines, and deftroyed other fhips and ;
fome towns in the South feas. But neither this nor Drake's circumna-
vigation were intended for making uleful fettlements in thofe remote
parts, for the benefit of commerce, as inofl certainly they might eafily
have done ; their obje6l being only to pillage the Spaniards, together
with fome tranfient commerce.
In this fame year the earl of Cumberland and Sir Walter Raleigh >
jointly fent out fome fliips to privateer on the Spaniards in the South
feas : but this undertaking proved unfortunate, and a great lofs to thefe
two enterprifing geniufes.
Hakluyt acquaints us, that Jerome Horfey now obtained of the czar
Theodore Juano\vitz, new privileges for the Englifh RuIIia company,
(though not exclufive ones) fuch as a freedom from certain tolls or taxes,
&c. But it feems they were in this new grant prohibited from carry-
ing their goods to the new caflle of Archangel, and obliged to ufe the
old warehoufcs and the harbour of St. Nicholas. As this is the fecond:
time that we find mention of the new caflle of Archangel, it is probable
there was then no town of that name, and that this new caftle has fmce
grown up into the town of Archangel.
We are indebted to De Witt's Interejl of Holland for the following
remarks on the earl of Leicefler's condud in Holland in this year, viz. .
' that although during the troubles on the fcore of religion, many Fle-
* mifh and Brabant clothiers and merchants retired to Holland, yet
' were they prefently in great danger of being driven out again by the
' earl of Leicelter, who, by the interefl of the clergy, his courtiers, and
* Englifh foldiers, endeavoured to make himfelf lord of the country,
' iffuing very prejudicial placarts againfi: traffic and navigation, dclign-
' ing by furprife to have feized on the three greatefl trading cities, viz.
* Amfierdam, Leyden, and Enckhuyfen.' In another place he fays, ' that
' Leicefter's edift at Utrecht, in the year 1586, prohibiting fiores of
' war, provifions, or even merchandize, as alio letters, from being car- -
i82 A, D. 1586.
' ried to the Spaniards or their allies, &c. had like to have marred all
' the advantages which the fall of Antwerp had brought to Holland,
' had not the French, Scots, Danes, and Vandalic Hanfe towns, inter-
' pofed, whereby that edid was fruflrated. Neverthelefs, the bare ter-
' ror of its being to take place made very many trading people leave
' the Netherlands, who fettled at Hamburgh, Bremen, Embden, Staden,
' &c.' The later edid, Thuanus [L. Ixxxv.] thinks, was in order to
raife money for carrying on the war, by obliging all nations to pur-
chafe free navigation at high prices. Great, however, as thofe two au-
thors are, it maybe confidered that the later was a Frenchman, and the
Other ftrongly frenchified, and a violent republican, and foe to Eng-
land *.
1587 Sir Walter Raleigh had his mind fo intenfely fet upon a
plantation in North America, that he again fent out three fhips and i 50
perfons of both fexes. Thefe planters Raleigh's fuperintendant fettled
on the ifland of Roanoke, where he found the fecond colony had been
deftroyed by the natives. He rebuilt the fort and houfes, calling the
place the city of Raleigh ; and leaving 1 1 5 men in his new fettle-
ment, he returned home, where he remained about three years before
he could obtain the neceflary fupplies which he had promifed to bring
in the year after he left the colony. When he arrived in 1590, with
fupplies of men and (lores in three fliips, he found that fuch of the colo-
ny as remained alive had removed to a place on the continent called Cro-
atoan, that word being carved on the trees. To this place they intend-
ed to fail in fearch of the colony ; but a florni unfortunately arifing,
the fliips loft their anchors and cables, and provifions alfo failing, they
agreed to return home, leaving that miferable colony to perifli, to the
ihame of that age ; for though Raleigh was in trouble about this time,
yet furely the queen and nation fhould have had compafiion on thofe
poor men, left amongft lavages in a wildernefs.
Thus was this fcheme of a plantation in Virginia quite laid afide dur-
ing all the reft of Qiieen Elizabeth's reign; and all the great expenfe of
Raleigh and the other adventurers utterly thrown away, befides the lols
of many mens lives.
A law was made in Scotland, whereby the legal interefl; was not for
the future to exceed Lio, or an equivalent of five bolls of vidua), for
Lioo by the year, thus valuing five bolls equal to Lio Scots, [iitb
Pari J a. VI, c. 52.] f
The law made in the reign of King James I, for fending deputies or
commiflioners to parHament, to reprefent the lefler barons or freehold-
* C.tn'.dui's account of Lciccftcr's condiicSl is f Coiitrafts innde before the date of this law
nearly the fame with ihule uf the .foreign authors were to remain vah'd. M.
here quoted. M.
A. D. 1587. 383
ers, having been much neglected, it was now re-ena£ted ; and the re-
gular reprefentation of the {hires, and alfo of the cities and burghs, was
ever after conflantly kept up. [lb. c. 1 13.]
Jn this king's reign there were fundry ftrid: laws made for confining
commerce in Scotland to the freemen of burghs ; fo far that no work-
man or craftfman fliould be permitted to carry on his craft or calling,
in any .adjacent fuburb of a free burgh, even though the fuburb fliould
be no way fubjed to the burgh.
About this time the queen granted to the Steelyard merchants of
the German Hanfe towns the very fame commercial privileges and
immunities, in point of cufloms on commerce, as were enjoyed by
her own natural-born fubjeds ; provided, however, that her Englifli
merchants at Hamburgh were equally well treated ; which yet did not
give them entire content. In the mean time the queen, being at war
with Spain, gave the Hanfe towns due notice not to carry into Spain,
Portugal, nor Italy, provifions, naval (lores, or implements of war, for
the king of Spain's ufe, under forfeiture thereof, and even of corporal
punifliment.
In England, as well as in other European countries, where there was
any confiderable comunerce, the falaries, and dayly wages or pay of ar-
tificers, foldiers, failors, labourers, &c. were confiderably enhanced about
this time, occafioned partly by the general increafe of commerce, and
partly by the great acceflion of filver bullion annually imported from
the Spanifli colonies in Mexico and Peru.
The count of Eaft-Friefland wrote to Queen Elizabeth, complaining
of the Hollanders, who had blocked up his river Ems, and even part of
his townof Embden,foas to hinder the exportation of corn, &c. on pre-
tence of fuch provifions being carried to the Spaniards, their enemies,
while at the fame time they themfelves fent 200 veflels yearly, with
corn, and other provifions, &c. to their mortal enemy the king of
Spain's country, for the fake of gain. The count tells the queen, how
much he had formerly encouraged her merchant-adventurers A\hen
fettled at Embden ; alfi), how much even they were obfiruded in car-
rying their cloth into the interior parts of the empire, by the interrup-
tion of his people's commerce by the Hollanders ; and that he had en-
couraged her merchants, not\vithfl:anding all the endeavours of the im-
perial and-Hanfeatic cities to obfliruct it. \Foedera, V. xvi, p. 6.] Yet
the company was not now at Embden, but had removed from Ham-
burgh to Staden.
Queen Elizabeth having intelligence of the formidable preparations
of Philip II of Spain for an invafion of England, fent out Sir Francis
Drake with a fleet of forty fliips to the coalt of Spain, where he de-
fl:royed many fliips, particularly about i 00 veflels laden with provifions
and ammunition, near Cadiz^ and Lifljon. He alfo took a rich Portugal
A. D. 1587.
carrack from Eaft-India at the Azores, out of the papers whereof (fays
•Camden, in Queen Elizabeth's hiflory) the EngUfti fo fully underftood
the rich value of the Eaft-Indian merchandize, and the manner of trading
into the eaftern world, that they afterward fet up a gainful trade, by
eftablifliing a company of Eaft-India merchants at London. He alfo
took an argofie full of rich merchandize.
The damages, which the Spaniards fuffered from Drake, obliged
them to poftpone the intended invafion of England. But another
■greater, and feemingly more effedual, caufe of deferring it, does equal
honour to commerce, and to Sir Francis Walfingham, the fecretary of
flate, who, by the aid of Thomas Sutton, Efq. (who was afterward
founder of the charter-houfe hofpital in London), and alfo of the
queen's merchant Sir Thomas Grefham, and of fome others, found
means to get all the Spanilh bills of exchange protefted, which were
drawn on the merchants of Genoa, and which were to fupply Philip
for carrying on his preparations. A merchant of London, fays Bifhop
Burnet, [Hijiory of his own times, V. i, p. 313] being very well ac-
quainted with the revenue and expenfe of Spain, and of all that they
could raife, and knowing alfo that their funds were fo fwallowed up,
that it was impoflible for them to vidual and fit out their fleet, but by
their credit on the bank of Genoa, he undertook to write to all the
places of trade, and to get fuch remittances made on that bank, that
he might have fo much of the money in his own hands, as there fhould
be none current there equal to the great occafion of vidhialling the
Spanifh fleet. He reckoned that the keeping of fuch a treafure dead
in his hands, until the feafon of vidualling was over, would be a lofs of
L40,ooo : and he managed the matter with fuch fecrecy and fuccefs,
that the fleet could not be fet out that year. At fo fmall a price (fays
the bifliop), with fo fkilful a management, was the nation faved at that
time. Wheeler, the fecretary and hifloriographer of the Englifli mer-
chant-adventurers company, alfo afl^erts, that the fellowfliip of mer-
chant-adventurers were likewife, on this fame occafion, a flirting to the
queen in like fort, at the mart of Kiel in Holftein. All which demon-
ilrates the great importance of mercantile credit, and its influence,
when well condudcd, in matters of even the highefi: ftate concern to a
nation.
In the lame year John Davis, with three fliips from Dartmouth, un-
dertook a third voyage for a north-wefl pafl^age to China, &c. In this
voyage, he met with a Bifcay fhip, which he judged to be upon the
fiflnng for whales. Nothing materially difterent happening in this at-
tempt from the two former, he returned home without finding any
paflage, having gone up his former-named ftrait to no effed. All thefe
three voyages were much encouraged by the lord treafurer Burleigh,
Sir Francis Walfingham fecretary of ftate, and other noblemen, and
A. D. 1587. 185
alfo by feveral merchants. Thofe great men knew, from what had al-
ready been difcovered, as alio from the frame and ftrudliure of the terra-
queous globe, that fooner or later more dilcoveries would be made ; and
that as it would greatly redound to the benefit of their country, fo it
would no lefs advance their own glory to be the inftruments of fuch
great benefits to their country.
1588 King Philip II of Spain, though difappointed of invading Eng-
land in the year 1587, feat his fleet and troops out againfl England in the
memorable year 1588. Camden aflerts that it was the befi: appointed of
men, ammunition, and provifions, of all that ever the Ocean faw, and
called by the arrogant appellation of the invincible armada. It conllft-
ed of
130 fhips of all kinds,
19,290 foldiers,
8350 failors,
2080 galley flaves,
2630 cannon.
The lord admiral, Charles Lord Howard of Effingham, was the chief
commander of the Engliili fleet this year ; Sir Francis Drake vice-ad-
miral ; Sir John Hawkins and Sir Martin Frobilher rear-admirals. The
whole Englilh fleet confifted of but 76 fliips paid by the queen, and 38
by the city of London ; befldes 83 coafl;ers, &c. fent by feveral other
fea-ports ; in all 197 vefl^els great and fmall *, befides thofe of Holland
and Zealand. Some of our vefle;ls, filled with combufl;ible matter, and
fent among the Spanifh fhips, are faid to have given rife to the terrible
invention of fire-fhipsf.
The pompous and tremendous armada of Spain, partly by the valour
of the EnglilTi navy, which, though much inferior, had many engage-
ments with them in the Channel, and that of the flates of the new Bel-
gic republic, partly by the duke of Parma not joining them with his
land and fea forces from the Netherlands, and partly by violently tem-
pefiuous weather, after lofing many fliips imd men, was obliged to re-
tire north about by the coafls of Scotland, and thence home to Spain,
by the wefl coafl; of Ireland. On the coatl of Scotland, they loft many
fhips, and (according to Camden) had above 700 foldiers and failors
wrecked there, who, by the intercelTion of the prince of Parma to King
James, and with the confent of Queen Elizabeth, were afterward fent
* Stow, that circumftantial and indefatigable -f- The Englifh may have invented fire-fhips at
writer, gives the names t>f moil of the Engh'fli this time, though it is certain that the Tyrians,
fleet, of which fixteen (hips of war were fiirnilTied 1920 years before, dcllroyed Alexander's works
by the Londoners, and ten by the fociety of raer- by a fire-fhip, and the Conftantinopolilans, A. D.
chant-adventurers. There are alfo lills of the 716, deftroyed the Saracen fleet by tlie fame
Spanifh and Englifh forces in a nianufcript of the means. M.
Cotton library, Julius, F. vi. No. 106, J07. M,
Vol. IL A a
i:86 A. D. 1588.
over to the Low Countries ; but thofe who were wrecked on the Irifli
coafts were ahnoft every where put to the fword. And thus were not
only England, Scotland, Ireland, and the new republic of the United
Netherlands, preferved from imminent deflrudion, but alfo the equili-
brium of the general liberties of all the reft of Europe, as well as
the proteftant religion in Britain and elfewhere ; for at this time Spain
was undoubtedly the moft potent monarchy in Europe, although by
mifcondud, and the growing power of Holland and England, and foon
afterward of France (when its civil wars fubfided), that kingdom foon
after this time began to fhew evident fymptoms of a decline. Out of
134 fhips, which for this great attempt came out of Lifbon, only 53
returned ; only one of the galleaffes of Naples, and one of the four
great galleons of Portugal ; and only ^^ of the 9 1 galleons and hulks of
other provinces ; fo that in all Spain loft 81 ftiips, and 13,500 foldiers
and mariners, befides much treafure *.
Grotius.in his Hiftory of the Netherlands [L. i, /. 171] obfervesupon
this occafion, that the glories of Greece and Rome were fully equalled
by the valour and fortune of the Englifti, though their advantages over
Spain were more flowly and more fafely obtained ; and all the time they
fought with the Spaniards they loft not one capital ftiip, nor above an
hundred men ; whereas the Spaniards fuffered every extremity of mifery,
loft many capital ftiips, and near five thoufand men.
Daniel Rogers, whom the queen had fent to Denmark with compli-
ments of condolence on the death of Frederic II, and to cultivate the
friendfliip of the tutors of the young king, was commiflloned alfo to re-
monftrate againft the arreftment of ftiips at the Sound for the offences of
individvuals, and againft the evafion of the antient treaty, whereby the
privilege of fifliing at Iceland was to be renewed to the Englifti every
feven years. He alfo demanded, that the toll for pafting the Sound
ftiould not be paid till the return of the ftiips from the Baltic, and
then in the ufual money of Denmark ; that owners ftiould not be liable
to fuffer for frauds committed by the mafters of their veflels ; that the
packages (or wrappers) of cloths ftiould not be charged with duties :
and that the toll called Injl-gelt Ihould be remitted to the Englifti.
But the Danes, who were diipleafed that the EngUfti failed to Ruftia by
the North fea, inftead of paflnig through their Sound, evaded comply-
* The antient femicircular line of battle was chief, who prudently declined a niodt of fighting,
flill in ufe. In one of the engagements iii the wherein the fiiperior fizc and lofty fides of the
Channel, the Spunifli fleet was drawn up in that enemy's (liips would have given them a decided
form, and the two points of the femiclrcle or fuperiority over his low-built veflels, aiid which
crefcent were feven miles afunder. Neither was would have entirely thrown away the great advan-
the old method of condutling a fea engagement tage which his fad-failing fmall veflels ha in the
by griippling the hollile fhips, and fighting hand agility of their manoeuvres. \_Camdem At. ad an^
to hand, fo far exploded, but that fome of the ijS8.] M.
Englilli ofSccrs propofed it to the commander in
A. D. 1588. 187
ing with his demands, on pretence of their king being under age.
\_Camdeni Ann, Eliz. ad an. 1588.]
As the number of men in a nation is of the utmofl importance, we
fhall here quote a paragraph from the anonymous author of a fmall fo-
Ho treatife, intitled, the Happy future ftate of England [1689, p. 249.]
He fays, that Mr. Pepys (fecretary of the admiraky) fhewed him a pa-
per, ftating, that the whole number of men in the realm of Spain,
taken by a fecret furvey, fome time, as is fuppofed, before the year
1588, was but r,i25,390,exclufiveof the regular and fecular clergy. Now,
we may here note, that if it be true, as is generally prefumed, that the
grown-up men of a country are about one fourth part of the whole people,
then multiplying 1,125,390 by four, gives for the population of Spain
about this time 4,501,560 fouls; the fmallnefs of which number, in fo
extenfive a country, is eafily to be accounted for, when we duely confi-
der their driving out fuch vafl: numbers of Moors and Jews, and their
receiving no foreign fupplies in their flead ; their fending out continu-
ally fuch numbers of their own people in the preceding eighty years, to
plant their American dominions ; and alfo the confuming and deltrud:-
ive wars of the Emperor Charles V, and of his fon King Phihp II, in
the Netherlands, Italy, &c. There are even many of opinion, that
Spain does not at prefent contain above five millions of fouls.
About this time there were annually manufadlured in Cambriy
60,000 pieces of cambric, which being valued, one with another, at 40
florins each, amount to 2,400,000 florins, or about L240,ooo Ster-
ling yearly. [Tbuani Hijl. L. Ixxxix, ad an. 1588.]
The Happy future flate of England relates [/>. 127] that in a re-
monftrance of the corporation of the trinity-houfe in the year 1602
to the earl of Nottingham, lord high-admiral of England (extant in Sir
Julius Caefar's colleftions) it is faid, that in the year 1588, Queen Eli-
zabeth had at fea 150 fail of fhips, whereof only 40 were her own *"*,
and no belonged to her fubjeds. And that in the fame year there
were likewife 150 fail of Englifli merchant fliips, of about 150 tons one
v^^ith another, employed in trading voyages to all parts and countries.
The queen's 40 fliips carried 12,000 men, or 300 in each flup ; the no
hired ones 12,100, or no in each fliip, on an average; and the 150
trading fliips carried 6000 feamen, or 40 in each fliip. But the re-
monflrance farther adds, that in a little above twelve years Imce the
year 1588, the fliipping, and the number of our feamen, were decayed
about one-third part. This decay of our maritime power was doubtlels
owing to the wars with Spain, the great lofs of Ihipping in thofe wars,
* Though England was then, next to Spain, largeft of thofe fhips did not exceed the fizc of a
the mofl powerful maritime ftate in Europe, the modern fourth rate.
A a 2
i88 A. D. 1588.
and in the many private expeditions and adventures of our people to
America, Africa, &c. *
Both before and after the year 1588, upon Spain's complaining that
the Englifli fliips frequented the Indian feas, Queen Elizabeth (as Cam-
den and others obferve) declared that the ocean was free to all, foraf-
rauch as neither nature, nor regard of public ufe, do permit the exclu-
five pofTefTion thereof. The like anfwer fhe made to the king of Den-
mark, who fet up a claim to the fovereignty of the feas of Norway and
Iceland, becaufe he was lord of the flaores on both fides, faying, that
the kings of England never prohibited the navigation and fifhing on
the Irilh fea or channel, even though they be lords alfo of both fhores.
Yet in the cafe of the Ruflia company's fhips, we have feen under the
year 1583, the queen partly complied with the Danlfli claim. How
different this ftile is from that of the writers in the two following reigns,
and of fome even of later times on this fubjed:, will be feen in its pro-
per place.
In this fime flimous year, the cheft at Chatham was founded, being a
contribution for the relief of maimed and fuperannuated Englifh mari-
ners, out of which penfions are paid to them for life, by the advice of
Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins, &c. It was at firflonly a volun-
tary monthly contribution of the mariners out of their pay, for the
fuccour of their wounded brethren, but was afterward made perpetual
by Queen Elizabeth. By an ad of the rump parliament [anno 1649,
e. 24] for aboliflung deans and chapters, and felling their lands, we
find that this chefi; had been ufually kept at the Hill-houfe at Chatham,
which, with its gardens, &c. had belonged to the dean and chapter of
Ilochefi;er. Till the noble foundation of Greenwich hofpital by King
William III, this was the only charity of that kind for diftrefit;d failors.
Gibfon, in his additions to Camden's Britannia, obferves that the navy
of England has always owed more to the county of Kent than to all
the other counties of England together, on account of the niunber and
importance of the ])laces of that county fubfervient to the royal navy,
which, befides Chatham yards, docks, &c. h.as Greenwich, Deptford,
Woolwich, Sheernefs, and Dover fubfervient to it. How much thefe
dock-yards, fiore-houfes, &c. have been increafed and improved fince
Camden's time, and even fince the firfi; edition of Gibfon's additions
(anho 1692), would require a volume fully to defcribe. And there are
additions, enlargements, and very ufeful and beautiful improvements
conftantly making to thofe places, and alfo to the two famous ports of
.Portfmouth and Plymouth, infomuch that th^e king's yards alone ap-
pear like large towns of thwmfelves. And as a beginning is made for
* Tl:c truth of tills decay may be doulited, if Has any year oftliis rfntun' psffeJ V,-it?liOi;t fome-
rpported only by the autliority cf a rciiionftrance. body a!'(.-iting tlir.t the coiiiitry was ruined ? 7!f.
A. D. 1588. 189
the like end at Milford haven, it is to be hoped authority will effedu-
ally complete the fortifications, docks, &c. of that incomparable haven,
even in this generation.
Dr. Gyles Fletcher being fent ambaflador to RufTia, obtained (though
not without difficulty) a renewal of certain former grants, fuch as li-
berty for the Englifh RufTia company to trade through Ruffia into Per-
lia ; alfo payment of part of the debts due by Ruflian fubjeds to that
company ; and that no Englifhman refiding in RufTia fliould be reputed
of the company, unlefs acknowleged and authorized by them. But the
czar would never be brought to allow the company its original exclufive
trade to this country ; for which, and other caufes, their trade was at
this time very much decayed *.
A fhip and pinnace from London made a profperous voyage to Be-
nin on the wefl coaft of Africa. Queen Elizabeth alfo in the fame year
granted a patent for ten years to fome merchants of Exeter and other
towns in Devonfhire, and two London merchants, for an exclufive trade
to the rivers Senegal and Gambia in Guinea, becaufe the adventuring
of a new trade cannot be a matter of fmall charge and hazard to the
adventurers in the beginning : provided, however, that at any time
after the date hereof, the queen, or fix privy counfellors, may in writ-
ing revoke this patent, upon fix months notice. So here is another in-
ffance of little more than the name of an exclufive company to be de-
pended on for any certain determined time.
1589 Queen Elizabeth, determined upon revenge for the Spanifli in-
vafion, took the frugal method of authorizing and encouraging private ad-
venturers to undertake it at their own coft, the queen only fupplying them
with fix of her own fhips, to which the Dutch joined fome fliips. For
this end. Sir Francis Drake for the fea fervice, and Sir John N orris for
the army, procured many to join with them in fo promifmg a projed,
taking with them Don Antonio the pretender to the crown of Portugal.
Stow makes the number of fhips aflembled for that end to be 146, and
14,000 men (Camden fays i i,ODO foldiers and 1500 failors); but Rapin
only 80 fliips and 1 1,000 foldiers. With this force they landed at Co-
runna in Gallicia ; and the lower town they took, but could not the
higher. Next they took Peniche, and thence the army went over land,
and the fleet proceeded to Lifbon, to attack Portugal, in behalf of the
baflard Don Antonio prior of Crato (pretending to that crown in op-
pofition to Philip of Spain, in pofleflion of it) : Yet there were fo many
Spanifli troops in and near that city, that thty could not take it. After
taking Cafcais, at the mouth of the Tagus, to rccompenfe their charges
(fltys Camden), they took about fixty hulks (or fly-boats) of the Ger-
* Camden fays, that Fletcher could obtain no___got in th- year l^S'j. \_/!nnjles a'! ar.. I5"5J
better auiwci fi>jai the c/.;ir than his predeccfibr /•/.
190 A. D. 1589.
man Hanfe towns, laden with wheat and warUke ftores, to furnifh a
new armada againft England, and kept the cargoes, but difcharged the
fhips. Thofelfhips, left they fhould be taken, had failed by the Ork-
neys, the Weftern ifles of Scotland, and the weft fide of Ireland, becaufe
Queen Elizabeth had forewarned the Hanfe towns that they fhould not
carry any viduals nor provifion for war into Spain nor Portugal, under
pain of lofs of ftiips and goods. Yet although this was a legal capture,
it neverthelefs gave Queen Elizabeth much trouble for feveral years
after, in anfwering the remonftrances from the empire, and alfo from
Poland and Dantzick, they being deeply concerned m this feizure, and in
the end produced a total breach between England and the Hanfe towns.
At length, after facking Vigo, they returned home to England with
1 50 pieces of cannon and a very rich booty (fays Camden), though
others thought otherwife, and that all their achievements and booty
did not recompenfe the charge and the lofs, of 6oco of their foldiers
and failors. This is perhaps the greateft privateering enterprife (if it
may properly be fo termed) of any in the later ages of the world.
In the Came year the brave and enterprifing earl of Cumberland,
with feveral fhips, filled on a private adventure to the Azores or Weftern
ifles, where he took many good prizes from the Spanifti and Portuguefe
Weft-Indies, &c. feized on, and ranfomed, the town of Fayal, and re-
turned home with a great booty, though much diftreflt^d by ftorms, &c.
At the j^zores Lord Cumberland met with three or four Scottifli ftiips,.
who fuppi'ied him with wine and water ; and this is the firft account we
have met with of Scottifli ftiips making fo long a voyage *.
It is fcarcely worth recording, that in the fame year an abortive pri-
vateering adventure was attempted from Plymouth, with three ftiips, for
the South feas of America, one of which was of 340 and another of 300
tons ; but none of them could get through the ftraits of Magellan, and
all the three were loft in returning, only fix men getting home to give
this account.
William Lee, A. M. of St. John's college in Cambridge, invented an
engine or fteel loom, called the ftocking-frame, for knitting, or weav-
ing, ftockings. This was but twenty-eight years after we had firft learn
ed from Spain the method of knitting them by wires or needles. Mr.
Lee's invention has proved a confiderable benefit to the ftocking manu-
fadure, by enabling England, in after times, to export vaft quantities
of filk ftockings to Italy, &c. where it feems (by Sir Jofiali Child's ex-
cellent Difcourfes on trade, publiftied in the year 1670) they had not
then got the ufe of the ftc«:king-frame, though little fhort of 100 years
after its invention: yet Dr. Howell, in his Hiftory of the world, [F". ii,
* It appears by a letter from King Jamss to (and probably alfo fooner) traded to the Cana-
Quecii Eli7.:i> etii, [/a-cVra, y. \\i, f>. 336] tliat ric , which are Hill more diftant than the Azoress
fome of the Scottifh merchants, in the year J598, M.
A. D. 1589. 191
p. 222.] makes this invention eleven years later, viz. in 1600; and
adds, that Mr. Lee not only taught this art in England and in France,
but his fervants did the fame in Spain, Venice, and in Ireland.
Henry IV king of France greatly enlarged the filk manufadlures in
that kingdom. Before this time the filk-worm and mulberry trees had
been propagated only in the Lionois, Dauphine, Provence, and Lan-
guedoc ; but this king not only carried it as far north as Orleans, but
brought filk to be an univerfal manufadure in Finance. Mezeray fays,
that he alfo planted mulberry trees near Paris, and attempted to breed
lilk-worms at the Tuillieries, Fountainbleau, and the caftle of Madrid,
but without fuccefs.
The manufadure of cloth, both woollen and linen, in France, was
likewife much increafed in that king's reign, as alfo many other me-
chanical works : fo that the French (fays De Witt in his Intereft of
Holland) could now fupply others with more manufactures than foreign-
ers could take off; whereas formerly the bulk of the people of France
fubfifted by tillage and vine-dreiling.
1590. — About the year 1590 the invention of the telefcope, or fpying-
glafs, was difcovered, which is juftly efleemed one of the mofl ufeful and
excellent difcoveries of modern times, though produced by mere chance.
The common account is, that two children of one Janfon, a fpedacle-ma-
ker at Middleburg in Zealand, being at play in their father's fhop, and
looking through two pieces of glafs which were at Ibme fmall diflance
from each other, the weathercock of the church fteeple appeared to
them unufually large, and much nearer. Of this they inftantly told
their father, who, fui-prifed alfo at firft, made the experiment of fixing
two fuch pieces of glafs in brazen circles or cylinders, fo as they might
be placed nearer or farther at pleafure. Janfon very foon improved this
difcovery fo much, that he prefented a telefcope twelve inches long to
Prince Maurice, and another to the archduke Albert. Wotton (in his
Refleclions upon antient and modern learning) relates, that Prince
Maurice, conjefluring that they might be of great ufe in war, defired
him to conceal his fecret ; and for that reafon his name was fo little
known, that neither Des Cartes nor Gerard Voflius had ever heard any
thing of him, when they attributed this invention to Jacobus Metius of
Alcmaer. None of thofe firll teleicopes, however, were above eighteen
inches long ; neither were they properly framed lor making aflronomi-
cal obfervations, till Galileo, aftronomer to the grand duke of Tufca-
ny, hearing of the difcovery, made fuch great improvements, as have
gained him, in the opinion of many, the honour of the invention itfelf,
by giving to the telefcope the appellation of Galileo's tube. SomiC, in-
deed, make this noble invention to have happened eleven years later,
and aflert that J. Baptiita Porta, a noble Neapolitan, was the firft
inventor ; but the general belief is as above. Our incomparable Sir
192 A. D. 1590.
Ifaac Newton was the inventor of the refleding telefcope, confifting ol'
fpecula or mirrors, inftead of lenfcs. which has been fince much im-
proved, and is much more exad and uleful than refrading ones. The
microfcope, which magnifies the fmallefl objecl: fo as to be diflindly
viewed, was diicovered in the year 1621; and it is iaid this happened
both in Naples and Holland at the fame time *.
By the telefcope aftronomy is brought to a degree of perfection un-
attainable by the antients. Navigation (and confequently commerce)
is likewife much aflifted from a more perfed diicovery of the heavenly
bodies ; and whole volumes have been publifhed on the amazing dil-
coveries made by the help of the microfcope.
We have the beft authority for fixing the date of the firfl manufadure
of fail-cloth in England in the year 1590, being the preamble to an ad
of parliament, [i Jac. I, c. 23] reciting, that, ' whereas the cloths
' called mildernix and powel-davies, whereof fails and other furniture
' for the navy and (hipping are made, were heretofore altogether
* brought out of France and other parts beyond fea, and the fkill and
' art of making and weaving of the faid cloths never known or ufed in
' England until about the 32d year of the reign of the late Qiieen
' Elizabeth, about what time, and not before, the perfed art or fliiU of
' making and weaving of the faid cloths was attained to, and fince prac-
' tifed and continued in this realm, to the great benefit and commodity
* thereof,' &c.
As we fi:ill excel all the nations upon earth both in naval power and
in maritime commerce, every thing relative to either fhould, as far as is
pradicable, come to us at the firfl hand. Yet, though it may feem
Ibraewhat fi:range that a nation in thofe days, very far from being emi-
nent in {hipping, fliould have fo long fupplied us with this great article,
it ought to be confidered that they were, in thofe days and long before
we fell into it, eminent for the manufadure of many kinds of excellent:
cloths made both of flax and hemp; and that perfedion, in almoft
every art, is not to be attaii:ied but by very flow degrees.
The ftates-general of the United Netherlands wrote to Queen Eliza
beth, complaining of the great and excefllve damages done to their mer-
chants and people by her fliips of war, as well in her ports as on the
feas, in their return homewards from the wefl;ern parts, (i, e. Spain and
Portugal), amounting, as by vouchers, to 1,600,000 florins. They
fubjoin, that the people of the United provinces do not depend either
on the intrinfic riches or extent of their country, both being very in-
confiderable ; but their whole dependence is on their navigation and
traffic, which mufl: be inviolably fupported, otherwife their merchants
will withdraw into oihei countries, and the fl:ates will be rerfdered ut-
■* Mr Anderfon migtit liave alfo found the invention of the microfcope afcribed to Zatharias Janfcn
by an author quottid by Wotton, p. i8u. M,
A. D. 1590. ic)j
terly incapable of carrying on the prefent war again ft the king of Spain ;
that at this very time their (hips, faiUng towards the Weft, and to France,
and returning, are dayly more and more pillaged and robbed by the queen's
fubjeds, who are fo cruel as to oblige the Hollanders, whom they rob, to
give it to them under their hands, that the goods they are robbed of
are fairly bought of them by the Englilh ; and in fine, that their peo-
ple can no longer endure fuch cruel ufage, which will in the end re-
dound to the difadvantage of her dominions : — wherefor, they urge her
to a fpeedy and effedual redrefs, &c.
To thefe complaints the queen's council replied, that fuch as had
really fufFered damage, had either already had fatisfadion, or fliould
have it, upon proper application ; and that the queen would fpeedily
fend over to Holland a perfon of diftindion, in order to fettle with the
ftates all the matters complained of.
The captures which the ftates called robberies, were the confequences
of the Dutch trading to the Spanifti territories, (here cautioufly hidden
under the words weftern parts), notwithftanding that the ftates, as well
as the queen, were at war with Spain. A pradice which the Dutch
have at all times not only ufed, but pleaded for, even in their offenfive
alliances with Great Britain, and much more when in a ftate of neu-
trality ; of which we have no need to produce inftances, becaufe they are
innumerable, and many very recent ones too.
In the fame year 1590, a fecond voyage was made from London,
with the fame ftiip and pinnace as in the year 1588, to Benin in Africa,
which likewife was profperous. In both voyages their cargoes outward
were linen and woollen cloths, iron manufadures, bracelets of copper,
glafs beads, coral, hawks bells, horfes tails, hats, &c. and they brought
home Guinea pepper, elephants teeth, oil of palm, cotton cloth, and
cloth made of the bark of trees.
In Giovanni Botero's fecond book of the Caufes of the magnificence
and greatnefs of cities, [c. 8] he tells us, that excellent fugars were pro-
duced in the ifland of Madeira, where at prefent in our days we hear of
none at all *.
The fame year is memorable for the gallant behaviour often Englifli
merchant ftaips returning home from Conftantinople, Venice, &c. which
in the ftraits of Gibraltar fought twelve Spanifli galleys carrying 300
men each, and after fix hours made them fly, without lofing one man,
although the Spanifti galleys loft many men, and were greatly hurt.
The province of Samoieda (the moft northerly part of the Ruflian
territories) was now brought under the Ruflian monarchy, it having
* It is equally deferving of attention, that the ported to various countries, and efpfc'tally to Eng-
wine of Madeira about this time (viz. in ij88) land. The f^inc Portuguefe author alfo notes the ex-
had acquired the excellent charafter which it ftill ctllency of thcconfcclions and confervts of fugai in
retains; and that great quantities of it were ex- Madeira. [F/^a/J-Z/i;, mPwri-Aaj.Zf.viijf. 4, ^ 2.] it/.
Vol. II. B b
194 "^' ^' '59<^*
been hitlierto unknown to Ruflia, as lying in a violently-cold climate,
oppofite to Nova Zembla. Thofe new tributaries are now faid to have
agreed to pay two fable (kins yearly per head to the czar, whereby the
trade to Ruflia was greatly increafed.
The country of Siberia lying fouth of Samoieda had been difcovered
and reduced a little before this time, and has fince been greatly im-
proved, and thereby has confiderably increafed the revenue of Rulfia,
not only from their fine furs of many kinds, but from their excellent
iron-works, as alio from their fturgeon, falmon, &c. in great quantities,
to the confiderable increafe of the commerce of Ruflia.
Qiieen Ehzabeth now farmed her cufloms at £42,000, and afterwards
at L5 0,000, to Sir Thomas Smith, who had long had them at the rent
of Li 4,000. Such an advance is a good evidence of the great increafe
of the commerce of England.
Till about this time, fays Sir Philip Medows, (in his excellent Obfer-
vations concerning the dominion and fovereignty of the feas) from
the Memoirs of the duke de Sully, the whole naval ftrength of the
crown of France was about half a dozen of fliips of war (fuch as they
were) at Brefl; and Rochel, and about a fcore of galleys in the Mediter-
ranean. But this king (continues he) drefTed a new plan of the French
monarchy ; and though his great defigns were interrupted by an imma-
ture death, and alio by a fucceeding minority, yet the great Cardinal
Richlieu refumed it again. He firfl: taught France that the fleur de
luces could flourifh at fea as well as on land, and adorned the flerns of
his new-built (hips with this prophetic infcription :
" Florent qucque Win ponto."
Queen Elizabeth, knowing the good effecls of a potent navy, made
feveral prudent regulations therein. Mr. Burchet, in his Naval hiftory,
relates, ' that fhe afligned L8970 yearly for the repairs of her fleet.'
How mean fuch a fum would be thought at prefent for fuch a purpofe
needs not to be obferved •, her own fliips (as we have i'een) were but
few ; and money in thofe days went much farther for all things than
in our days.
It is undoubtedly true that the number, wealth, and fplendour of
large and populous cities are in genei-al the beft fymptoms of the flate
of commerce every where ; neverthelefs, in great arbitrary monarchies,
as in France, Ruflia, Turkey, Pcrfla, &c. the cities, which are the ufual
refidence of their monarchs, and of their courts, nobles, guards, &.c.
may be large and fplendid without having a generally-profperous com-
merce in their refpeftive countries. Giovanni Botero, an eminent Ita-
lian author, who about this time wrote an excellent fmall treatife on
the caufes of the magnificence and greatnefs of cities, gives us the
feveral caufes or means of making cities great and magnificent ; fuch
A. D. 1590, I9J
as, the commodious fituation, good foil and roads, deep and fafe ha-
vens and rivers, colonies, good government, fchools, privileges, induf-
try, &c. All which, though neceflarily conducive to make a great
and rich city, will never attain the end without commerce and manu-
fadlures, and foreign or maritime trade where it can be had. Among
the kingdoms of Chriftendom, (fays he) the greatefl, richeft, and moft
populous is France, containing 27,000 pariflies, and 15 millions of peo-
ple ; fo fertile by nature, and fo rich through the induftry of her peo-
ple, as not to envy any other country ; and by means of the refidence
of the kings of fo mighty a kingdom fo long at Paris, that city is be-
come the greateft in Chriftendom, containing about 450,000 people.
What he adds is remarkable, though furely not ftridly true even then,
and much lefs fo in our days, at leaft with relation to England, viz.
the kingdoms of England, Naples, Portugal, and Bohemia, as alfo the
earldom of Flanders, and the dukedom of Milan, are ftates, in a man-
ner, of equal greatnefs and power ; fo that the cities wherein the princes
of thofe fame countries have for any long time made their refidence
have been, in a manner, alfo alike, as London, Naples, Lifbon, Prague,
Milan, and Gaunt, which have each of them, more or lefs, 160,000 in-
habitants *. But Lifbon is indeed fomewhat larger than the reft, by
means of the commerce of Ethiop, (i. e. Africa) India, and Brafil ; as is
likewife London, by means of the wars and troubles in the Low coun-
tries ; and Naples is, within thefe thirty years, grown as great again as
it was. In Spain there is not a city of any fuch greatnefs, partly be-
caufe it has been, till of late, divided into divers little kingdoms, and
partly through want of navigable rivers, to bring fo great a quantity of
food, &c. into one place, for maintaining an extraordinary number of
people. The cities in Spain of moft magnificence are thofe v;here the
antient kings and princes held their feats, as Barcelona, Saragofla, V^a-
lentia, Cordova, Toledo, Burgos, Leon, &c. being fuch as pafs not the
fecond rank of the cities of Italy. Yet he allows Granada, where the
Moorifli kings fo long reigned, and Seville, through the difcovery of
America, to be greater than thofe other cities ; and Valadolid (by
means of the former long refidence of the kings of Spain, though no
city) may compare with its nobleft cities ; and alfo Madrid is much in-
creafed, and continually increafing, by the court which Kin^ Philip
keeps there. Cracow, through the former long refidence of the kings
of Poland, and Vilna, by that of the great dukes of Lithuania, are the
two moft populous cities in Poland. In Ruflia, Volodiraer, Great No-
vogrod, and Mofcow, are the moft eminent cities, as having been all
three the feats of their great dukes, though at this day Mofcow, their
* It niuft be obfeived, iLat the quotations aie here tal^en fioiri the Englifli tiaiiflation, priiitcJ I'li
2606.
Bb 2
196 A, D, 1590*
prefent refidence, is fo great and populous as to be reckoned one of
the four cities of the firft rank in Europe, which are Mofcow.'Conflan-
tinople, Paris, and Lifbon. In Sicily, Palermo is the chief, being equal
to cities of the fecond rank in Italy *. Rome, whofe majefly exccedeth
all the world, would fhe not be more like a defart than a city, if the
pope held not his refidence therein, with the greatnefs of his court, the
concourfe of ambaffadors, prelates, princes, with an infinite number of
peo[)le ferving both him and them ; if, with magnificent buildings,
conduits, fountains, and ftreets, it were not glorioufly adorned; and if,
with all thefe means, it did not draw and entertain fuch a number of
merchants, tradefmen, fhopkeepers, artificers, workmen, and labourers ?
IB. ii, r. I.]
In B. ii, c. 2. he inquires, ' what the reafon is, that cities, once
* grown to a certain greatnefs, increafe not onward according to that
* proportion ?' After remarking on the increafe and decreafe of old
Rome, he fubjoins, and in like manner, fince it is 40Q years [i. e. 572
years from this year 1762] fince Milan and Venice had as many people
as they have at this day, how comes it to pafs that the multiplication
goes not onward accordingly ? Some anfwer, that plagues, wars, deaths,
&c. are the caufes : but this gives no fatisfadion, becaufe thefe have
always been. Others give a more trifling anfwer, viz. God governs the
■world ; which we know was alfo always fo. My anfwer may not only
ferve for cities, but alfo for the univerfal theatre of the world : I fay then,
that the augmentation of cities proceeds partly out of the virtue gene-
rative of men, and partly out of the virtue nutritive of cities. Now,
forafmuch as men are at this day as apt for generation as they were in
the times of David or Mofes, if there were no other impediment, the
propagation of mankind would increafe without end, and the augment-
ation of cities would be without term ; and if they do not increafe in
infinitum, I mufi; needs fay it proceeds from the defed of nutriment and
fufienance fufficient for it, which are gotten either out of their own ter-
ritories or elfe from foreign countries. Now, to have a city great and
populous, it is neceflary that viduals may eafily be brought into it, and
that fuch city have the means for that end, by overcoming all obfla-
cles. Now, that greatnefs which depends on remote caufes, or h:ird
means, cannot long endure, and every man will ieek his advantage and
eafe where he may find it beft : great cities are more fubjed to dearths
than fmall ones ; and plagues afflid them more grievoufly and frequently,
and with a greater lols of people. So that although men were as apt to
generation in the height of old Roman greatnefs as in the firft beginning
thereof, yet for all that the people increafed not proportionably, becaufe
* By cities of the fecond rank in Italy, he underftands fuch as contain under an hundred thoufand
inhabitants. .
A. D. 1590. 197
the virtue nutritive of that city had no power to go farther ; and in fuc-
ceflion of time, the inhabitants finding much want, and lefs means to
fupply the fame, either forbore to marry, or elfe fled their country ; and
for the fame reafons, mankind, grown to a certain complete number,
hath grown no farther ; and it is 3000 years or more that the eartii was
as full of people as at prefent ; for the fruits of the earth, and the plenty
of vidlual, do not fuffice to feed a greater number. Man firft propa-
gated in the Eafl, and thence fpread far and near ; and having peopled
the continent, they next peopled the iflands ; thence they palled into
Europe, and laft of all to the new world. The barrennefs of foils, fcarcity
of neceflaries, inundations, earthquakes, peftilences, famines, wars, &c.
have occafioned numberlefs migrations ; and even the very driving out by
force of the younger people, and in many countries the felling of them
for flaves, in order to make more room for fuch as remained ; all which
are the let and flay that the number of men cannot increafe and grow
immoderately.
At this time, according to the fame author, the city of Paris far ex^
ceeded, in number of people, and in abundance of all things, all other
cities of Chriftendom, Mofcow excepted ; and Lifbon was the next great-
eft city of Chriftendom. Yet we of the prefent age fee London exceed
any of them all, unlefs Paris, according to fome, fhould be excepted.
The fame Botero, flill fpeaking of the caufes of the greatnefs of cities,
obferves, ' that it is not one particular advantage alone that will efFedl
* fuch greatnefs, but the many before-named advantages concurring ;
* alfo ornaments, (like thofe truely grand ones of Rome, Venice, 8cc.)
' eafinefs of accefs, and of carriage, and fruitfulnefs of the neighbour-
* ing foil. Thus Piedmont hath plenty of corn, cattle, wines, and e»-
' cellent fruits, and yet hath not one great city : and the like in Eng-
' land, London excepted ; for although it abounds in plenty of all good
' things, yet there is not another city in it that deferves to be called
' great: as may alfo be faid of France, Paris excepted, which city,
' however, is not lituated in the fruitfulleft part of that great king-
* dom ».'
1 591 There was held atLubeck a general aflembly of the deputies^
of tlie Hanfe towns, at which thofe of Roftock, Dantzick, Bremen, and,
Hamburgh, were prefent, where they treated of their rights, immuni-
ties, &c. which they alleged the queen of England dayly endeavoured:
to impair; whereupon they fent letters to her, written with great heat..
The queen in a contemptuous manner anfwered thofe letters, teUing
• Botero fays, that France poflefles four mag- and alfo of the Ocean as far north as Saintoigne.
nets, which attraft the weahh of other countries, The fourth confifts of hemp and cloth, of which,
viz. corn, which is exported to Spain and Portu- and of cordage, great quantitlci are carried to Lif»-
gal: -wine, which is fent to Flanders, England, bon and Seville, for the (hipping; arid the export-
and the coafts of the Baltic ; fait, made by the ation of the articles of thi« fourth clafs is incredi-
heat of the fun on the fhore of the Mediterranean, bly great. \_Rffpub. Gallia, p. 573-] M.
198 A. D. 1591.
them, that akhough they had written to her with fo little refped, fhe
imputed that rather to their amanuenfis, or fecretary, than to them-
felves ; at the fame time letting them know how much {he defpifed
their menaces. [T'huani Hijl. L. 100,]
Some members of the Englifh Turkey, or Levant, company, having,
about the year 1584, carried part of their cloth, tin, &c. from Aleppo
to Bagdat, and thence down the river Tygris to Ormus in the Perfian
gulf, and thence farther to Goa, for an attempt to fettle a trade to
Eafl-India over land, for that end carried the queen's recommendatory
letters to the king of Cambaya, and to the king of China. They found
the Venetians had fad;ories at all thofe places, and were therefor great
enemies to this attempt of the Englifh, who, however, foon after travel-
led to fundry other places in India, and to Agra, the great Mogul's
capital ; alfo to Labor, to Bengal, to Pegu, Malacca, &c. and return-
ed by fea to Ormus, and fo up the Tygris to Bagdat, Bir, and Aleppo,
and laftly to Tripoly in Syria, and failed thence in an Englifh fhip to
London this year ( 1 591), having naade many ufeful remarks and dif-
coveries on the nature of the Eaft-India commerce, preparatory to their
intended voyage by fea to India, now adlually going out.
We now find the firfl inftance recorded in the Foedera of an exclufive
patent for the fole right of printing and publifhing a book granted by
the queen to Richard Wright of Oxford, authorizing him to publifh an
Englifh tranflation of Tacitus, and prohibiting all others from printing
the fame during his life, or importing any Englifh tranflation whatever
of Tacitus from beyond the fea *. [Fadera, V. xvL, p. 96.]
Chriftiern IV, king of Denmark, in anfwer to Queen Elizabeth's com-
plaints of exadions from the Englifh merchants, with refpeft to the toll
• Tfiis En';lifh tranflation of Tacitus has efcap- and for maps and charts, with a falary of Li : 6 : 8
fd the refearchcs of the laborious Fabricius. And a-year ; and he prohibited all other printers from
fcveral earlier exchifive grants for printing particu- invading his privilege. IFatiera, V. xv,^. 150.]
1 ir books have cfcaped i\lr. Aiiderfon. 'IS'- — Laurence Torrentine, a German, print-
In the yeari5;^4 Henr)' VIII gave the unl- er to Cofmo duke of Florence, having printed an
yerfitv of Cisrribridge the privilt-ge of appointing edition of Jullinian's Pandefts from the celebrated
three ftationers and printers, i:atives or foreigners, copy, wliich had been prcferved at Pifa (but pre-
who might print and fell all books licence<l by the vioully at Amalfi) King Edward prohibited all
chancellor of the univerfuy, or his deputies. But his fubjefts from reprinting it, either without, or
he does not fay that nobody elfe (li?.!! print or fell with, notes or additions, for the fpace of fevea
the bo;',ks. \_Fcsd:ra, V. y.\v, p. ^j^y. \ years. \^Fadera, V. yis, p. 2^^.'\
i5-i9. — He directed Lord Crunnvell to fuperin- None of thefe grants were to the authors. But,
tend the printing of the Englilh Bible, and gave 12th March 1363, Q£een Elizabeth granted to
the exclufive privilege of printing ic for five years Thom;iS Cooper of Oxford, and his alligns, the
to any pcrfons who fliould be appointed by him. fole right of printing and publifhing his didtionary,
[Fddera, V. xlv, /. 649.] entitled ' Thefaurus utriufqus lingua Lalinte et Bri-
1542. — Tiie lame .king gave Antony Marlar, ' tannics,' for twelve years, and prohibited all a-
citizcn and haberdaff.er of London, the exclufive brijgenients or other attempts to pirate the work,
privilege (,f i)rinii;g (he Bible in Englifh for four \_Fisdcra, V. y.\, p. 628.] This is clearly a literary
years. \_F(eJera, F. xiv,p. 745.] property vefled in the author ; and it is, if I mif-
1549 — Edward VI gave Reginald Wolf for take not, the carliell certain inllancc of it upon
life the office of his printer and bookfcller for record in Gieat Britain. M.
Lat'n, Greek, and Hebrew, books, for grammars,
A. D. 159 1" ^99
in the Sound, vindicated his colle<fi:ors, and in his turn complained of
Ibme Englifh pirates, who frequently robbed his fubjeds of their fliips
and merchandize ; which violences were fo heinous and intolerable
that he could neither conceal nor endure them longer. He therefor
requefted (lie would forthwith redrefs them, and thereby prevent his
doing it himfelf, though unwillingly, &c. [FoeJera, V. xvi, p. 105.]
Probably the feizures of the Danifh fhips, carrying naval flores, &c. to
Spain, were the fubjeft ot his remonftrance.
We have a letter to Queen Elizabeth from the elector palatine, in an-
fwer to her's to him, expreding his forrow that the archbiflion of Bre-
men, by command of the Emperor Rodolph, had abfolutely prohibited
the fenate and people of Staden from any commerce with the Englifh
merchant-adventurers, or from fuflering them to refide there, even al-
though four years ago the fenate had made a contrail with the Englifh
company for their refidence there. He tells the queen that this pro-
hibition was violently obtained, by means of the Spanifh ambaffadors,
and of certain fadious Hanfeatics, who are only grieved they do not en-
joy the advantages which the faid contrad procured for Staden ; and he
promifes his good offices for procuring redrefs. We have a like pro-
mife from the eledor of Saxony to the queen on the flime fubjed. [^Foe-
dcra, V. xvi, pp. 1 06, in.]
The Hanfe towns endeavoured to force the town of Elbing in Prullia
todifcountenance the Englilh merchant-adventurers, by forbidding their
reibrt thither ; but the Elbingers underflood their own interell too well
to part with fo advantageous a branch of commerce. They therefor
wrote a refpedful letter to Queen Elizabeth, acquainting her with the
difpleafure of the other Hanfeatics, both againft them and Staden, on
this account. They alfo told her, that the Hanfeatics had lately held a
general diet at Lubec, but that their refolutions were kept very fecret ;
but they (the Elbingers) were refolved to leave the matter to be confi-
dered by the king and diet of Poland ; and in the mean time, under
her majefly's protection and authority, they would go on, as their inclin-
arions led them, in favour of her merchants. And iving Sigifmund of
Poland, in a refpedful l(^tter to the queen, alfo declared his approbation
of the Englilhi merchant-adventurers refiding at Elbing, or any where,
clfe in Poland. \Fcedera, V. xv\,pp. 135, 154.]
At length the firfl voyage * from England to Eafl -India was under-
taken in this year, with three fliips ; but it was rather a privateering
adventure againft the Porcuguefe than a proper mercantile voyage, for
they took feveral of that nation's (hips. In their way to India they had
iofl fo many men by ficknefs near the Cape of Good Hope that they
* Linfchottcn [y^. tyc] fav"!, that before he of an Englifh (liip having palRd the Cape of Good
laihdfrora ladid (in January 1589) they had lieacd Hope. M.
.200 A. D. 1591.
were obliged to fend one of their fhips home, and proceeded with only-
two to India ; moreover, in a ftorm beyond that cape, they loft com-
pany of Captain Raymond in the principal fhip, which was never heard
of more. So that only Captain Lancafter's fhip arrived in India, which
alfo met with many grievous misfortunes : and on her return, failing to
the Weft-Indies, whilft the captain and moft of his men went on fliore
to look for provifions on an uninhabited ifland, fix of the failors ran
away with the ftiip ; and at the end of three years this unfortunate cap-
tain was brought home, feveral of his naen having periflied for want at
-that place.
The Portuguefe, who had fettled at Angola, having been routed in a
battle with the natives, applied to the king of Spain for frefti afliftai.ce,
to enable them to complete their conquefts.
Several gallant achievements of the Englifti happened in tliis year
againft the ftiipping, towns, &c. of Spain in America and elfewheie, as
related long fince fully by fo many others ; but beyond all was that
unpai-alleled refiftance made by the gallant Sir Richard Greenville, in
the queen's ftiip the Revenge, in which he fuftained a cruel engagement
for fifteen hours againft fifteen great Spanifti galleons, at the Azores,
till his ftiip had neither men nor ammunition for defence any longer,
and therefor yielded, as it is finely related by Sir Walter Raleigh.
The temporary Guinea company of England now made a third
voyage, and traded with the natives with iron-ware, &c. in exchange
for elephant's teeth, hides, &c.
This year a fleet of ftiips failed from St. Malo for Canada, where the
French had been fettled long before. They were wont in thofe times
to fifti at the ifles in the bay of St. Laurence for morfes, or fea-horfes,
whofe teeth were then fold much dearer than ivory, though now efteem-
ed of little value ; they alfo made much oil from thofe animals. The
colonifts being fupported from France, the country became well peopled
near the north bank of the vaft river St. Laurence, where there are
fundry towns, forts, and improvements ; infomuch that the Baron La-
hontan, who had been governor there, and publiftied an account of the
country, computes the French inhabitants to be 180,000 perfons, which
furely is rather too many. Lahontan mentions a kind of prophecy or
forefight in the Canadians, that their colony would one day be conquer-
ed by New-England, &c. which, to our comfort, has proved true.
1593. — In the year 1593, two of Queen Elizabeth's own fhips of war
joined in partnerfhip with fome merchant fhips *, fitted out by Sir
Walter Raleigh, and commanded by Sir John Boroughs, Sir Martin
Frobifher, and Sir Robert Crofs. They firft took a Bifcayner of 600
tons, laden with iron ftores for the Weft-Indies j next they forced a
. * It was then cufloraary for the royal fliips to join with the adventurers of London, Briftol, &c.
A. D. 1593. 2ai
great Eaft-Tndia carrack on fhore at the Azores, -where it was burnt ;
foon after they met with the greatefl of all the Eafl-Tndia carracks,
homeward bound, of 1600 tons, with 700 men, and 36 brafs cannon,
which they took, though with great flaughtcr, and carried her into
Dartmouth, where (lie iurpriled all who faw her, being the largeft fliip
ever feen in England. The cargo confiding of the richeft fpices, cali-
coes, filks, gold, pearls, drugs, China ware, or porcelain, ebony wood,
&c. moderately valued at Li 50,000, was divided amongft the adventur-
ers, of whom the queen was the principal. The poflellion of fuch im-
menfe foreign riches greatly encouraged the Englifh to go diredly to
the Eaft- Indies purely on a mercantile account.
CXieen Elizabeth this year granted a fecond patent for a trade to Tur-
key or the Levant. The former one, being only for ieven years from
158 1, mull: have expired in 1588 ; yet it does not appear by any thing
in Hakluyt, who is in other refpeds an exa61 writer, that it was again
renewed till this year, when fifty-three perfons (confifting of knights,.,
aldermen, and merchants,) had the queen's patent for twelve years. It
recites, that Sir Edward Ofborn (hereby appointed the firfl: governor for
one year), William Elarborn, Efq. &c. had not only eftabliflied the
trade to Turkey, at their great cofi: and hazard, but alfo that to Venice,
Zant, Cephalonia, Candia, and other Venetian dominions, to the great
incfeafe of the commerce and manufactures of England ; wherefor the
queen now incorporates them by the name of the governor and com-
pany of merchants of the Levant ; the governor and twelve afliftants to
be eleded yearly. The limits of their charter to be,T) The Venetian
territories; II) The dominions of the grand fignior by land and fea ;
and laftiy, through his countries overland to Eafi;-India, a way lately
difcovered by John Newberry, Fitch. &c. as already related. The laid
patentees, their Tons, apprentices, agents, fadors, and lervants, folely to
trade thither for twelve years ;- — may make bye-laws for their good go-
vernment. If their Ihips and goods fhall be loft at fea, the company,
may draw back the culloms they had paid for the fame. Shall have
thirteen months allowed for re-exportations of the merchandize they
bring home, without paying any cufi;om for fuch re-exportation, fo as
they belong folely to Englilhmen, and in Englifh bottoms. Four good
fliips, with ordnance and munition for their defence, and with 200 Eng-
lifii mariners, fliall be freely permitted to go at all times during the faid
twelve years ; provided, that if the queen be at war, fo as to have occa-
fion for thofe four fliips, then, upon three months notice by the lord
admiral, that the queen cannot fpare the faid fliips from the defence of
the realm, the company fhall forbear fending them out until her navy
fhall return home. The company may have a common feal, and may
place in the tops of their fliips the arms of England, with a red crofs in
white over the fame, as heretofor they have ufed. No other fubjeds
Vol. II. C c
202 A. D. 1593.
iliall trade within the company's limits. And whereas the ftate of Ve-
nice has of late increafed the duties on Englifh merchandize carried thi-
ther, and on Venetian merchandize exported from thence in EngHfh
Ihips ; for redrefs thereof, the queen forbids the fubjeds of Venice, and
all others but this. company, for the faid twelve years, to import into
England any of the fruits called currants (being the raifins of Corinth),
or wines of Candia, unlefs by the company's licence under their feal,
upon pain of forfeiture of fhips and goods, half to the queen and half
to the company, and alfo of imprifonment ; provided always, that if
the Venetian ftate fhall take off the two new imports, then this reftraint
touching currants and wines of Candia fhall be void. The company-
may admit to be new members any who {hall have been employed as
their fadors, &c. And the queen gives leave for eighteen perfons more
(three of whom to be aldermen of London, by her herein named) to be
of the lliid company, upon each of them paying L130 to this company
towards their pafl: charges in eftablifhing the faid trades. Members not
conforming to the rules, payments, and regulations of the company,
fhall forfeit their right to be of the faid company, whereupon the com-
pany may eled: others in their flead. If this patent fhall hereafter ap-
pear to the queen not to be profitable to her or to the realm, then, up-
on eighteen months notice, it fhall ceafe and determine. And, on the
other fide, if, at the expiration of the faid twelve years, this trade Ihall
appear to be advantageous, then this company may, on their petition
to the queen, have a new grant of twelve years more. Dated the 7th
of January, in the 34th year of her reign.
N. B. There was formerly a particular branch of this company, which
was called the Morea company, and which traded with a joint ftock.
But this general Turkey company has from the beginning been only
what is called a regulated company.
In the fame year, Sir Walter Raleigh had formed a defign on the
Spanifii Wefi-Indies, and alfo to furprife the port of Panama in the
fouth fea ; but that enterprife, like very many fuch, was fruftrated by
contrary winds. The immenfe riches annually brought home by the
Spaniih and Portuguefe fleets from the Eaft and Weft Indies occafioned
fo many attempts of the Englifh to intercept them, that though Raleigh
was now difappointed of his defign on the Wefl-Indies, yet the great
Eafl-lndiacarrack before mentioned made amends for his expenfe of the
equipment of fifteen fhips for the Wefl: -India expedition.
Whilfl; thofe enterprifes were made beyond fea, our general com-
niei'ce occalioning a gradual increafe of the fviburbs of London, the hu-
mour of difmal apprehenfions therefrom, which had moved Queen Eli-
zabeth to iflue a proclamation againfl; it in the year 1580, in this year
infeded the parliament fo far as to enaft, 1) That no new buildings
fhould be ereded within three m,iles of London or Weftminfter. II)
A, D. 1593- 203
That one dwelling-houfe, either in London or in Weflminfter, fliould
not be converted into more. Ill) That no inmates or underfitters (hould
be in the places aforefaid. IV) That commons or wafte grounds lying
within three miles of London ihould not be inclofed. And thereto was
added, V) That the length of a ftatute mile for the future fhould be
eight furlongs, each furlong containing forty poles or perches, and every
pole to contain iixteen feet and a half in length ; fo that an Englilh mile
was hereby to contain 1760 yards in length. [;^^ E/iz. c. 6.]
We may here obferve, that as this law was doubtlefs made by the in-
fluence of the landholders, with a view to prevent their people from
leaving the country to fettle in London, which made their rents fall, for
want of a fufficient demand (as they then imagined) for provifions, &c.
in their refpedive countries ; the landed gentlemen in our days under-
ftand their true intereft much better, and therefor have forborn fuch
fort of complaints, although the fuburbs of London be at leaf! four
times as large as they were then ; fince it is certain, that people from
the country fettling in London can afford to ufe and confume confider-
ably more in quantity, and better in quality, of the provifions, manu-
factures, &c. produced in the country, than the fame number of people
could have done, had they remained there.
Queen Elizabeth gave a commiflion to the enterprifing George Clif-
ford, earl of Cumberland, for fitting out any number of fhips of war
by him and his affociates, not exceeding fix, at his and their expenfe,
for annoying the dominions of Spain, or of any others not in amity
with her ; and fhe granted them the ufe of two of her own fliips of war,
to be vidiualled and manned at their expenfe, to join their own fhips.
The fpoils fhe empowers the earl to divide amongfl: the liibfcribers to
the expedition.
This fquadron, confi fling of eleven fliips, was deflined to intercept
the Portuguefe carracks bound to Eafl-India ; but failing of that, he
went and facked the ille of Lancerota, one of the Canary ifles. From
thence he failed to the Weft-Indies, and took the town of Porto Rico,
with an intent to fettle at it, and to make it the principal ftation for his
future enterprifes againft the Spaniards in thofe parts. He therefor
turned out all its inhabitants ; but by difeafes there he loft 700 men in
forty days, whereupon he returned home with lefs booty than glory.
The plague being now in the city of London, the queen ifllied a pro-
clamation, which fhews the antient greatnefs of Bartholomew fair in
that city, though now dwindled nito nothing, in fubftance as follows .
Whereas the licknefs is in fundry places in and about London ; to pre-
veiit its being communicated to other parts of the realm, fhe exprelsly
prohibits the keeping of Bartholomew fair, there being wont to be a
general refort of all kinds of people out of every part of the realm to
it ; therefor there fhould not be any market kept in the ufual place of
3. C c 2
204 A. D. 1 593*
Smithfield for any wares, nor flails or booths for merchandize ; but the
open place of Smithfield fhould this year be only for the fale of horfes
and cattle, and of ftall-wares, as butter, cheefe, and fuch like, in grofs,
and not by retail, and for two days only. And for the vent of woollen
cloths and linen cloth, to be fold in grofs, and not by retail, the fame
fhould be all brought within the clofe yard of St. Bartholomew's *,
where Ihops are there continued, and have gates to fhut the fame place
in the night-time ; and this to continue but three days. The fale of
leather to be kept in the outfide of the ring of Smithfield, as hath been
accuftomed, without ereding any fliops or booths for the fame. [Fce-
.dera, P'. xvi, p. 213] At this time it is faid that the account of the
numbers dying vi^eekly in London began to be kept, though it was not
till the year 1663 that the weekly bills of mortality were regularly kept,
thofe at this time being only taken occafionally, on account of the
plague.
Some Englifh fhips now made a voyage to Cape Breton, at the en-
trance of the bay of St. Laurence, for morfe and whale fifhing (fays
Hakluyt), which is the firll mention found of the later fifhery by the
Englifh ; and although they found no whales there, they however found
on an ifland 800 whale-fins, where a Bifcay fhip had been lofl three
years before ; and this too is the firfl mention of whale-fins or whale-
bone by the Englifh.
By the trade to Archangel, the Englifh were now well acquainted
with the northern feas, where they carried on a great fifliing, or hunt-
ing rather, for morfes (as the Ruffians called them f ), beyond the North
cape at Cherry ifland, fo named from Alderman Cheny, but called by
the Dutch Bear ifle. But it feems thofe amphibious creatures became
afterwards fo fliy, that the moment they faw any man they ran into the
fea ; whereupon the Englifli fell into the whale filliery, though not quite
fo early as this time.
It was enabled, that when wheat did not exceed the price of 20/ per
quarter, peas and beans 13/4., barley and malt 12/" per quarter, they
might be exported in Englifh fhips, paying cuftom, 2/ for wheat, and
1/4 for the other grain per quarter. [35 E/iz. c. 7.]
1594. — The parliament of Scotland now paiTed an a6l, that in refpedl
of the great dearth and Icarcity of flefli meat, the time of Lent fhould
be aicertained, viz. from the i ft of March to the ift of May inclufive ;
during which no flefh meat fliould be fold nor eaten but by fii,k per-
fons ; neither throughout the reft of the year fhould flelh meat be eaten
on Wednei'days, Fridays, and Saturdays. Moreover, neither lambs nor
calves under a year old fliould be flain before Whitfunday yearly. This
* Tliat clofe yard of St. Banliolomew's is now f The Englidi call them fea-h.irfes, c.nd the
called Cloth-fair. Dutch and French, fea cows.
A, D, 1594. 205
was merely a new political Lent, which did not pretend to have any
relation to religious abftinence. The landholders might furely have
more effectually promoted the increafe of fleili meac, by enabling their
tenants to take long leafes of their farms, whereby they might have had
time fufficient f jr railing fheep and oxen, and increafing their butter,
cheefe, poultry, &c. This law was doubtlefs very favourable to the
filheries of Scotland, which was probably the motive for enacting it.
The emperor Rodolph II having written a letter to Queen Elizabeth
in the preceding year refpeding the grievances daily complained of by
the maritime cities of the Baltic league (i. e. the Hanle towns), the
queen now difpatched Dr. Perkins as her envoy to the emperor to vin-
dicate her condud towards the German Steelyard merchants of the
Hanfe confederacy. That envoy gave the following account to the em-
peror's minifters, viz.
That the antient privileges which they formerly had in England, be-
caufe of their great abufe of them, and in confideration that they were
become incompatible with the good ftate of the realm, had been abro-
gated in the reign of Edward VI ; yet Queen Elizabeth, in the begin-
ning of her reign, granted them the trade of her own fubjeds, until at
length, in the year 1577, an alTembly of the Hanfe deputies at Lubeck
decreed to forbid the Englifli merchants trade at Hamburgh ; and yet
at this time, notwithftanding all their unkind dealing, her majefty of-
fereth them the privileges of her own fubjeds, in cale that they will
fuffer fome convenient trade to the Englifh merchants in their cities.
And for that, in all kingdoms, fome old uiages and privileges, by
change of circumftances, ufe to be taken away, efpecially if fome great
abufe of them happen, the Hanfes have no caufe to complain of Eng-
land, but of themielves ; wherefor it hath been taken fomewhat un-
kindly that a mandate of late hath been given (meaning by the empe-
ror) againfl the Englifli trade at Stoade *. [Fa^dt'/a, V. xvi, pp. 212,
253 — Catndeni Annales, L. iv. |
An engine was ereded at Broken-wharf, in London, for conveying
the Thames water into the feveral fl;reets of that city by leaden pipes
into every houfe. [Siow's Jlunalcs, p. i 279.]
The author of a Colledion of voyages undertaken by the Dutch Ead-
India company, and of an account of feveral attempts to find out ihe
north-eaft paffage (8vo, I703\ in his introdudion remarks, that ' if the
' Spaniards had not feized on the Hollanders' ihips, and expofed their
' perions to the rigour of the inquilition, probably they had never ex-
' tended their navigation beyond the Eairic lea, the northern countries,
' England, France, Spain, and its dependencies, the Mediterranean, and
* Tills claufe relates to the decree of the German diet, which Gilpin's dexterity had defeated, as
already noted. 3
2o6 A. D. 1594.
' the Levant.' But neceffity obliging that people to the pradice of
commerce, ' they were obliged to try new ways of getting by fea to far
' diflant countries, in order to avoid meeting with the Spaniards and
' Portuguefe.' Being debarred from failing to the Eaft-Indies by the
Cape of Good Hope, they determined to attempt a way thither by
fleering firft north-eaft, and then along the coaft of Tartary, in order
to reach China, Japan, India, &c. Accordingly, William Barents, with
three fhips, this year filled round Norway and Lapland, and to the
north coaft of Nova Zembla, but could go no farther for the ice ; and
yet thofe who returned home retained great hopes of fuccefs when far-
ther trial (hould be made.
Captain James Lancafter was now fitted out with three fhips by fome
merchants of London, and was joined by fome Dutch and French free-
booters. They took thirty-nine fhips from the Spaniards, and then at-
tacked the port of Fernambuc in Brafil, and took the lov/er town and
haven, driving the inhabitants to the upper town. There they loaded
fifteen fhips with the merchandize of a great Eaft-India carrack, which
had been wrecked there, and w^ith fugar, Brafil wood, and cotton, and
returned home fiife. [Ca??ideri's Elizabeth, Englijh edition, 1635, p. 434.]
1595 The flates of Holland, and Maurice prince of Orange, now
fent out Barents with feven fhips on a fecond attempt for a north-eaft
paflage, through Wavgare's ftraits, between the fouth fhore of Nova
Zembla and the north coafl of Samoieda ; but after many endeavours
to pafs the ftraits, they were fo obftruded by ice from the Tartarian
fea that they were obliged to return home this flime year.
In Strype's edition of Stow's Survey of London, we find, that in con-
feqaence of the calamitous dearth of corn in the preceding year, the
lord mayor ordered a furvey of the number of poor houiekeepers with-
in his juriididion, which amounted to 4132 ; io that, allowing them to
be about a fourth part of all the houfes in London, the whole might be
about 17.000 houies, though at prefent about 24,000. This increafe
is ow'ng to I'undry void fpaces being built up into ftreets and courts
fince the reformation from popery, and alfo later, fince the great con-
flagration in the year 1666. This cannot be more clearly evinced than
by one fingle inflance. viz. that before the conflagration, all that large
court named Exchange-alley, fronting the fouth gate of the Royal ex-
change, quite through into Lombard-ftreet fouth, and into Birchin-lane
eaft, whereon are now fi many lofty edifices, was then but one fingle
merchant's houfe and garden ; and the like may be inflanced of fundry
other places in the city. Vet, by the farther great increafe of com-
merce, the merchants and wholefale dealers of London now begin ra-
ther to k-tffen the number oi" houies, and confequently of inhabitaiits,
by turning many dv/el!ing-houres into ftorc-houfes for merchandize.
Moreover, by a laie flatute {^^iZ ^'■''^- ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^V ^^ London is em-
A. D, 1595. ^307
powered to make new openings and llreets therein, for the conveniency
and ornament thereof, in which a confiderable progrefs has aheady been
made.
The vafl increafe of the fuburbs of London toward the clofe of Queen
Ehzabeth's reign demonftrates the great increafe of the commerce of
England better than a whole volume of fpeculative reafoning. It is not
material to make different feclions thereof, and therefor we have brought
theni all together, whether a little before or after this year.
It feems that about this time the grounds called Spitalfields began to
be built on for weavers, &c. as was alfo Hog-lane in that part which
had lately had fair rows of elm-trees all along, now turned into houfes,
on both fides, from Houndfditch to Whitechapel church.
' In the middle of this century there was not a fingle houfe between
' St. Catherines and Wapping ; but now there is a continued fi:reet
' from the tower all along the river, almofl as far as Radclitf, inhabited
' by failors and viftuallers.
* Northward the fuburbs have been lefs increafed than on the eaft
' and weft fides ; yet there was an increafe about this time on that fide
* alfo. Where the buildings on the weft fide of Smithfield ftand, was
' formerly a very large pond of water ; and where the place called the
* Sheep-pens is, was a field with growing elms, and the place of execu-
' tion for criminals. Afterward, in King Henry VI's reign, they be-
* gan to build the fpace between the faid pond and the river of Wells
* (now Turnmill brook), which runs into Fleet-ditch ; and afterward
' that pond was drained and built on, and fo down that ftreet now
' called Cow-lane, and alfo Chick-lane, and Hofier-lane, &c. ; fo that
' the buildings there are fo increafed, that now remaineth not one tree
' there.'
Some other additions were made about Clerkenwell, about or near
this time, where the fields, gardens, and avenues of the great priory of
St. John of Jerufalem, and alio the convent on the north fide of Clerk-
enwell green, ftood, &c.
Weftward (without Newgate), the great ftreet named Holborn, and
its contiguity, has been gradually built quite up to the village of St.
Giles's in the fields. [Stow's Survey — HowcWs Lond'mopolis.'] But as the
greateft increafe thereabout was chiefly in the next century, we muft
refer thereto.
Queen Elizabeth had written to King Chriftiern IV of Denmark for
his leave that a merchantman of Harwich might freely refort for fifliing
to the fmall ifle of Weftmony, adjacent to the great ifland of Iceland, as
in former years. The Danifli king aniwered, that her fubjeds had been
prohibited from reforting thither, becaufe they took the liberty of fre-
quenting it without Hiking leave, contrary to antient treaties : but if
they would comply with thofe antient treaties, they fiiould be free to
2o8 A. D. 1595,
fifli at Iceland, the port of Weflmony alone excepted ; the fifhery of
that port being now, as well as antiently, appropriated for the ufe and
fervice of his own court. [Fa'dera, V. xvi, p. 275. 1
Sir Walter Raleigh having in the preceding year fent out a fhip for
making difcoveries in the country of Guiana, of which he had, unhap-
pily and fatally, formed very exalted ideas with refped: to its immenfe
treafures and great cities, from falfe information, this year failed thi-
ther himfelf with feveral fhips, and many worthy and experienced gen-
tlemen and mariners. He firft feized the fort on the ifle of Trinidad,
where he learned that Guiana extended above fix hundred miles up-
from that coafl ; and there he alfo received abundance of frefli but very
falfe accounts of rich mines and great cities, and particularly the vaft
and rich city named El Dorado, or Manoa, the fuppofed capital of Gui-
ana. On this romantic prefumption, Raleigh, with an hundred men in
boats, failed four hundred miles up the great river Oronoque, enduring
great fatigues for a whole month, but without meeting with any great
city, though he faw many Indian nations on its banks : but it begin-
ning to fwell on account of the approach of their winter, he found him-
felf obliged to return to his fhips before he could reach that imaginary
golden city : he is, however, faid to have brought back fome plates of
gold, which he had obtained from the bordering nations who traded'
with Guiana. He had, it is faid, been encouraged to this attempt by
his coufin the lord admiral Howard, and by Sir Robert Cecil fecretary
of ftate, to whom he dedicated his account of it.
In this fime year, Sir Amias Prefton, with three fhips, burnt Porto
Santo at the Madeiras ; thence failing to the Weft-Indies, he deftroyed'
fome of the Spaniards' towns there (poorly defended doubtlefs), and re-
turned home with fome booty, though probably lefs in value than the
expenfe incurred. And Sir Francis Drake, with fix of Queen Eliza-
beth's own fliips, twenty-one private fhips and barks, and 2500 men,
failed from Plymouth to the Weft-Indies, where (the Spaniards know-
ing of their coming) he did but little execution againfl their towns ; fo
well had they now fortified almofl every where, being fufficiently warn-
ed by former diikfters : there he fought with part of a Spanilh fleet
fent againft him, with little advantage. Next he attempted with 750
men to get crofs the ifthmus of Darien to Panama on the South fea, but
the Spaniards had fo fortified the roads that they were forced to come
back t) their fnips. In their return homeward, both Sir Francis Drake
and Sir John Hawkins (two mofl gallant commanders) died at, and were
buried ia, their element, — the fea.
The officers and failors of the Dutch fhips which had been fent laft
year to try a pafTage by the north-eaft to China and India giving ftill
great hopes of being able to find fuch a paflcige, v/hich they computed
would be about 2000 miles nearer than the ufual way, the ftates-general
A. D. 1595. 209
and the prince of Orange were encouraged to fend out feven (hips, un-
der Barents again, with all forts of merchandize, and with money to
trade with, hoping to get through Waygat's ftraits. Their fmalleft fhip
was direded to return with the news of the other fix fhips having doubled
cape Tabin, which was counted the extreme point of Tartary, or, at
leafl, when they fhould be gone far enough to fleer to the fouthward,
without being in danger from the ice ; but finding the fame obftruc-
tions in the ftrait, and yet more at the farther end of it, from the moun-
tains of ice at the entrance of the Tartarian fea, they returned to Hol-
land after they had been four months and an half on that voyage.
The Hollanders finding from their firfl attempt that it was apparent-
ly impradicable to fail to China and India by the north-eafl, at length
determined this year to force their way thither by the Cape of Good
Hope, which they performed with wonderful courage and fuccefs. Four
fhips failed from Holland in April 1 595, and returned home (all but
their biggeft and mofl leaky fhip, which they burnt) in twenty-nine
months, flufhed with fuccefs and big with hopes, though, by reafon of
the oppofition of the Portuguefe and Javanefe, it did not fully anfwer
expe6lation in point of prefent gain. This firfl: undertaking was fet on
foot by nine merchants of Amllerdam, with a capital of only 70,000
guilders.
From the arrival of the Dutch in India the Portuguefe juftly date the
ruin of their affairs in that country. Yet Dr. Gemelli Careri affigns
another very probable caufe of the decline of the Portuguefe in Eaft-
India, viz. their conqueft of Brafil ; for finding much more profit by
that rich colony, they flighted Eafl-India, and negleded to fend fuffi-
cient fupplies for preferving what they already poflefled there. This is
fo certain, fays Gemelli, that the king of Portugal was feveral times
in the mind of abfolutely abandoning Eaft-India, had not the million-
-aries made him fenfible, that if he did fo, all the chriftians of thofe
countries would again fall into idolatry and mahometanifm. To fay
the truth, one may venture to pronounce, that the original caufe of
their ruin in India was the too great number of their conquefis there,
too far afunder to be effectually fuccoured, whilfl they were engaged in
•war againft the Dutch in Europe, as well as in India and Brafil.
1596. — King Philip II of Spain again making great preparations
againfl England, Queen Elizabeth wifely determined by all means to
prevent his attempts on her coafts ; and as the beft means for that pur-
pofe would be to attack and annoy him in his own ports, for that end
ihe fent out 126 fhips of war, feventeen whereof were her own fhips,
the remainder being, as ufual, hired ones. They carried 7360 land-
foldiers ; and were joined by a Dutch fquadron of twenty-four fhips ;
all being under the command of the earl of Effex and the lord admiral
Howard. The gallant and fuccefsful attack and facking of the famous
Vol. II. D d
2IO A. D. 1596-
and ftrong port and city of Cadiz is in all our hiftories at large, and
therefor improper in this work to be enlarged on. There they burnt
and deftroyed much Chipping and more riches, and demoliflied all the
forts ; all which together were eflimated at twenty millions of ducats of
real lofs and damage to Spain. Much rich booty was brought home,
together with two galleons and a hundred brafs cannon, and two hun-
dred other pieces of ordnance were either taken or funk in the fea.
Eleven of the king of Spain's belt (hips, forty-four merchant fliips, and
an immenfe quantity of naval flores, ammunition, provifions, &c. were
deftroyed ; and for ranfom of their lives they agreed to give hoflages
for the payment qf 520,000 ducats. This, in fhort, was a very glorious
exploit, and did not a httle raife the credit of the queen, and of her
naval and land-forces, as well as of her minifters and commanders. In
this attack the Englifh employed fix fhips of Lubeck and Dantzick to
board the Spanilh galleons, the admiral being unwilling to hazard the
queen's own fhips.
Neverthelefs, Philip, determined on making reprifals for fo great an
infult, difgrace, and lofs, aflembled his whole marine force at Lilhon,
with all the foreign (hips in his ports; as alfo a body of land-forces, and
many Irilh fugitives, intending an invafion either of England or Ire-
land. But a violent tempeft arifmg, deflroyed the greateft part of his
fhips, whereby an end was put to the invafion for the prefent year.
Sir Anthony Shirly, after cruifing on the coafts of New Spain and
the Spanifh Weft-Indies, landed on the ifland of Jamaica, and having
plundered St. Jago de la Vega its principal town, left the ifland.
Sir Robert Dudley and others fent out three fhips with intent to trade
to China, of which, and its rich commerce, the Englifh had heard fo
much. Wood, the commander in chief, had Queen Elizabeth's letters
to the emperor of China. But all that we know of this unfortunate
voyage is, that they never got fo far as Eaft-India ; but after encoun-
tering ftorms, ficknefs, and famine, were at length driven on the Spa-
nifn Weft-Indies, having only four men left alive, who were made pri-
feners, and their fliips ieized. [Purcbas, B. iii, c,§ 2.]
In this year the Hollanders attempted a third (and the laft) time a
north-eaft pafTage to China, but were very unfortunate therein, lofing
one of their two fliips ; and Barents, with fuch men as were left alive,
wintered miferably in Nova Zembla, and out of their battered fliip fit-
ted out a Imaller one, and with infinite hazards and difficulties return-
ed home to Holland, Barents, however, dying in his return.
1597. — Two laws were made at this time for relief of the aged and
maimed poor ; the one was for the amendment and improvement of a
law [35 E/iz. r. 4.] for charging every parifh with a weekly tax for the
relief of fick, hurt, and maimed foldiers and mariners, by enabling any
perion to ered for thofe purpofes hofpitals and houfes of corredion, and
A. D. 1597. 211
for that end to purchafe goods or lands, not exceeding the yearly value
of 200I. ; the other laid a farther tax on every parifh for the relief of
foldiers and mariners, the higheft rate of any parifh being eightpence,
and the lowefl twopence, weekly. [39 Eliz. cc. 5, 21.]
We have a fecond inftance this year of the fallibility of fome ads of
parliament relating to commerce, in a corroboration [39 Y.U%. c. 1 1] of
an adl [23 Eliz. c. 9] which ' prohibited the ufe of logwood or block-
' wood in the dying of cloths, 8cc. as a pradice falie and deceitful ; di-
* reding all logwood, wherever found, to be burnt, and that neither
* cloth nor wool fhould thereafter be dyed therewith *.' Neverthelefs,
in after times, logwood has proved extremely profitable, ufeful, and pro-
per in dying. And it is in our days found to be a great inconveniency
to our commerce that our logwood-cutters are perpetually difturbed in
the bay of Campechy by the Spaniards, pretending an exclufive proper-
ty in that bay, though never yet planted by them, as will be feen under
the year 1662 and 171 7.
The parliament of Scotland again prohibited the exportation of wool,
and ordained, that craftfmen flrangers be brought home for working it
up. \^AB, Ja. VI, pari. 15, c. 250, ed. Murray.'] They laid a duty of
five per cent on all foreign cloth and other merchandize imported; but
allowed peers, barons, and freeholders, without paying any cuflom, to
fend their own goods beyond fea, for their own particular ufe ; and to
import wines, cloths, and other furniture, only for their own particular
ufe, but not to make merchandize thereof, conformable to the laws and
liberties granted to them before. [Pari. 15, f. 251.] This ill-judged
exemption fruftrated the whole intent of the ftatute, as the landed men
of every country (and eminently fo of Scotland), with their retinues,
were then the great bulk of the people, and undoubtedly the principal
confumers of foreign merchandize ; befides, that under colour of the
above exemptions, many frauds might be, and doubtlefs were, com-
mitted.
They alfo prohibited the importation of Englifh woollen goods ; the
fame cloth (fays the ad) having only for the moft part an outward fliow,
wanting that fubflance and flrength which ofttimes it appears to have,
and being one of the chief caufes of the tranfportation of gold and fil-
ver out of this realm : — the only true and folid reafon for this law.
{Pari. I S, c. 252.]
They enaded this fame year, that three new towns be ereded in difr
ferent parts, for the better entertaining and continuing of civility and
* The Englifli were not infenfible of the utih'ty for Perfia, therefor recommended to him to endea-
of logwood in dying, but they were ignorant of vour to learn the method of fixing the colour given
tlic method. Mr. Hakluyt, in liis inllruftions to by it. 31.
Hubbiethorne the dyer, when he was fetting out
Dd 2
212 A. D. 1597.
polity within the Highlands and ifles, viz. one in Kentire, one in Loch-
aber, and a third in the ifle of Lewis *. [Par/. 15, c. 263 f.]
At this time the interefi; of the Hanfeatic and imperial cities of Ger-
many, coinciding with that which the crown of Spain had at the impe-
rial court, produced a mandate from the emperor Rodolph to the town
of Staden no longer to entertain the comptoir or company of the Eng-
lifli merchant-adventurers. [Fcedera, V. xvi, /». 326.] Being thus forced
to leave Staden and all other parts of the German empire, the company
was invited to fettle in Groningen. At the fame time the town of Emb-
den and the dukes of Holftein and Brunfwick wrote to Queen Elizabeth,
profefling, though they were obliged to fubmit to the emperor's order,
their readinefs to ferve her in any other refpeft %. Wheeler, the hif-
toriographer of the merchant- adventurers company, aflerts, that eleven
or twelve other towns in the Netherlands vied witla each other for the
refidence of the company.
The merchants of the Hanfe towns flattered themfelves that Elizabeth
would gladly reflore their antient privileges in England, in order to re-
cover thofe of the Englilh merchant-adventurers in Germany ; but her
intentions were very different ; for, knowing that their privileges were
repugnant to the great commercial interefts of England, after demand-
ing, for the lake of decorum, a revocation of the imperial edid:, fhe,
w'ithout further delay, dired:ed a commilTion to the mayor and fheriffs
of London to fhut up the houfe inhabited by the merchants of the Hanfe
towns at the Steelyard in London ; and moreover, ordered all the Ger-
mans there, and every where elfe throughout England, to quit her do-
minions on the very day on which the Englilh were obliged to leave
Staden ; whofe expulfion thence was, it feems, deferred till now. From
this time the place called the Steelyard was never again applied to that
ufe.
At our final parting with the Steelyard merchants, we may obferve
that they had in old times been a kind of a bank for our kings when-
ever they wanted money at a pinch ; but they were fure to be v/ell paid
in the end for fuch affiftances.
The capture of fixty of the Hanfe towns ftiips, loaded with corn and
naval flores for Spain, in the year 1589, by the Englifli, widened the
* Notliing appears to have been done in confe- 468, 490.] It wat refervcd for a Dutch colony
qucnce of this art till the year i6o2 (hnt accord- to introduce fifhing and trade in Lewis, and to
ing to Moyle 1599), vvhen the ifland of Lewis build the village, or burgh, of Stornoway, which
was granted (as countries in America were about was till a few years ago the only town in the Weft-
tliis titne) to fome gentlemen of Fife ; the colony em iilands. M.
being drawn from that maritime (hire, as fuppofed f Many other laws for the regulation of cotn-
rxquainted with the fifhery, ' afource from luh'ich merce and police were enafted by tlic Scottifli
• Scotland ov^ht naluvaUy to derive great luealih.' parliament in this feflion. M.
But the refiilance of the iflanders frnftrated the X The duke of Brunfwick appears to have had
fcheme. A fecond attempt was made in 1605' a penfion of 500 merks a-year from Elizabtth,
with no better fucccfs. \_Spotf'Vjood' s htjiory, p^i.
A. D. 1597. 213
breach with the Hanfeatics, which doubtlefs proved greatly beneficial
to England in the end; for the Englifh found means to get their cloths,
&c. imported into Germany, though not in fo open and dired; a man-
ner as before : and the merchant-adventurers company have obtained
a flourilliing refidence at the city of Hamburgh even to this day.
From Sir William Monfon's Naval trads [printed in Churchiirs Collec-
tion of 'Voyages, V. iii] it appears that the earl of Cumberland was the
firft Englifli fubjed that built a fhip fo large as eight hundred tons bur-
den ; which fhip, with fome others, he now employed in an expedition
at his own private expenfe againfl: Spain.
This year there was a definitive treaty concluded (at Weflminfter)
with the fi:ates-general of the feven United provinces, concerning the
payment of the money expended in their defence, being L8oo,ooo
Sterling by computation ; alfo for what fhould afterward be expend-
ed ; and moreover, for the redelivery of the cautionary towns ; alfo for
the ftates aflifi:ing England with thirty or forty fhips of war in cafe of
being attacked by Spain. All that has any immediate relation to our
general fubjed, is the flender burden of thofe fhips of war, fo very fhort
of fuch in our days, viz. the one half of them were to confifl: each of
200 tons burden, and the other half of betw^een 100 and 200 tons.
\F(xde)-a, V. xvi, p. 340 — Collecfion of treaties, V. \\, p. 120, ed. 1732.].
1598. — The Englifli merchants trading to Denmark complained of
the Danifh oflicers violently feizing their merchandize \ to which the
Danes replied, that thofe good*- were juftly condemned by the laws of
Denmark, as not having been truely entered at the cuftom-houfes, viz;
fkins, tin, cloth, &c. fhort entered. This fiiffnefs of the Danifh court
(then favouring the Spaniards) produced a fliarp remonfl^rance from the
queen, which procured a remillion of fo much of the confifcations as
amounted to 30,000 dollars : but, on the other hand, the king of Den-
mark demanded redrefs from Queen Elizabeth for certain piracies of
the Englifli on his fubjeds ; for now (lays Camden, in his Hiftory of
Queen Elizabeth) there began to grow controverfies about fuch matters,
me-ining the carrying of contraband goods, as naval ftores, &c. to the
Spaniards.
The feveral trials for a north-weft paffage to China, by Hudfon's and
Davies's flraits, and for a north-eaft paflage on the north fide of Nova-
Zembla, or through the ftraits of Way,y,atz, and the annual voyages to
Archangel, had fo accuftomed the Enghfh to thofe boifterous feas, that
iovji of the Rullia con.pany now occafionaily commenced, for the firft
time, the filhery l-or whales near Spitzbergen, where thofe huge animals
are found in greater numbers than any where elie that we yet have dif-
covered *•,
* Thi abundance of whales in the S<'-' ■■■ ~. ciui'.e uakno'.vn in Mr. AnJerLn>'s dine. M.
214 A. D. 1598.
The Dutch Eaft-India merchants now fent out Heemfkerck on a
fecond voyage to Eaft-India, with eight fliips ; who returned home in
the year 1600, laden with the five ufual kinds of fpices, viz. cinnamon,
pepper, cloves, nutmegs, and mace.
And fo fond were the Dutch of this trade, that they would not wait
for the return of thofe eight (hips, but in 1599 fent out three other
fliips ; and fo they went on yearly, making vaft returns of profit to the
proprietors, all Europe being in thofe times extremely fond of fpices, to
a much greater degree than at prefent.
The Hollanders now alfo fent out four fliips, commanded by Oliver
Van Noort, on a new adventure, which, after various accidents, fail-
ed through Magellan's fl:raits into the South fea ; and thence on to
the Eaft-Indies, where they had fundry encounters with the Spaniards
and Portuguefe : and after fome trading for pepper, they returned home
by the Cape of Good Hope ; this being the fourth navigation round
the globe ; but the firfl: performed by the Dutch.
1599. — ^^^^ route to Archangel was fo well known, and fo much fre-
quented at this time, that, according to Werdenhagen, the Hanfeatic
hiftorian, even fo far as from Venice, at leafl: one fliip annually reforted
thither for commerce. So much was all Europe by this time improved
in the arts of commerce and navigation.
The queen, by proclamation, fl:ri(ftly enjoined all letter-of-marque
fliips to give fecurity before they fet fail, not to injure the fubjeds of
nations in amity with her ; and as fome complaints of piratical pradices
by fuch fliips had been made by the Danes and French, flie appointed
commiflioners to inquire into, and redrefs them. IFoedera, V. xvi, p.
362.]
At this time (according to Grotius' Annals of the Netherlands) the
fea ports of Holland, and other parts of the united provinces, generally
built 20CO new fliips every year. A thing almoft incredible, did it not
proceed from fo reputable and illuflrious an autlipr *.
King Henry IV of France (according to Mezeray) now prohibited all
foreign manufadures, as well of filk as of gold or filver, pure or mixed,
at the requefl: of the merchants of Tours, who undertook to make
quantities of fuch manufadures fufficient for the whole kingdom ; yer,
grafping at more than they could perform, and being alfo complained
of by the city of Lyons, (juftly fliled the golden gate of France), as
thereby deflroying their famous fairs, as well as leflening the king's
cufloms, that edid in favour of Tours was revoked. Yet (as Puffendorf
obferves) thofe new manufadures of France, and more efpecially that
of filk, did afterward draw great wealth into that kingdom.
• Surely all the boats muft have been included vefiels ever been built in the whole of the Britifli
in the number. In no one year have half fo many dominions. 71/-
A. D. 1599. 215
This year Queen Elizabeth fent John Mildenhall over land, by Con-
ftantinople, to the court of the great mogul, to apply for certain privi-
leges for the Englifh company, for whom (lie was then preparing a
charter for trading to Eaft-India, in which he was long oppofed by the
arts and prefents of the Spanifli and Portuguefe jefuits at that court,
whereby they prepoiTelTed the mogul againft the Englifh; fo that it was
feme years before he could entirely get the better of them *.
1600.— r-Elizabeth wrote to King Chriftian IV of Denmark, complain-
ing of his people, who had feized on fome Englifh fifhing vefTels on the
high leas northward, remote from land ; and fhe tells that king, ' that
' the high feas were free for fifhing by the confent of all nations ;' [Fa?-
dera, V. xvi, p. 395] which was her conftant flile on this fubjed. This
feizure was probably made fomewhere near Iceland or Norway, on pre-
tence of the Englifh not having firfl afked leave of the Danifli court
before they went to fifh in thofe feas, agreeable to a convention former-
ly made with Denmark. All difputes about the fifliing there are long
lince at an end.
In a treatife, entitled England's grievance difcoi'ered in 7-eIatioti to the
coal-trade (1655) we fee, that Newcaflle upon Tine had obtained char-
ters from King Henry III, Edward I, and III, Richard II, Henry IV,
and Queen Elizabeth ; the latefl of hers being in this year 1600, where-
in fhe defcribes it as a town of merchants, a mart or market of great
fame, and fluffed with a multitude of merchants dwelling therein :
and whereas it is an antient town, and has time out of mind had a cer-
tain guild or fraternity, called hoaft-men, for the difcharging and bet-
ter difpofing of fea-coals, grind-flones, rub-ftones, and whet-ftones, in
and upon the river and port of Tine, though not as yet incorporated ;
fhe therefor now (in the 43d of her reign, though that book by mif-
rake fays the 13th) ' incorporates them by the name of the governor,
* ftewards, and brethren of the fraternity of hoaft-men of Newcaftle.'
By this and former charters it appear, that this famous town had great
jurifdidion on the river Tine, from the fea feven miles above the town,
in point of navigation, admiralty jurifdidion, fifhery, &c. And alfo
that Newcaftle had been ferviceable to former princes in their wars, by
fupplying them with mariners and fhips, as, down to our own time, it
has ever been in all our naval wars.
Dr. Davenant, an able author, (in his New dialogues, V, \\,p. ^2,t ^d'
1 710) affirms, that the gold and filver coin at this time in England did
not exceed four millions, which were the tools we had to work with
* He alfo met with much trouble by meais of tend their corrcfpondence and trnde to India over
two Italian merchants at Agra. Tlie Italians, land. \_Purchas, B. iii, c. i, § 3 — Linfchotlou, pp.
who feem to have had no idea that the navigation 145, 154) ^5S' '9^> — ^"^ ^'^'- wbov^in tht vear
by the Cape of Good Hope was poflible to them, 1591O •'W.
had about this time made feveral attempts to ex-
ii6 A. D. 1600.
when we firft began to make a figure in the commercial world, which
was near that period of time.
Our own Turkey merchants firft, and the Dutch Eaft-India company-
next, who had got the ftart of us in the Eaft-India trade, keeping up
the price of pepper from 8/ to 4/ per pound, we being at war with
Spain, and fo could not get fpices from Liftjon at firft hand, Queen
Elizabeth now determined to enter her people direftly upon a commerce
to Eaft-India.
Accordingly, on the 31ft of December 1600, ftie granted a charter to
George earl of Cumberland, and 215 knights, aldermen, and merch-
ants, that, at their own coft and charges, they might fet forth one or
more voyages to the Eaft-Indians, in the country and parts of Afia and
Africa, and to the iflands thereabouts, divers of which countries, iflands,
Sec. have long fithence been difcovered by others of our fubjedis ; to be
one body politic and corporate, by the naine of the * governour and
* company of merchants of London trading into the Eaft-Indies ;' to have
fucceftion ; to purchafe lands, without limitation ; to have one governor
and twenty-four perfons, to be eleded annually, who ftiall be called
committees, jointly to have the dire6lion of the voyages, the provifion
of the fliipping and merchandize, alfo the fale of the merchandize, and
the management of all other things belonging to the company. Sir
Thomas Smith, alderman of London, was to be the firft governor, and
a deputy-governor to be eleded in a general court ; both the governors
and all the committees to take the oath of fidelity : as alfo, every mem-
ber to take an oath, before being admitted, to traffic as a freeman of
this company. The company, their fons, at twenty-one years of age,
their apprentices, fervants and fadors in India or elfewhere, may, for
fifteen years from Chriftmas laft, freely and folely trade, by fuch ways
and paflages as are already found out, or fliall hereafter be difcovered,
into the countries and parts of Afia and Africa, and all the iflands, ports,
towns and places of Afia, Africa, and America, beyond the Cape of
Good Hope to the ftraits of Magellan, where any traffic of merchandize
may be uled to and from every of them, in fuch manner as fiiall from
time to time be limited and agreed on at any public aflembly or general
court of the company, any ftatute, ufage, diverfity of religion or faith,
or any other matter to the contrary notwithftanding ; fo as it be not to
any country already poflefi^ed by any chriftian potentate in amity with
her majefty, who fliall declare the fame to be againft his or their good
liking. Either the governor or deputy-governor muft always be one in
general aflemblies, when they may make all reaibnable laws, conftitu-
lions, &c. agreeable to the laws of England, for their good government,
by plurality of voices, and may punifti, by fines and imprifonment, the
i)ffenders againft their laws. The queen grants to the company an ex-
e^mption from paying any cuftoms for the firft four voyages; and for
A. D. 1600. 217
cuftoms which fhall afterwards be payable for merchandize from India,
the company fhall be allowed to give their bonds, payable one half in
fix months, and the other half in fix months after. For merchandize
loft at fea outward bound, tlie culloms fliall be allowed to the company
out of the next cargo fhipped off. India merchandize, that fhall have
paid the cufloms, may, until the end of thirteen months, be re-exported
by any fabjcds without paying farther cufloms. I he company may
export in their firll voyage, now preparing, L30,ooo in foreign coin or
bullion, fo as at leafl L6000 thereof be firft coined in the queen's mint,
and the like for the fuhfequent voyages, provided the company firft
import at leaft fo much foreign coin or bullion in gold or filver mco this
realm, of which L60CO fhall be coined as aforefaid. The company
may fend yearly to Eafl-India fix good fhips and fix pinnaces, with 500
mariners, unlefs the navy royal goes forth. None of the queen's fub-
jeds, but the company, their fervants, or afligns, fhall refort to India
without being licenced by the company, upon pain of forfeiting fhips
and cargoes, with imprifonment till the offenders give Liooo bond to
the company not to trade thither again. Neverthelefs, for the encourage-
ment of merchant ftrangers and others to bring in commodities into the
realm, the queen gives power to the company to grant licences to trade
to Eaft-India ; and fhe promifes not to grant leave to any others to trade
thither during the company's term vi^ithout their confent. The majori-
ty of any general meeting of the company may admit apprentices, fer-
■'ants, fadtors, &c. to the fellowfliip or freedom of the company. The
filver to be exported fhall only be Hiipped at the ports of London, Dart-
mouth, and Plymouth, and lliall be duely entered by the cuftomhoufe
ofRcers, without paying any cuftom for the fame. Gold and filver im-
])orted fliall be entered before landing the fame. Provided, that in cafe
this charter fhall hereafter appear not to be profitable to the crown and
realm, then, upon two years notice to the company, their charter fliall
ceafe and determine : but if otherwiie, then the queen promifes, at the
end of the faid fifteen years, upon the company's iliit, to grant them a
new charter for fifteen years longer. This is the fame Eafl-India com-
pany which, through many various viciifitudes, exifled under the fame
denomination till the year ijoli, when it was ablbrbed in the prefent
united company of merchants of England trading to the Eall-Indies.
N. B. The original fhares fubfcribed were L50 each.
About the cloie of the fixteenth century decimal arithmetic was in-
vented by Simon Stevin of Bruges. \lVuttou''s Refle3ioTis upon autient and
modern learning, c. -50.]
i6or. — The patentees of the Englifh Eafl-India company immediately
ralfed the fum of L72,ooo, (though not in one joint ffock or common
capital, as in fucceeding times, there having been no joint flock in this,
company till the year 1*5^3), and this year fent out their firft fleet for
Vol. II. E c 2
2i8 A. D. 160T.
India, commanded in chief by Captain James Lancafler, having one
fhip of 600 tons, oPC of 300, two of 200 each, and one of 130 tons, as
victualler to the whole fleet, carrying 480 men, and L27,oooin money *
and goods, the remainder of the L7 2. coo being abforbed in the pur-
chafe of the fhips, artillery, ammunition, provifions, &c. At Acheen,
in the ifle of Sumatra, they loaded fome of their ihips with pepper ;
but not meeting with enough, and failing thence for the flraits of
Malacca, they completed their cargoes by the capture of a Portuguefe
fhip of 900 tons, loaded with calicoes, &c. and I'ailing thence to Ban-
tam, they delivered the queen's letter and prefents to the king, as they
had before done the like to the king of Acheen, and both kings fent
letters and prefents for Queen Elizabeth, and granted privileges to the
company. So, having fettled fadors at Bantam, they failed hbmeward,
and arrived in the Downs in September 1 603, having made this firft
voyage profperoufly in two years and feven months.
Sir William Monfon, in his Naval trads, obferves, upon the Eaft-
India company's fending out their firfl fleet, the Eafl:-India trade was
written againft in England, and was alfo briefly anfwered under the
following heads, viz.
I) It exhaufls our treafure.
* Anfiver. We may by this trade draw as much filver from other
* countries as we fend to India.'
II) It will deftroy our mariners by the great difference of climates.
' Anfwer. As long voyages breed the beft; mariners, this of Eafl-India
' will rather increafe than diminilh their number.'
III) It will be the decay of our fhipping by the worms, unlefs (heath-
cd with lead.
' Anfiver. So far from this, it will be the increafe of our fliipping,
* by maintaining eight or nine fhips of each 1000 or 1200 tons, which
' are larger than any v/e now ufe, and which on occafion may be
' of greater fervice to the nation than all the other fliipping of Lon-
' don.'
IV) It will obflrud the vent of our woollen cloth, in return for which
we now take fpices, &c. from Turkey, which our Eafl-India trade,
bringing more cheap to us, will prevent.
' Anfwer. This inconvenience will fall only on the Turkey company,
' whole fpices, 8cc. come to us at the third hand, whereas they will
' now come to us at the firfl hand from India.'
V) More fpices will be brought home than we can vend.
' Aufwer. Our own nation, the Eafl country, and RufTia, will con-
' fume more than we can bring home.
* The money was Spanifli j whence it appears that the Spaniards were already the diggers and
that even during tlie long continued hoftilities, importers of bullion for the ufe of the mere induf-
Englifli goods found their way into Spain, and trious nations. &•# Parc/ja^, Z,. iii, f. 3, J i. M.
A. D. i6oi. 219
VI) The fource of our Eail -India trade was the fee ret malice of feme
againft the Turkey company.
' Anfwer. If the Eaft-Tndia trade proves beneficial, it ought to be
* purfued without regarding private grudges ; and men would not ven-
' ture fuch great ftocks in it, if they did not think it fo *.'
To thefe obje6tions, fays Sir William Monion, the anfwers are in the
mainjuft, after twenty-five years experience ; f but he adds, that the
bane of that trade in his time was, their having triple the number of
eight or nine (liips at firfl propofed for this trade, thereby over-cloyed ;
whereby alfo the prices of Eaft-India merchandize were enhanced there.
And moreover, it drew mighty flocks of money to maintain it, where-
by all the kingdom imputed the fcarcity of money to it.
Werdenhagen obferves [F". ii, p. 19] that till the beginning of the
feventeenth century the merchants of Hamburgh, and fome others of
the Hanfe towns, made regular annual voyages up the Mediterranean
fea, as far as Venice, to their great profit ; but now thofe of Amfter-
dam getting into that trade, fo completely vv^ormed the Hanfeatics out
of it, that at length the Hamburghers had no other trade left to them
with Venice, but to fell their large fhips there, and return home over-
land. This author farther fays, that they formerly traded alfo to Flo-
rence, Genoa, and Meflina, for filk, in exchange for their corn ; and
the fhips of Lubeck, Wiimar, and Straelfund, then alfo ufed to fre-
quent the ports of Spain, till fupplanted therein alfo by the more dex-
terous Hollanders.
Wl:ieeler, the advocate and fccretary of the merchant-adventurers
company of England, and the great antagonifi: of the Hanfeatics, who
wrote in this year, pleafes himfelf not a little, that the latter were then
fo much decayed in power and flrength, as that the flate need not
greatly to fear them ; for as the caufes, which made the Hanfe towns of
eftimation and account in old times, were the multitude of their fhip-
ping and fea-trade, whereby they ftored all countries with their eaflern
commodities (naval flores, fJax, hemp, linen, iron, copper, corn, &c.)
* With refpefl: to thefe anfwers to the objec- largely in that fpice, as it ever will probably be in
tions againft an Ead-India trade, we may biicfly moll general demand all over the world by all ranics
note, that the anfwer to the firil is in our days and conditions of people. Yet it is coiifefled, that
flrongly coiifnmtd ; for the le-exportaticn of Eall- the afftrrtion m the anfwer to the fixth objedion is
India goodi brings back a much greater balance far from being conchifive with refpeft to the ge-
from toreign nations than all the bullion we fend neral benefit, lince there may be branches of com-
to India. And with relation to the fifth, the niercc very beneficial to the mercliant, which may
Dutch company having foon after got pofftfllon be, at the fame time, pernicious to the public,
of the coaft of Ceylon, in which alone the bed As the trade from England to Eaft- India is be-
cmnamon is produced, and the iile of Ambovna come of fo great importance to the public, and
being the bell for cloves, and the Molucco iflcs employs fo vaft a capital, we fliall throughout the
ifor nutmegs and" mace, the Englifh company ha^c remaining part of our woik take fpecial cognizance
long fince been excluded from thofe fpices at the of all debates and reafonings for and againil it, and
ftrd hand ; only pepper abounding in fo many dif- of all the material alterations and changes in it.
fcient parts of India, our company muft ever deal \ He wrote his Naval trails in 1625.
2. E e 3
1220 A. D. I 60 1.
and ferved princes with their large and (lout fliips In time of war, we
iliall find at this time they have in a manner loft both the one and
the other long ago, when compared with what they formerly were.
And if her majefly (liould forbid all trade into Spain, after the example
of other princes, they would in fliort time be quit of the reft ; for
that trade is their chiefeft fupport at this inftant. Befides, of the fc-
venty-two confederate Hanfe towns, fo much vaunted of, what remains
almoft but the report ? And thole which remain, and appear by their
deputies, when there is any aflembly, are they able, but with much
ado, to bring up the charges and contributions, &c. for the defence
and maintenance of their league, privileges, and trade in foreign parts
and at home ? Surely no ! for moft of their teeth are out, and the reft
but loole, &c.
The main aim of this author was to confute the allegations of the
Hanfe towns at the German diet, that the compatiy of merchant-ad-
venturers was a proper monopoly, as well as the attempts at home of the
fcparate traders, who were equally that company's opponents.
Although what we have, in different parts of this work, already ex-
hibited concerning the Englifli merchant-adventurers company, may
feem fufficient to explain its nature, as being merely what is known in
England by the name of a regulated company, yet we thought a farther
authentic defcription of it by Wheeler their fecretary migtit once for
all be acceptable, viz.
The compatiy confifts of a great number of wealthy merchants of
divers great cities and maritime towns. Sec. in England, viz. London,
York, Norwich, Exeter, Ipfwich, Newcaftle, Hull, 8cc. Thefe of old
time linked themfelves together for the exercife of merchandize, by
trading in cloth, kerfeys, and all other, as well Englifti as foreign, com-
modities, vendible abroad, whereby they brought much wealth home
to their repedive places of refidencc. Their limits are the towns and
ports lying between the river of Somme in France, and along all the
coafts of the Netherlands and Germany, within the German fea ; not
into all at once, at each man's pleafure, but into one or two towns at
moft within the faid bounds, v.dnch they commonly call the mart town
or towns, becaufe there only they ftapled their commodities, and put
them to fale, and thence only they brought fuch foreign wares as Eng-
land wanted, and which were brought from far by merchants of divers
nations ilocking thither to buy and fell as at a fair. The merchant-ad-
venturers do annually export at leaft 60,000 white cloths, worth at leaft
L6oo,coo, and of coloured cloths of all forts, kerfeys, bays, cottons, north-
ern dozens, and other coarie cloths, 40,000 cloths more, worth L400,ooo,
ill all one million Sterling, befide what goes to the Netherlands from
England, of v.7oolfels, lead, tin, faffron, coney-fkins, leather, tallow, ala-
bafter, corn, beer, &c. And our company imported, viz. of the Dutch
A. D. i6oi. 221
and German mercliants, Rhenifh wines, fuftlans, copper, ftecl, hemp,
onion-feed, iron and copper wire, latten, kettles, pans, linen, harnefs,
faltpetre, gunpowder, and all things made at Nurmberg (fuch as toys,
fmall iron ware, Ss-c.) Of the Italians, all forts of filks, velvets, cloth
of gold, &c. Of the Eafterlings, naval (lores, furs, foap, aOies, &c.
Of the Portuguefe, fpices and drugs. With the Spanifh and French
they (/. e. the ftaple of Antwerp) had not much to do, by reafon that
our Englifh merchants have had a great trade diredly to France and
Spain, and fo ferve England diredly from thence with the commodities
of thofe two countries. Of the Netherlanders they buy all kinds of
manufadures, tapeflry, buckrams, white thread, incle, linen, cambrics,
lawns, madder, &c. Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy and fovereign
of the Netherlands, the founder of the order of the golden fleece, gave
the fleece for the badge of that order, in confideration ol the great re-
venue accruing to him from the tolls and cufloms of our wool and
woollen cloth *.
The firfl; account f we meet with of any French fhips fiited out for
Eaft-India, is in this year, when a company of merchants in St. Malo
fitted out two fliips, one of which was cafl: away at the Maldive iflands,
where the crew were detained as prifoners for fome time, and after-
wards got home to France. Laval, who writes the account of their un-
fortunate voyage, fays nothing of the fuccefs of the other fliip.
After many inetfedual laws for the fupport of the poor, an adl was
now palTed [43 E/iz. c. 2] prefcribing nearly the prefent method of
colleding the poors rates, by overfeers in every parifli : yet notwith-
fl:anding the various alterations and amendments which the laws relat-
ing to the poor have undergone, it is ftill the opinion of every obferv-
ing perfon, that the poor might be taken care of at a much lower ex-
penfe than by the prefent method ; and that the fliameful nuifance of
common beggars and vagabonds might alio be eftedually prevented,
were a proper committee of gentlemen and merchants, with one or two
able and honefl; lawyers, to undertake the truly arduous, though not
abfolutely impra6licable talk, with patience and fleady relolution.
In this lame year thirteen (hips failed from Amfterdq,m for Eafl-In-
dia, w'hich returned in fafety.
A flatute was enabled [43 EH%. c. i 2] for awarding commillions to hear
and determine policies ot alTurances made among merchants, in the
preamble of which are the following \^ords : ' Whereas it hath been time
' out of mind an ufage amongfl: merchants, both of this realm and of
' foreign nations, when they make, any great adventure (fpecially into
• So fays Vv''!ieeli;r, but witliout authorily. M. with a ten ib'e florm at the Cape of Good Hope,
f So early as the year 1503, a voyage to In- he was driven iiyoii unknown coafts, and after
dia was undertaken by !ome merchants of Rouen, great havdfliips returned to Europe. \_Hi/l. ^htlof,
■ "" ~ "■■ Meeting et poUi'iqw, V. u, f: 1S2, f</. 1782.] Jlf,
222
A. D. 1601.
remote parts), to give feme confideration of money to other perfons
(which commonly are in no fmall number), to have from them afliir-
ance made of their goods, merchandizes, fhips, and things adven-
tured, or fome part thereof, at fuch rates and in fi>ch fort as the par-
ties affurers and the parties aflured can agree ; which courfe of deal-
ing is commonly termed a policy of affurance ; by means of which it
cometh to pafs, upon the lofs or perifhing of any fhip, there foUow-
eth not the undoing of any man, but the lofs lighteth rather eafily up-
on many than heavily upon few, and rather upon them that adven-
ture not, than upon thofe that adventure, whereby all merchants, fpe-
cially of the younger fort, are allured to venture more willingly and
more freely. And whereas heretofore fuch aflurers have ufed to Hand
fo juflly and precifely upon their credits, as few or no contro-
verfies have rifen thereupon ; and if any have grown, the fame have
from time to time been ended and ordered by certain grave and dif-
creet merchants appointed by the lord mayor of London,, until of
late years that divers perfons have withdrawn themfelves from that
arbitrary courfe, and have fought to draw the parties alTured to feelc
their moneys of every feveral aflurer, by fuits commenced in her ma-
jefty's courts, to their great charges and delays.' For remedy here-
of it was now enacted, ' that the lord chancellor (or keeper) do award
one general or {landing yearly commiffion, for the determining of
caufes on policies of allurances, fuch as now are or hereafter fhall be
entered within the office of alTurances within the city of London :
this commiffion to confift of the judge of the admiralty, the recorder
ofLondo'^,, tvv^o dodors of the civil law, two common lawyers, and
eight diicreet merchants, or any five of them ; which commiffion
ffiall have authority to determine all caufes concerning policies of af-
furance in a fummary way, fhall fummon the parties, examine wit-
nelles upon oath, and imprifon difobeyers of their decrees : they
fliall meet weekly at the office of infu ranee, on the weft fide of the
Royal exchange, for the execution of their commiffion, without fee
or reward ; and any who may think himfelf aggrieved by their de-
lerniin;).tions, may in two months exhibit his bill in chancery for a
re-examination of fuch decree, provided the complainant do firfl lay
down to the faid commiffioners the fum awarded ; and that the lord
chancellor or ke( p.^r may either reverfe or affirm the firft decree, ac-
cording to equity imd confcience ; and if he decrees againfl the af-
furers, double cofts fhall be awarded to the affiired. Lall:ly, no com-
miffioner fliall be either affiu'er or aflured.'
Affurance, or infurance, of fliips and merchandize on the feas feems
to have been in uie in England, upon the revival of commerce, fome-
what earlier than on the continent ; and Antwerp, v/hen in its meridian
glory, learned it from England : ' And whereas (fays Malynes's Lex
A. D 1 60 1.
223
' Mercatoria) the meetings of merchants in London were held in Lom-
' bard ftreet (fo called becaufe certain Italians of Lombardy kept there
' a pawn-houfe or lombard long before the Royal exchange was built),
' all the pohcies of infurances at Antwerp which then were and now
' (1622) yet are made, do make mention, that it (hall be in all things
* concerning the faid alTurances as was accuftomed to be done in Lom-
' bard ftreet in London, which is imitated alfo in other places of the
' Low Countries.'
The fenate of Staden wrote to fome great man of Queen EHzabeth's
court (not named), requefting him to alTure the queen of their readi-
nefs to receive the Englifti merchant-adventurers to refide in their town
as formerly, provided there be no monopoly or college, as they ftile it, of
the faid merchant-adventurers, fince they have learned that the imperial
court has become more favourable to the Englifh ; and that the em-
peror's mandate ftruck only at the monopoly, as what the Hanfeatics
oppofed. In the mean time all Engliih merchants in general may freely
refort to Staden. {Fosdera, V. xvi, p, 408.] But it was with a very bad
grace that the merchants of the Hanfe complained of monopolies, who
for three centuries had been the greateft monopolifts in Europe. We
may therefor confider this letter as merely complimentary.
The wars of Ireland having drained much of the money of England,
Queen Elizabeth coined fhillings, fixpences, threepences, and halfpence,
of a bafer allay than the Englifti Sterling coins, which flie fent into Ire-
land, as the only proper coins to pafs there ; and flie alfo erected an of-
fice of exchange between England and Ireland, for exchanging the faid
new money with fterling moneys of England, appointing the offices of
exchange to be at London, Briftol, and Chefter, in England, and Dub-
lin, Cork, Galway, and Carrickfergus, in Ireland, where twenty fliil-
lings Englifh money were to be exchanged for twenty-one fliillings Irifii.
\F(xdera, V. xv\, p. 414.]
King Henry IV of France, an able and penetrating prince, publiftied
an edidl for reducing the intereft of money in that kingdom to 6;^ per
cent. That king therein obferves, that high intereft had ruined many
good and antient houfes ; that it had obftruded commerce, tillage,
and manufadures, many perlons, through the facility of their gain by
intereft of money, chooftng rather to live idly in good towns on their
income arifing therefrom, than to labour in the raiore painful employ-
ments, in liberal arts, or in huftjandry.
It might have been expeded that the Englifti, now a nation of confi-
derable commerce, would have perceived the benefit of low intereft
fooner than France ; yet the fad was quite otherwife, for intereft was
not reduced in England from ten to eight till the year 1624, nor from
eight to fix per cent till fifty years after this time.
2 24 A. D. 1 6oi.
The many grants of monopolies were now found to be very detri-
mental to the general profperity, and petitions againft them were given
in to the parliament. The queen thereupon, before any application
was made Co her, took up the bufinefs herfelf, and cancelled mo ft of
the grants, leaving the reft to the due courfe of law. This prudent con-
dud of the fovereign was acknowjeged by an addrefs of thanks from
the houfe of commons.
1602. The Rullia and Turkey companies, at their joint expenfe,
fent two fly-boats of feventy and fixty tons, with thirty-five men, com-
manded by Captain George Waymouth, to make another attempt for
the north-weft paftage. Having penetrated to the latitude of 63 deg.
53 min. and finding the fea impalTable on account of the ice, he re-
turned home in July.
Queen Elizabeth fent Lord Ev,^re, Sir John Herbert, and Dr. Dunn,
as her plenipotentiaries, to Bremen, to treat wirh thofe of Denmark
concerning peace and commerce, and gave them the following inftruc-
tions.
I) Whereas there are certain treaties in the reigns of King Henry
Vn and King Henry VIII with the crown of Denmark, wherein cer-
tain places and ports in Denmark and Norway are afligned to our En-
glifti iubjeds, for the trade of fiftiery, habitation, and fuch like, which
our merchants at prefent are debarred the ufe of, you fliall omit the
fpecial naming thereof, contenting yourfelves rather to obtain for our
merchants a free trade and dealing in the king's dominions, and every
part thereof, in general terms ; the intention of this treaty being to
eftablifti good amity between us and our loving brother (King Chrif-
tian IVj for ever ; as aUo fome good means of (commercial) intei*-
courfe for our fubje6ls.
II) And with refpeft to intercourfe (i. c. commercial correfpondence
by treaty), you are to underftand that our merchants ufe very little
trade in the dominions of Denmark ; yet, in general terms, mention is
to be made of kind entreating our fubjeds on both fides, with liberty
to trade, paying the ordinary duties.
III) For coming, going, and abiding, and (which moft imports
our fubjed) for the intercourfe of our merchants with the Eaft
countries through the paflage of the Sound ; as alio of our merchants
of Muicovy by the Wardhuys, and of the fiihing of Iceland and Ward-
huys.
As to the pafliige of the Sound, our merchants have long fince, by
their humble iupplications, declared unto us that they are very much
abufed there, as well by dayly increafe of exadlons, as by the un-
certainties of the duties required, with taking light occafions to ft;ay
them, fearching their fliips, and confifcating their goods.
A. D. 1602. 225
IV) You may ferther declare, that as cufloms are grounded upon ac-
knowlegment of regality, for protedion, permiflion for coming in and
out, for maintaining deep bays and lights, for repairing ports, banks,
&c. fo ufe they to be urged with fome proportion to the ground thereof,
ever leaving means to the merchant-adventurer for recompenfe of his
venture and travail ; and that tolls otherwife taken are rather efteemed
wilful exadions than due and jufl cuftoms : and feeing, both by former
treaties, and for fafety in that pafTage (the Sound), tolls mufl be paid,
wherein doubtlefs you Ihall find them very ftrid (the beft part of that
king's revenue arifing from fuch perquifites), we leave you to confer
with the merchants what may be wrought for their reafonable fatif-
fadion.
Firfl;, concerning the hundredth penny, it is againfl: all reafon that
it ftiould be otherwife rated than according to the valuation which ap-
peareth by certificates from the magiftrate of the place whence the goods
came, and not in that place where he fhould be both judge and jury.
Secondly, it is a moft unjuft thing that the merchant (hould be put
to the proportion of entry of every particular in every pack, otherwife
than by certificate as aforefaid.
Thirdly, that in cafe of concealments the mixed goods be not con-
fifcated, but only what is concealed, or fome double or triple valud
thereof; for it is a great violence that merchants goods fhall be for-
feited for mariners faults, and it is contrary to two articles of the treaty
of 1490.
Fourthly, there muft alfo be a moderation of meafure of the lafts and
the lafl-geldt.
Fifthly, for paflage of the company of Mufcovy, there was a particu-.
lar contrad made in the year 1583, .at the humble fuit of the mer-
chants, whereunto for the time we gave our confent, with fome modi-
ficati
ion
*
But it is very unreafonable fervility to look for fuch a power over
another monarch, in a lea of fuch dimenfions as is between his coun-
tries and Iceland, when it is well known that none of our fliips do ever
come within fight of land. We may as well impofe the like toll upon
all (hips of his country that fliall pais through any of our channels, or
about our kingdoms. Concerning the fifhing at Wardhuys (at the
North cape, where the very fummer preceding the Danes had feized
and confifcated the fhips of Hull for filhing thereabout without a li-
cence from them) and in the feas of Iceland, the law of nations does
allow of fifliing in the fca every where, as alfo of ufing the coafts and
ports of potentates in amity for traffic, and for avoiding of danger from
* See above in the year 1583.
Vol. II. F f
226 A. D. 1602.
tempers*; wherefor no licence ought to be infifted on, as in old trea-
ties, for fifliing, &c. on that coaft ; for it cannot be admitted, that the
property of the fea, at what diftance foever, is confequent to the banks,
as it happeneth in fmall rivers, where the banks are proper to divers
men,; for then it would follow, that no fea were common, the banks on
every fide being the property of one or other.
To all which the Danifh king replied in this fame year in a letter to
the queen, by referring to old treaties between t.ngland and Denmark,
which Queen Elizabeth would not allow to be of any force in her days.
That king moreover in his turn complained of the depredations com-
mitted by certain EngUfli fliips on thofe of Denmark. [Foedera, V. xvi,
pp. 425, 441.]
Upon the whole, the queen's inftrudions are fo extremely well pen-
ned, and the reafonings fo juft for not obferving the obfolete reftridive
treaties, that it is humbly apprehended they may even be found ufeful
to minifters and ambafladors of the prefent and future times in fimilar
cafes, commercial and nautical.
Queen Elizabeth iffued a proclamation, prohibiting her fubjeds from
pirating on the (hips and merchandize of nations in alliance with her,
under pretence of their belonging to Spain and Portugal (which (hews
the complaint of the king of Denmark not to have been without
ground), and for regulating the fale of prizes, &c. [Fcedera, V. xvi,.
f- 436-]
Chavin from France now failed up the great river of St. Laurence to.
Canada, but made no fettlement there till the following year.
The plurality of Eafl-bidia partnerfhips or focieties, at this time
formed in Holland, creating much diforder and clalhing in that com-
merce, the fiates-general fummoned before them the directors of all;
thofe companies, and obHged them to unite for the future into one;
to which united company the dates granted the fole commerce to Eall-
India for twenty-one years, from the 20th day of March 1602, and
their now joint capital flock confifted of 6,600,000 guilders (or about.
L6oo,ooo Sterling). This joint capital flock was proportioned in the
following manner, viz.
Amflerdam to have one half of the faid capital, and twenty direc
tors.
Middleburg one fourth of it, and twelve diredlors.
Delft, Rotterdam, Enchuyfen, and Hoorn, each one fixteenth part,
and feven direftors, making in all fixty diredtors from all thofe places.
Or more minutely, by other accounts,
:' ,'* How dilFcrent is this language from that of and othei- fimilar declarations by Elizabeth, they
her two next fucceffors, and of Sckien in his Mare would have furnilhed excellent arguments in his
cUttfHin ? Had Grotias feen ihefe inftrudlions, Mare likrum.
A. D. 1602.
227
Guild.
Stiv.
Pen.
Subfcribed by Amfterdam
3.687.038
6
8
Middleburg
1,306,655
4
0
Delft
470,962
10
0
Rotterdam
174,562
10
0
Hoorn
268,430
10
0
Enchuyfen
541.562
10
0
Total fubfcribed 6,449,211 10 8
Each of which places eledled a number of diredlors, fent out a number
of fhips, and received returns, all proportioned to the fums thus fub-
fcribed ; and at each of thofe places there is an Eaft-India office, called
their chamber.
The Dutch united company fent this year a fleet of fourteen (hips to
India, and made great advantage by the voyage.
Queen Elizabeth iffued a proclamation, after the unaccountable hu-
mour of that age, in forefeeing dangers that have never yet happened,
nor are ever like to happen, from an increafe of the fuburbs of the city
of London, though at prefent much more confiderable than in her
days. All that can be faid for her zeal herein is, that the greateft
judgments are fometimes biafl^d by popular miftakes and clamour.
The common objedion, that the head (i. e. London) was become too
large for the body (i. e. England) firft began to be made about this
time, and has been frequently ftarted fince on various occafions, we
apprehend without folid grounds, the increafe of buildings in London
being principally the confequence of an increafe of our general com-
merce. She therein fays, that forefeeing the great and manifold in-
conveniencies and mifchiefs which dayly grow, and are like more and
more to increafe unto the ftate of the city of London, and the fuburbs
and confines thereof, by accefs and confluence of people to inhabit the
fame, not only by reafon that fuch multitudes could hardly be govern-
ed by ordinary juftice to ferve God and obey her majefty, without con-
ftituting an addition of more oflScers, and enlarging of authorities and
jurifdidions for that purpofe, but alfo could hardly be provided of fuf-
tentation of vicinal, food, and other like neceflaries for man's relief
upon reafonable prices : and finally, for that (uch great multitudes of
people inhabiting in fmall rooms, whereof many be very poor, and
fuch as muft live by begging or worfe means, and being heaped up to-
gether, and in a fort fmothered, with many families of children and
fervants in one houfe or fmall tenement, it mull; needs follow if any
plague or other univerfal ficknefs come amongfl: them, it would pre-
fently fpread through the whole city and confines, and alfo into all
parts of the realm.
Ff 2
228 A. D. 1602.
For remedy thereof, flie commands all perfons to defift from any
new buildings within three miles of any of the gates of London, and
only one family to inhabit one houfe. And having, in the 22d year of
her reign, publifhed certain ufeful orders and decrees for inforcing her
then proclamation, farther corroborated by act of parliament in the
35th year of her reign, yet the faid mifchiefs daily increafmg, through
the negligence of magiflrates, &c. llie now commands the lord mayor
of London, &c. faithfully to execute the following articles, viz. I and II
articles the fame with thofe in the ftatute of the 35 th of this queen, al-
ready exhibited under the year 1593 *.
III) Such tenements as have been divided within thefe ten years in
the forefaid limits, the inmates to be avoided prefently, if they have
no eftate for life, lives,^ or years, yet enduring ; and for fuch as have
fuch eftate or term, then as the fame Ihall end, the tenement to be re-
duced to the former ftate.
IV) All fheds and Ihops to be pulled down, that have been ereded
within feven years paft,
V) Empty houfes, ereded within feven years paft, not to be let to
any, unlefs the owner fliall be content that thty be difpofed of for fome
of the poor of the parilh that are deflitute of houfes, at fuch rents as
they fhall allow.
VI) Buildings on new foundations not yet finifhed, to be pulled
down. With fundry other regulations not material enough for us to
tranfcribe.
We find, by letters from the Emperor Rodolph II, that the Hanfe
towns were now willing to enter into an amicable treaty with Queen
EUzabeth, to which he underftands the queen not to be averfe. And
he appoints the treaty to be held at Bremen, notwithftanding his own
imperial mandate of 1597, ^^'^^^ ^^^ concurrence of the German diet,
againft the monopolizing company of the Englifh merchant-adventur-
ers, who in that year refided at Staden, commanding them to depart the
empire in three months time. [Fcedera, V. xv, p. 458.]
But the queen and nation were become too wife to let the Hanfea-
tics return again to their old methods of commerce in England, now fo
greatly interfering with the commerce of her own people.
Queen Elizabeth and the king of Denmark, after fome (harp letters
on both fides concerning the exadions and depredations mentioned un-
der the preceding year, agreed to fend their plenipotentiaries to Bremen,
where the queen had two treaties to manage at the fame time, neither
of which came to any thing.
At that congrefs, the Danes ftrenuoufly infifted that the Englifh fhould
pay the new tolls in the Sound and the laft-geldt ; that the Ruflia com-
* Sec above in the years 1580 aud IJ93.
A. D. 1602. 229
pany fliould continue to ^ay the 100 rofe-nobles yearly, for pafTing the
North Teas to Archangel ; and alfo that the Englifli fliould not fifh at
Ferroe, Iceland, nor Wardhoufe, without a licence from Denmark ; and
fo the congrefs broke off.
All thofe pretenfions, excepting the toll in the Sound, are long lincc
wifely dropped by the Danilli court, as points untenable in thefe more,
enlightened times.
After fixteen years fufpenfion of failing from England to America,
owing to the unfuccefsful attempts of Raleigh, &c. in the later part of
the laft century, Captain Gofnol, who was an expert failor, and had been
employed in thofe former attempts, now made a voyage to the coafts of
Virginia *, where he traded with the Indians for peltry, faflafras, cedar-
wood, 8cc. in latitude 42, in the country now called New England.
On Martha's vineyard (an ifland fo named by him) he fowed Englifli
corn, which he faw come up kindly, and returned home, making a pro-
fperous voyage.
For his credit it ought to be related, that lie was the firft; Englifhman
who found out the fhorter courfe to the coafls of North America, with-
out failing (as hitherto) to the Weft-Indies, and through the gulf- of
Florida; which, befide the great compafs about, was alfo much more
dangerous, more efpecially in pafling that gulf. And in the year follow-
ing two Briftol fliips traded there, as did alfo Captain Gilbert from Lon-
don, with the Indians, and alfo with thofe of St. Lucia, Dominica, Ne-
vis, and St. Chriftopher, ifles not yet planted.
In this laft year of Queen Elizabeth's reign one more expedition was
fet on foot againft the coafts of Spain, where, with eight of the queen's
fhips, and fome hired ones, commanded by Sir Richard Levifon and Sir
William Monfon, the Spanifli flota was unfuccefsfully attacked: yet they
had better fuccefs in attacking a number of fhips in the haven of Ce
zimbra, two of which they deftroyed, and from thence carried home a
rich carrack worth a million of ducats. Soon after, feven of the eight
fhips which had efcaped from Cezimbra were deftroyed near Dover by
Sir Robert Vlanfel.
1603. — After innumerable diftradlions, many rebellions and infur-
reftions, and much confufion, the entire pacification of Ireland was this
year effeded, by the abfolute fubmiflion of the grand rebel Tyrone to
Queen Elizabeth's mercy, he not knowing (fays Sir James Ware's Hif-
tory of Ireland) that the queen died fix days before. During Queen
Ehzabeth's reign, (fays Sir John Davies), fhe fent over more men, and
* The reader will remember, what h?s been al- name of Virginia to the whole continent of North
ready obiervedi thit the Engl-lh th.-a gave t\ ■ , ntrica, j__
230 A. D. 1603.
fpent more treafure, to fave and reduce Ireland, than all her progenitors
fince the conqueft.
Queen Elizabeth died 24th March 1603, and was fucceeded by James
VI king of Scotland, the firft monarch of Great Britain*.
The acceffion of Scotland to the crown of England has undoubtedly
proved a great benefit to the later, not only as thereby a mofl danger-
ous back-door was for ever {hut againft France or any other foreign
enemy ; but likewife as it has largely fupplied England with flout and
able men, both for the land and fea fervice, befide other benefits need-
lefs to be enlarged on. But King James's accellion was undoubtedly de-
trimental to the Scots in many refpeds. It carried away the court,
their principal nobility and gentry, as well as foreign minifters and many
other ftrangers ; whereby the trading people were deprived of much
money that ufed to be fpent in that country. It confiderably decreaf-
ed the demand for both foreign and home commodities. It alfo de-
creafed the number of their people, and thereby created difcontent; all
which however were afterward well made up by a communication of
the Englifh trade and colonies to Scotland, the refult of the more happy
confolidating union in the year 1707.
The refort of the Scottifh nobles to the court (which their anceftors had
fhunned as much as pollible) completed the union of London and Well-
minfter, by converting the antient country villas and gardens of the ci -
tizens, and the interjacent cottages, into a continued llreet, which is called
the Strand.
King James, at his acceffion to the crown of England, called in all the
fhips of war, as well as the numerous privateers which the Englifli mer-
chants, during Queen Elizabeth's reign, had fo fuccefsfully employed
againft Spain, and by which they had done infinite damage to the com-
merce of that nation, declaring himfelf to be at peace with all the world.
The king's pacific difpofition gave an opportunity to mercantile and co-
lonizing adventurers to plant and improve tlie colonies of Virginia, New
England, Bermudas, and Newfoundland (if the laft may even at this day
be termed a colony) as alfo to make a confiderable progrefs in the trade
to the Eaft-Indies. The royal navy too was increafed in his reign to al-
mofl double the number of Qiieen Elizabeth's own fliips of war, viz,
from thirteen to twenty-four men of war. The largefi: of Queen Eliza-
beth's fhips at her death was of 1000 tons, carrying 340 mariners, and
40 cannon ; and the fmallefl: of 600 tons, carrying 150 mariners, and
30 cannon, befide fmaller veffels occafionally hired of private owners.
* King Jaires faid i-f his pictleccfTor Eliz.abclll, ' that HiC \vr.5 cnt, who in wifdom and felicity of
* government lurpalfcd all princes finue the days of Augiiftus.' [ /^Wwoorf'j Miinoin, />. 2&.j An
-Excellent comparifon. M, i
A. D. 1603. 231
According to Sir William Monfoii, [Naval tracis, p. 294] there were
not above four merchant fhips now in England of four hundred tons
burthen.
King James ilTued a proclamation for annulling feveral monopolies,
and at the opening of his firft parliament fpoke fharply againfl them ;
although afterward he gave great encouragement to them,
Henry IV, king of France, feeing that it was in vain to prohibit the-
exportation of gold and lilver, unlefs thofe things for which they were
fent were made at home, that the ufe of filk was become fo common
(more efpecially among the fair-fex) that they defpifed the woollen
clothes fo univerfally and frugally worn by their anceftors, redoubled
his exertions, during the prefent feafon of tranquillity, to encourage and
extend the propagation of filk-worms, and the manutadure of filk. He
procured workmen to conduct a manufa6ture of tapeftry from Flanders,
where it had long flourhhed, and alfo introduced the manufadure of
fine earthen ware from the Netherlands. He revived the glafs-houfes
which had been firft fet up in the reign of Henry II, in imitation of
thofe at Venice, and fet up a linen manufadure. He alfo made rivers
navigable ; and his attempt to unite the Loire and the Seine, at a vaft
expenfe, was a laudable, though unfuccefsful, undertaking. In his
buildings, gardens, &c. his improvements (hewed the greatnefs of his ge--
nius for the arts. [Thua?n Hift. L. cxxix.]
It was not till this year that the French began to fettle in the coun-
try called Canada, or New France, on the north fide of the river St. Lau-
rence, .near the place named Trois Rivieres, but they did not get fo high
as Quebec till the year 1608. They proceeded to fettle on the north
fide only of that river, between Quebec and Montreal, till 1629, when
Sir David Kirk reduced the whole to the obedience of England.
The weekly bills of mortality at London began now to be regularly
kept as in our days ; yet many of thofe bills in earlier times have been
loft. And even the bills in their moft modern condition afford but an im- -
perfed conjedure of the magnitude of London, as comprehending only
the chriftenings and burials of thofe of the eftablifhed church, although
the difi'enters of all denominations are very numerous. Thoie alfo who ■
are buried in St. Paul's cathedral, in the abbey-church at Weftminfter,
in the Temple church, the Rolls chapel, Lincoln's Inn chapel, the Charter-
houfe, the Tower, and fome other pai'ts, are fiid to be entirely omitted,
Before the laft plague of 1665, the yearly bills were much more fre-
quently filled with that dileaTe than, to our comfort, they have been
fince, ov.'ing probably to the move airy and open rebuilding of London •
aftei tlie great coiitlagration wy the year 1666, and the greater plenty of.
fweet water.
232 A. D. 1603.
By an a6l againft the importation of foreign corrupt hops, and brew-
ing with fuch, it appears, that, though hops were produced in abundance
in England, ftill iome were imported, as it makes heavy complaints of
the adulteration of foreign hops, in the facks of which were found great
quantities of ftalks, powder, fand, llraw, &c. by means whereof the
fubjeds of this realm have been of late years abufed, &c. to the value
of L20,oco yearly, befide the danger of their healths, [i "Jac. I, c. 18.]
The houfe of commons granted the king during life a fubfidy of ton-
nage and poundage for the guard of the feas, in fo abjeft a flyle, (the
words, your majefly's poor commons, being frequently I'epeated) and fo
unworthy of the Ipirit of free-born Englifhmen, that it is the lefs to be
wondered at that his fon and fucceflbr made fo free with this fublidy
without confulting his people, [i jfac. I, c. 2,3^
The tonnage duty was ^j/for every ton of wine, and i/for an aum of
Rhenifli wine.
The poundage was i/on every 20/" value of goods exported and im-
ported, excepting woollen cloths exported, and fifli exported taken by
Englifh fubjeds.
By this fame ad they granted him Li : 13 : 4 on every fack of wool ex-
ported, and the fame for every 240 woolfels, to be paid by aliens only,
who Ihould alfo pay 2/ for every 20/" value of pewter exported by them.
Yet the following year King James by proclamation prohibited the ex-
portation of wool, which, indeed, it was high time to do, our own ma-
nufadure of it being now fo confiderable, and fo much fent into foreign
parts, as to employ or work up all, or near all our own wool at home.
About this time the Englifh Eafl-India company fettled their fadory
at Surat, in the province of Cambaya or Guzuratte, and were foon fol-
lowed thither by the Dutch. And there, at firft, the Portuguefe, pre-
tending to the fole and exclufive commerce to India, were very trou-
blefome to both Englilh and Dutch, by feizing their fhips and merchan-
dize, and murdering their people : yet in the end both thofe nations,
but more efpecially the Dutch, took a complete revenge on the Portu-
guefe in India.
We may on this occafion briefly remark the very great benefits
which both the cities and potentates of Eaft-India have reaped from the
coming of the Europeans thither ; and more efpecially the dominions
of the Mogul, by the great increafe of his cufloms, and of his towns
and fea-ports. Even this famous town of Surat, though now the firfl
port of the continent of India for maritime commerce, was little better
than a village till that time, though fince containing above 200,000
fouls. The Europeans, moreover, have inftruded the Eafl-Indians in
many forts of manutadures, &c. and more particularly in building bet-
ter and fafer fliips.
A. D. 1603. 233
The Portuguefe in India had been in poffcfUon of the coafts of Cey-
lon (as we have related) ever fince the year 1505, when they ereded
their firfl fort at Columbo, where the befl: cinnamon on earth grows.
Zoares, the Portuguefe general, obliged the king of Ceylon to pay the
king of Portugal an annual tribute of 124,000 pounds of cinnamon,
twelve rings fet with mod pretious ftones, and fix elephants ; as on the
other hand, the Portuguefe engaged to allift him againft all his enemies.
But the Moors fettled in Ceylon, being jealous of the Portuguefe, found
means to interrupt the harmony between the king and them ; neverthe-
lefs the Portuguefe, in fpite of all oppofition, at length fortified them-
felves quite round that extenfive illand. The Hollanders, however,
doomed to be the perpetual fcourge of the Portuguefe in India, firft
landed there in this year, and went to Candy the capital, to wait on the
king, in order to contract a friendfhip with him, which excited the jea-
loufy of the Portuguefe, who were not, however, fo foon fupplanted as
they apprehended. [Cbufcbiil's Voyages, V. iii, />. 573]
The Dutch Eafl-India company fent out this year twelve fliips, which,
however, mifcarried in attempting Mozambique and Goa ; yet they
took feveral Portuguefe fliips : they alfo drove the Portuguefe from Am-
boyna and Tidore in the Moluccos. This year their company divided
15 per cent on their capital of 6,459,841 guilders *.
At this time Sir Walter Raleigh laid before King James a fmall efl^ay
in manufcript, intitlcd Obfervations concerning the trade and com-
merce of England with the Dutch and other foreign nations ; but being
not much regarded at that time, he got it a fecond time laid before that
prince a little before his execution, probably in hopes of pardon. Its
main drift was to demonflrate the five following propofitions, or how
many ways England fupineiy fuffered other nations (who had little or
no means or materials of their own to work upon) to carry away the
trade of the world.
As, I) That foreigners, (he meant principally the Hollanders) by the
privileges they allowed to ftrangers, drew multitudes of merchants to live
amongfh them, and thereby enriched themlelves.
II) By their ftorehoufes or magazines of all foreign commodities,
wherewith, upon every occafion of fcarcity, they are enabled to lupply
other countries, even thofe from whom they brought thofe very com •
modities.
III) By the lownefs of the cuiloms of thofe foreign nations, (here he
ftill means the Dutch.)
* Mr. Anderfon has occafionally given the fiib- all, and have given the whole at once in the com-
fequent dividends of the Dutch Eaft-India com- prehenllve form of a tabic down to the year 1796,
pany, but frequently from erroneous authorities, which will be found iufcrted under the year I799»-
I have 'I.erefor taken the liberty of cancelling them M,
Vol. n. G g
234 ^' ^* 1603.
IV) By the ftrudure or roominefs of their fliipping, holding much
merchandize, though faiUng with fewer bands than our fhips, thereby
carrying their goods much cheaper to and from foreign parts than we
can ; whereby the Dutch gain all the foreign freights, whilft our fhips
lie fllU and decay, or elfe go to Newcaftle for coals.
V) Their prodigious fiihery, of which they make fuch vafl returns
yearly.
After thefe five propolitionS; he goes on to remark on the freedom
from cuflo.n allowed by the Dutch, for any newly ereded trade. That
even in France all nations may fredy buy and fell, being free of cuflom
outwards twice or thrice in the year. That at Rochel and in Britany
there is free cuflom all the year round, and alfo in Denmark ; except-
ing between Bartholomew-tide and Michaelmas. That the Hanfe
towns imitate the Dutch in thofe wife regulations, whereby they alfo
abound'in riches and all manner of merchandize, have plenty of money,
and are ftrong in fhipping and mariners, fome of their towns having
near one thouland fail of fliips.
That the Dutch and other petty ftates ingrofs the tranfportation of the
merchandize of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, and the Eafl
and Wefl Indies ; all which they carry to Denmark, Sweden, Poland,
and other northern parts, and bring back the bulky commodities of thofe
northern regions into the fouthern countries. Yet is England bet-
ter fituated than Holland for a general florehoufe. No fooner does a
dearth happen of wine, filh, or corn, 8tc. in England, than forthwith the
Embdeners, Hamburghers, and Hollanders, out of their florehoufes load
50 or 100 fhips or more, difperfmg themfelves round about this king-
dom, and carrying away great flore of coin and wealth, thus cutting-
down our merchants, and decaying our navigation, not with their natu-
ral commodities, but with thofe of other countries.
Amfherdam is never without 700,000 quarters of corn, befide what
they dayly vent, though none of it be of the grov/th of their country ;
and a dearth of only one year in England, France, Spain, Portugal,
Italy, &c. is juflly oblerved to enrich Holland for feven years after. In
the laft dearth fix years ago in England, the Hamburghers, Embdeners,
and Hollanders fupplied this kingdom from their ftorehoufes ; and in a
year and a half carried away from the ports of Southampton, Exeter,
and Bridol, near L200,ooo; and from other parts of this kingdom, (more
particularly including London) it cannot be fo little as L2, 000, 000
more, to the great decay of your kingdom, and impoverilliing of your
people, difcredit and difhonour to the merchants, and to the land.
The Dutch, &c. have a continual trade into this kingdom with 500
or 600 fliips yearly, with merchandize of other countries, floring them
up here until the price rife to their minds ; and we trade not with fifty
fhips into their country in a year.
A. D. 1603. 235
He goes on to obferve very truely, that unlefs there be a fcarcity or
high prices, all merchants avoid the parts where great impofitions are
on merchandize ; which places are ufually flenderly fliipped, ill-ferved,
and at dear rates, often in fcarcity, and in want of employment for
their people : whereas the low duties of the wife flates above named
draw all traffic unto them, and the great liberty allowed to ftrangers
makes a continual mart ; fo that whatever excifes, &c. they may lay
upon the common people, they are fure ever to eafe, uphold, and main-
tain the merchants by all poflible means, thereby to draw the wealth
and flrength of Chriflendom to themfelves : and although the duties be
but fmall, yet the vafl exports and imports do greatly increafe their re-
venues ; which vafl commerce enables the common people not only to
bear the burden of the excifes and impofitions laid on them, but alfo to
grow rich.
In former ages, the city of Genoa, as appears by their antient re-
cords and fumptuous buildings, had a vaftly extended commerce, whi-
ther all nations traded, being the florehoufe for all Italy and other parts :
but after they laid fo great a cuflom as 16 per cent, all nations left trad-
ing with them, which made them give themfelves wholly to ufury ; and
at this day we have not three fhips go thither in a year.
On the other fide, the duke of Florence having laid fmall cuftoms on
merchandize at Leghorn, and granted great privileges, he has thereby
made it a rich and flrong city, and his flate flouriiliing.
Next, Raleigh comes to his favourite point, the fifliery. The greatefl:
fifhing that ever was known in the world is upon the coafls of England,
Scotland, and Ireland ; but the great filliery is in the Low Countries and
other petty flates, wherewith they ferve thenifelves and all Chriflendom.
I) Into four towns in the Baltic, viz. Koningfberg, Elbing, Stetin,
and Dantzick, there are carried and vended in a year between 30,000
and 40,000 lafls of herrings, which, being fold but at L15 or L16 the
laft, is about _ _ _ L620,ooo o o
And we fend none thither.
II) To Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the ports
of Riga, Revel, Narva, and other parts of Livonia, &c.
above 10,000 lafls of herrings, worth - - 170,000 o 0
And we fend none at all to thofe countries.
III) The Hollanders fend into Ruffia near 1500 lafls
of herrings, fold at about 3.0/" per barrel, is - 27,000 o o
And we fend thither about twenty or thirty lafts.
IV) To Staden, Hamburgh, Bremen, and Embden,
about 6000 lafls of fiih and herrings, fold at about L15
or L16 per laft, _ _ „ _ 100,000 o a
And we none at all,
2 Og 2
236 A. D. 1603.
V) To Cleves and Juliers, up »^he Rhine to Cologne
and Frankfort on the Maine, and fo over all Germany,
near 22.000 lafts of fifh and herrings, fold at L20 per
laft (and we none), is - - - 440,000 o o
VI) Up tiie river Meufe to Maeftrecht, Liege, 8cc.
and to Venloo, Zutphen, Deventer, Campen, Swoll, &c.
about yooo Lifts of herrings, at L20 per laft (and we
none at ali), is _ _ _ _ 140,000 o o
VJi) To Guelderland, Artois, Hainault, Brabant,
Flanders, Antwerp, and up the Scheldt, all over the
archduke's countries, between 8000 and 9000 lafts, at
Li 8 per lafl (and we none), is - - - 162,000 o o
VIII) The Hollanders and others carried of all forts
of herrings to Roan alone in one year, befides all other
parts of France, 5000 lafts (and we not 100 lads), is T0o,ooo o o
Total flerling money, - L 1,759,000 o o
Over and above thefe, there is a great quantity of fifh vended to the
Straits. Surely the ftream is necelfary to be turned to the good of this
kingdom, to whofe fea-coafts alone God has fent thefe great bleflings
and immenfe riches for us to take ; and that any nation fliould carry
away out of this kingdom yearly great mafles of money for fifh taken
in our feas, and fold again by them to us, muft; needs be a great difho-
nour to our nation, and hinderance to this realm *.
Raleigh goes on to other branches of the Dutch commerce, viz. that,
although abundance of corn grows in Poland, Livonia, &c. yet the great
florehoufe for grain, to ferve Chriftendom, &c. in time of dearth, is in
the Low Countries.
The vintage of wines and gathering of {alt are in France and Spain,
but the great ftores of both are in the Low Countries : and they fend
near 1 000 fail of fliips yearly into the eafl. countries with fait and wine
only, befide what they fend to other places ; and we not one fhip in
that way.
The exceeding great groves of wood are in the eafl countries, chiefly
within the Baltic ; but the large piles of wainfcot, clapboard, fir, deal,
mafts, and other timber, are in the Low Countries, where none grows,
wherewith they ferve themfelves and other parts, and this kingdom ;
and they have 500 or 600 great long fliips continiially ufing that trade,
and we none at all.
The wool, cloth, lead, tin, and divers other commodities, are in Eng-
land ; but by means of our wool, and of our cloth going out rough, un-
* This account of the magnitude of the Dutch taken great pains to obtain accurate information,
fiflxery was cjuoted fixty years after by the grand There is, however, good reafon to i'ufpect that i;
pcnficnary Dc Witt, as btHeving that RfJeigh had is not entirely free from eXaggerution. M.
A. D. 1603. 237
drefled, and undyed, there is an exceeding manufadory and drapery in
the Low Countries, wherewith they ferve themfekes and other nations,
and greatly advance the emplo\ ment of their people at home and traf-
fic abroad, and in proportion fupprefs ours.
We fend into the eaft countries yearly but 100 fliips, and our trade
chiefly depends on three towns there, viz. Elbing, Koningfberg, ard
Dantzick ; but the Low Countries fend thither about 3000 fhips, trad-
ing into every city and port-town, vending their commoduies to ex-
ceeding profit, and loading their fhips with plenty of their commodi-
ties, which they have 20 per cent cheaper than we, by reafon of the
difference of the coin ; and their filh yields ready money. They fend
into Fi-ance, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, about 2000 fliips yearly with
thofe Eaft-country commodities, and we none in that courfe.
They trade into all cities and port-towns of France, and we chiefly to
five or fix.
The Low Countries have as many fhips and veflels as eleven king-
doms of Chriftendom have, let England be one. They build every
year near 1000 fhips*, although all their native commodities do not
require 100 fhips to carry them away at once. Yet although we have
all things of our own in abundance for the increafe of traffic, timber to
build fhips, and commodities of our own to load about 1000 fhips and
veffels at once, befide the great fifhing, and as fifl as they make their
voyages might reload again, yet our fhips and mariners decline, and
traffic and merchants dayly decay.
For feventy years together we had a great trade to Pvuflia f , and even
about fourteen years ago we fent fiore of goodly fliips thither ; but three
years paft we fent out four thither, and lafl year but two or three fhips ;
whereas the Hollanders are now increafed to about thirty or forty fliips,
each as large as two of ours, chiefly laden with Englifh cloth, herrings
taken in our feas, Englifli lead, and pewter made of our tin, befide
other commodities ; all which we may do better than they. And al-
though it (Rufiia) be a cheap country, and the trade very gainful, yet
we have almofl brought it to nought by diforderly trading. So like-
wife we ufed to have eight or nine great fliips go continually a fifhing
to Wardhoufe, and this year but one.
God hath bleft your majefty with copper, lead, iron, tin, alum, cop-
peras, faffron, fells, (i. e. Ikins) and many more native commodities, to
the number of about 100; and other manufadures vendible, to the
number of about looo; befide corn, whereof great quantities of beer
are made, and moftly tranfported by flrangers ; as alfo wool and coals.
* With refpeft to this number of J]r:ps built f There was a trade with Ruflia at the port of
nnnually, it may be obferved, that the whole of Narva long before the route by the North "cape ■
the Britifh dominions, even in the prefent very ex- was difcovered.
tended ftate of Britilli commerce, have never built
quite fo many vfjfeh in any one year. M. 2
238 A. D. 1603,
Iron ordnance, a jewel of great value, far more than it is accounted,
by reafon that no other country (but England) could ever attain unto
it, although they had attempted it with great charge.
Raleigh, moreover, tells the king, that there were about 80,000 un-
drefled and undyed cloths annually exported from England, whereby
L400,oco per annum, for fifty-five years pad: (being above twenty mil-
lions), has been lofi to the nation ; which fum, had the faid cloths been
drefled and dyed at home, would have been gained, befide the farther
enlarging of traffic, by importing materials for dying, and the increafe
of cufloms thereon. Moreover, there have been annually exported in
that time, in bayes, northern and Devonfhire kerfies, all white, about
50,000 cloths, counting three kerfies to one cloth, whereby five millions
more have been loft for want of dying and drefling.
Our bayes are fent white to Amfterdam, and there drefled, dyed, and
fhipped for Spain, Portugal, &c. where they are fold by the name of
Flemifh bayes ; fo we loie the very name of our home-bred commodi-
ties.
Speaking again of the fifliery, he aflerts, that the great fea-bufinefs
of fifhing employs near 20,000 (hips and veflels, and 400,000 people year-
ly, upon the coafts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with fixty fiiips
of war. which may prove dangerous. The Hollanders alone have about
3000 fliips to filli with, and 50,000 men are employed yearly by them
on your majefty's coafts aforefaid ; which 3000 ftiips employ near 9000
other ftiips and veffels, and 150,000 perfons more, by fea and land, to
make provifion, to drels and tranlport the fifli they take, and return
commodities ; whereby they are enabled yearly to build 1000 fliips and
veiTels.
King Henry VIT, defiring to make his kingdom powerful and rich
by an increafe of fliips and mariners, and for the employment of his
people, moved his fea-ports to fet up the great and rich fifliery, promif-
ing them needful privileges, and to furnifti them with loans of money ;
yet his people were flack. That by only twenty fifhing-bufl'es, placed
at one fea-coaft town, where no fliip was before, there muft be to carry,
recarry, tranfport, and make provifion for one bufs, three fliips ; like-
wile every fliip fetting on work thirty feveral trades. Thus thofe twenty
buflies fet on work near 8000 perfons by fea and land, and caufe an in-
creafe of near 1 000 mariners, and a fleet of eighty fail of fliips in one
town, v^^here none were before.
In the conclufion he ftrongly recommends what he calls a ftate-mer-
chunt, from which he promifes a great increafe of commerce, manufac^
tures, (hipping, and riches ; yet, as far as appears from his genei-al ac-
count of it, it feems to be no more than for the king to give him leave
to name a number of commiflloners, to be vefted by his majefty with
authority to take examinations upon oath, and in other refpects to re-
A. D. 1603. 239
gvilate commerce to the beft advantage ; which fcheme feems much the
fame with the prefent board of trade and plantations, ereded in the
year 1696.
Raleigh's efTay on commerce was a maflerly performance for the time
in which it was written, yet he is fometimes miftaken ; for inftance, his
advice to raife the nominal value of coin above its intrinfic A'alue, or,
in other words, above the price of bullion in other nations, which he
thinks would be a means to keep our coin to ourfelves. Yet in this
point Ra'eigh may be excufed, feeing that fo lately as the years 1695
and 1696, when the filver coins were fo fhamefully impah-ed as to re-
quire a general recoinage, an otherwife able and diligent fecretary of
the treafury fell into the like miflake, as will be related in its place.
His theory is good in refped of the great advantages accruing to the
public by dying and fully drefling our cloths before exportation ; never-
thelefs, we fliall fee Alderman Cockayne's patent for that end in the
year 161 5 prove unfuccefsful, although thofe arts have fnice been gain-
ed by us gradually, and without force, which a compulfory law in King
James's reign could not efFecl. King James's attempt alfo in the year
1623 to ered granaries of corn, in imitation of Holland, proved abort-
ive. The fidiery is much altered lince Raleigh's time : people, even
in popifli countries, are become more delicate in their palates, and lefs
fond of a falt-flfh diet ; yet it muft be allowed that there is Hill a great
demand for faked fifh in many countries.
Upon the whole, although Ibme part of this eflliy may poflibly lie
under the cenfure of exaggeration, yet its hiflorical and critical remarks
render it very deferving of a place in commercial hiftory.
Befides the eftablifhment of a company of mines-royal erecled in
1563, and another for mineral and battery-works in 1568, King James
now incorporated the earl of Pembroke and others, for better continu-
ing the corporation (of the loth of Queen Elizabeth) of the fociety of
mineral and battery-works ; yet notwithftanding the ads of parliament
of the lOth and 39th of Elizabeth, and fundry grants of King James
and of King Charles 1 and II, with prohibitions of foreign iron-wire
and wool-cards ; and that the company of mines-royal was united in
1668 to that of the mineral and battery-works, whereof Prince Rupert
and the earl of Shaft fbury were then eleded governors; two ads of par-
liament, neverthelefs, (hi 1689 and 1693) declared no mines to be
royal, either of copper, tin, iron, or lead, even though gold and filver
fliould be extraded therefrom ; provided, however, that the crown may
have the pre-emption of thofe metals, paying for copper ore L16 per
ton, tin L2 per ton, iron L2, and lead L9 per ton. Thefe ads greatly
difcouraged the above riamed focieties, and gave rife to the mine-
adventurers company, now alfo in a very languifliing condition in our
days.
240 A. D. 1603.
By a flatute of this year [c. 25] when wheat is not above Lr : 6 : 8
per quarter, rye, peafe, and beans, 15/, and barley and malt 14/ per
quarter, they may be exported in Englifli fliips, paying cuftom, :z/per
quarter for wheat, and 1/4 for the other kinds.
1 504. — An aflembly of Hanfeatic deputies now appointed a folemn
embafTy to foreign nations, for the renewal of their mercantile privi-
leges, in the name of the cities of Lubeck, Dantzick, Cologne, Ham-
burgh, and Bremen. They firft addrefled King James, who, becaufe
they brought no letters from the emperor, foon difmiiled th2m with
the following anfwer of his privy council.
That as their privileges were heretofore adjudged to be forfeited, and
thereupon refumed by the king's predeceflbrs, in refped of the breach
of conditions on their part, fo it can no way ftand with the good of
the ftate to reflore them again to the faid privileges. And with this an-
fwer they departed nothing contented. [T/juam WJl. L. cxxxi. — Win-
tvood's Memoirs, V. ii.]
The Hanfeatics went thence to the court of France, where they met
with abundance of good words, but nothing elfe ; and then they went
to the court of Spain, where, probably for the emperor's fake, they had
fome fuccefs.
King James I having determined to make peace with all nations, a
treaty was fet on foot at London between his minifters and thofe of
King Philip III of Spain, and of the Archduke Albert, and the Arch-
duchefs Ifabella Clara Eugenia, for the Netherlands. What was then
concluded relating to commerce is in fubftance, viz.
I) All fhips of war, and letters of marque and reprifals, to be called
in on both fides.
II) King James's garrifons in the cautionary towns {hall not fupply
the Hollanders with any military ftores, nor any other afliftance what-
ever, during their revolt from Spain.
III) There fhall be a free and uninterrupted commerce between the
dominions of both parties, as it was before the late wars, and as agree-
able to former treaties of commerce ; with free accefs to each others
ports, fo, however, that no number exceeding fix (hips of war fhall en-
ter into any port on either fide without previous leave.
IV) The merchandize of England, Scotland, and Ireland, may be
freely imported into the Spanifli dominions, without being obliged to
pay the new impofi; of 30 per cent, and Ihall pay none but the old du-
ties.
V) With refped to the merchandize which King James's fubjedls
ihall buy in Spain, they fhall likewife be exempted fironi the faid new
import of 30 per cent, provided they bring away the faid merchandize
in their own fhipping, and unlade them either in the Britilh dominions
or in the Spanifti Netherlands ; but they fliall not carry them any where
A. D. 1604, 241
elfe without paying the new impoft, unlefs it be to France, after Spain
fliall have adjufted her differences with that crown.
VI) There (hall be no interruption of commerce in either country
on account of difference in rehgion.
VII) The effeds of perfons dying in either country fhall be carefully
kept for their executors or adminiftrators.
VIII) Six months time fhall be allowed, in cafe of a rupture, for
meixhants in either country to remove their effeds.
IX) The (hips of neither conrrading party fliall be detained in the
ports of the other country, nor be made ufe of for war, without their
refpedive fovereign's confent. [Fcedera, V. xvi, p. 579.]
In confequence of this treaty King James incorporated a company of
merchants for an exclufive trade to Spain and Portugal ; but this mono-
poly being found to be very prejudicial to commerce, was in the follow-
ing year fo ftrongly remonflrated againfl b)^ the houfe of commons, that
the patent was revoked, and the trade to thofe countries left free to all
as before, by ad of parliament. [3 Jac. /, c. 6.]
The king gave licence to Sir Edward Michelborne and his aflbciates,
to go with their fliips on the difcovery of Cathaia, China, Japan, Corea,
and Cambaya, and the ifles thereto belonging, and to trade with the faid
countries and people (not as yet frequented and traded unto by any of
our fubjeds or oeople) without interruption, any reflraint, grant, or
charter to the contrary notwithflanding. {Fcedera, V. \.v\, p. 582] This
licence was diredly contradidory to the following claufe in Queen Eli-
zabeth's charter of incorporation to the Eaft-India company, viz. ' None
* of the queen's ftibjeds but the company, their fervants or afligns, fliali
* refort to India, without being licenced by the company, upon pain of
' forfeiting fliips, cargoes,' &.c. Yet he and Captain John Davis went
this year with one fliip and a pinnace to Bantam, but (according to Pur-
chas) performed nothing memorable.
The Englifli Eafl:-India company fent out four fliips under Sir Henry
Middleton. At Bantam he loaded two fliips with pepper, going with
the other two to the ifles of Banda, famous tor the trade of nutmeg and
mace. At Amboyna, fo eminent for cloves, he loaded a good quantity ;
and there he found the Dutch at war with the Portuguefe about the fo-
vereignty of that important ifland. In their return homeward one of
their fliips was lofl;, but the other three got fafe home in the year 1606.
The following record fliews the very great difference of times and
feafons then and now. Its title is. Cotnmijfio pro tobacco, wherein King
James fets forth, that whereas tobacco being a drug of late years found
out, and brought from foreign parts in fmall quantities, was taken and
ufed by the better fort, both then and now, only as phyfic, to preferve
health, but is now at this day, through evil cuftom and the toleration
thereof, exceflively taken bv a number of riotous and diforderly perfons
. Vol. II. . ' H h
242 A. D. 1604.
of mean and bafe condition, who do fpend mofl; of their time in that
idle vanity, to the evil example and corrupting of others ; and alfo do
confume the wages which many of them get by their labour, not caring
at what price they buy that drug. By which immoderate taking of to-
bacco the health of a great number of our people is impaired, and their
bodies weakened and made unfit for labour ; befides, that alfo a great
part of the treafure of our land is fpent and exhaufted by this only drug,
fo licentioufly abufed by the meaner fort. All which enormous incon-
veniencies we do well perceive to proceed principally from the great
quantity of tobacco dayly brought ii"ito this our realm, which excefs
might in great part be reftrainecl by feme good impofition to be laid
on it. Wherefor, v;e command you our treafurer of England to order
all cuftomers, comptrollers, fearchers, furveyors, &c. of our ports, that,
from the 26th of Odober next, they fiiall demand and take for our ufe,
of all merchants, as well Englilh as ftrangers, and of all others who fhali
bring in any tobacco, the fum of fix (hillings and eightpence on every
pound weight thereof, over and above the cuftom of twopence upon the
pound weight ufually paid before, &c. [Foedera, V. xvi, />. 601.] As
this king, as well as his fon and fuccelTor, had a mortal hatred to tobac-
co, and as it was, moreover, all brought from the Spanifh Weft Indies,
it is no w^onder he laid a tax on it equal to a prohibition, had it been
legally impofed and ftridly executed. He then little apprehended that
in procefs of time the tax on the tobacco of his own colonies would
yield a very confiderable (hare of the public revenue. We may add,
\vhat is obvious to all, that he had no right to lay on fuch a duty with-
out the confent of parliament.
The king iflued a proclamation for the reformation of the coin, and
for coining new money. {Feeder a, V. xvi, p. 605.]
The new coins were pieces of 20/^ lo/", 5/, 4/, and 2/6, in gold ; and
pieces oi ^J, 2/5, 1/, (dd, 2d, id, and an halfpenny, in filver.
The barbarous cruelties committed by the Spaniards in Chili, as well
as in other parts of America, fo incenfed the natives, that they deftroy-
ed five of the thirteen Spanifh towns in that country with much flaugh-
ter. It is even faid that a confiderable part of Chili ftill preferves its
native independence.
1605 We have already feen the charters of two temporary Englifh
Levant or Turkey companies expire ; and as fuch limited grants are al-
ways diicouraging to the adventurers. King James now gave a perpe-
tual charter to a new company, by the defignation of the merchants of
England trading to the Levant feas. It is what is called in England a
regulated company (there being as yet no joint ftock companies exifl:-
ing), every member trading on his own particular bottom, though un-
der fuch regulations as fhould be fettled at their own general courts.
The charter grants to a number of perfons therein named, and their
A. D. 1605. 243
fons, and all others thereafter to be admitted or made free of the com-
pany, annually to eled a governor, deputy-governor, and eighteen af-
liftants, to manage all matters relating to the trade, freedom, &c. All
the king's fubje<^s, being merchants, under the age of twenty-fix years,
on requiring the lame, and paying L25 to the company, and if above
twenty-fix years of age, paying L50, fliall be made free of this com-
pany, and all their apprentices fhall be admitted to its freedom on pay-
ment of 20/" only.
Thus a mofl profitable commerce to England was efiablifiied in per-
petuity *, whereby great quantities of our woollen manufactures, and
of later times other merchandize, as watches, jewels, &c. have been
exported thither. The Venetians, for many ages, fupplied Conftantin-
ople and other parts of the Levant with woollen cloth and other mer-
chandize ; but the Englifli being able to afford their cloths cheaper than
the Venetians, drove them totally out of the cloth trade to Turkey.
The author of the Trade's increafe, publiflied in 1615, fays, that at
firll this company's ordinary returns were three to one ; and this has
generally been the cafe in newly dilcovered trades.
It is true that Turkey is not a country to get a great and direft ba-
lance from, yet the raw filk brought from thence has been the means
of bringing our filk manufidture to its prefent magnitude ; and as we
have alfo from thence cotton, mohair yarn, and dying fi:uffs in great
quantities, we may jufl;ly efteem this trade profitable to the public for
the advancement of many forts of manufactures. From the Levant alfo
come drugs, coffee, carpets, &c.
Captain Ley fettled with fome Englifhmen on the river Weapoco in
Guiana ; but fupplies mifcarrying, they w'ere forced to abandon that
fettlement. [Smit/j's Voyages, V. ii.]
King James this year coined gold pieces called units, value zof,
double crowns lo/", Britain crowns '^J\ thiftle crowns d^f^ and half
crowns 2jh ; and next year he coined rofe-rials of 30/", fpur- rials of \^J\
and angels of iq/! His filver coins were in all refpefts the fame as be-
fore.
As every improvement and increafe of the metropolis of the Britifli
empire indicates the increafe of its general wealth and commerce, we
fhall not fcruple to take notice that an a6l of parliament was palTed
[3 ya. /, c. 22] for paving St. Giles's and Drury-lane, wherein St. Giles
in the fields is defcribedas a town feparate from the great contiguity,
-very foul and miry, and till now unpaved. What we now call Broad St.
, * How far the exclufive privileges of the com- have been aflertedto be wow prejudicial \a the Bri-
pany may be profitable to the nation at large, is ti{h commerce and maniififtures, by Mr. Eton,
now called in queftion : and indeed their privileges in his Survey of the Turkiih tntiin; 8vo, 17Q8. M-
Hh 2
244 ■^' ^' '^o5'
Giles's, is in this aft called ' the ftreet in that part of the town of St,
' Giles leading to Holborn.'
About this time coaches began to be in pretty general ufe among the
nobility and gentry in London ; but hackney-coaches and ftage-coaches
to and from the country were flill unknown.
Philip III king of Spain iflued a fevere declaration, prohibiting the
inhabitants of the United provinces from trading to the dominions of
Spain, or to the Eaft or Weft Indies. But the Dutch Eaft-India com-
pany were fo fav from being thereby overawed, that it rather infpired
them with freili refolution and diligence ; for they prefently fent out
eleven fliips, prepared as well for war as for commerce. Theie were
foon followed by eight more, well fupplied with foldiers, who were to
keep garrifon in the Eaft-Indies, where they at firfl reduced the fort of
Amboyna, and after taking feveral Spanifh and Fortuguefe prizes, they
entirely diflodged thofe two nations from the Molucco ifles. But with-
out tiring the reader with all the feveral voyages of that Dutch com-
pany, and their numberlefs advantages over the Spaniards and Fortu-
guefe in India and at fea, we fliall here onlv fumaiarily obferve that
they foon obtained full pofleflion of an imraenie commerce there, and
in time eflabliflied their fidories and fettlements from Balfora at the
mouth of the river Tigris in the Perfian gulf, along the coafts and
iiles of India even to ]apan, making alliances with many Indian princes,
being moreover fovereigns in many parts of India, particularly the
coafls of Ceylon, Palicat, Mafulipatam, Negapatam, and many other
places along the coafts of Coromandel, Cochin, Canonor, Cranganor,
and other places along the coaft of Malabar, and the beft part of the
great ifle of Java, with Batavia, their great emporium there, the centre
of all their Indian commerce : they are alfo fovereigns of the Moluccos
and other fpice iflands ; and at length they became fo potent as to be
able to fend out a fleet in India of forty or fifty capital fhips, and a land
army of 30,000 men.
The riches brought home to Europe by the feveral nations now trad-
ing to the Eaft-lndies, having excited the emulation of the court of
Denmark to attempt a fliorter way thither by the north-weft, although
fo often before fruitlefsly attempted by others, King Chriftiern IV this
year fent out three ftiips into Frobifher's ftraits, which traded with the
natives, fome of whom they brought home to Copenhagen. 1 hey re-
pealed thefe attempts thither for feveral fucceeding years, but made no
material difcovery.
1606. — The people of Hull, who had long frequented the fifliery
on the coafts of Iceland and Norway, made aUb fome eftays for that
pallcige on the coafts of Greenland ; and now alio the Pvuilia and Eaft-
India companies joined in fending out John Knight, who h-:d ueen fent
thither the preceding year by the court of Denmark ; but he returned
A. D. 1606. 245
without any difcovery. They now began to kill morfes, or fea horfes,
by lances, wliofe teeth being in thole times efleemed better than ivory,
they brought home many of them, and much of their oil, and alfo
thirty tons of lead ore from Cherry ifland, fo called becaufe difcovered
in 1603 by a fhip belonging to Sir Francis Cherry.
In the years 1608 and 1610, the Ruffia company took poflellion of
Cherry ifland, and brought home confiderable quantities of morfes
teeth and oil. In Gull ifland they difcovered three lead mines and a
coal mine.
In the third of King James, an acl of parliament palTed, with di-
rections how a paflage may be made by water from London to Oxford ;
but as this law did not anfwer expectation, it was repealed.
In this year a new treaty of peace, commerce, and alliance, was con-
cluded between King James and Henry IV king of France, for their
mutual defence againft Spain, and for lupporting the United Nether-
lands. What relates to commerce is in iubllance as follows, viz.
I) Tlie duties and cufloms m both countries to be the fame as in
former treaties.
II) In the ports of London for England, and of Rouen, &c. for
France, all controverfies between merchants fliall be referred to two
merchants of eacli nation, who fliall be called confervators of the com-
merce, and fliall take an oath for the faithful execution of their office,
and fhall be appointed anew every year. They fliall fee to the juflnefs
of weights and nieafures, and thofe in France to the goodnefs of En~
glifli woollen cloth ; and what fliall appear to be bad ihall be re-export-
ed to England, but without connfcation, or the paying of any duty at
the removal or return of fuch cloth.
III) If in any fliip of either party there be found goods not enteredj
which fliGuld have paid cuftoni, only the unentered goods, but none of
the others in the fnip, fliall be forfeited.
IV) Merchants dying in either country may freely bequeath their
effeds according to the laws and cuftoms of their own relpedive coun-
tries.
V) All letters of reprifals fliall be called in on both fldes. {Foedera,
V. xvi. p. 645 J
N. B. in this treaty the ifles of Gucrnfey and Jerfey are by name in-
cluded.
An Englifli minifter vv^as now for the firft time appointed to refide in
Turkey, by King James's letters-patent to Thomas Glover, to be his en-
voy and a^ent in the dominions of Sultan Achmet the grand flgnior,
who has freely given his content that our merchants may trade to his
dominions. Liberty is hereby given to the faid Thomas Clover to re-
fide ni what part of Turkey he fhall think beft, and to appoint confuls
for the good government of the Englifli in the other proper ports. This
■z^b A. D. 1606.
was in confequence of the newly incorporated Levant company of the
preceding year, eredied in perpetuity.
Henry, the patriotic king of France, ereded a council for the encou-
ragement and improvement of commerce ; and he perfevered in his en-
deavours to introduce new manufa6lures in his kingdom. Befides thofe
already mentioned, mills for working and cleaning of iron, manufac-
tures of gauzes and thin linen cloth, cloth and ferges, and gilt leather,
were eftablifhed in various parts of France.
Captain Gofnold having given an advantageous defcription of Virgi-
nia, as Raleigh and others had done before, the gentlemen and mer-
chants of England began to entertain frefh hopes of planting a perma-
nent colony there ; and both the London and Briftol merchants had for
three or four years paft, traded (as Gofnold had alfo done) for fuch
commodities as the Indians on the coafls of that country could fupply.
Captain Gilbert alfo in this year firfl landed in the great bay of Chefa-
peak, where he loft his life. Moreover, Captain Weymouth, fitted out
by the earl of Southampton and the Lord Arundel of Wardour in
the year 1605, had traded alfo on thofe coafts with the Indians, barter-
ing his beads, knives, combs, &c. for their furs, fkins, &c. to vafl pro-
fit. At length, after much folicitation, Captain Gofnold obtained of
King James a charter for two companies.
The fii-ft company confifted of Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George So-
mers, Edward Wingfield, Efq. Mr. Hakluyt the induftrious compiler
of a colledion of voyages, and others, who, under the name of the
South Virginia company, or the London adventurers, had a patent for all
the lands in America comprehended between the 34th and 41ft degrees
of north latitude, which are now called Maryland, Virginia, and Ca-
rolina.
The fecond company was called the Plymouth adventurers, who were
empowered to plant and inhabit as far as to 45 degrees of north lati-
tude, including what are now called Peni'ylvania, New Jerfey, New
York, and New England. But thefe laft did not plant till fome years
afterwards.
The London company fent out two fhips, in which went Mr. Percy,
the earl of Northumberland's brother, and four more of the council
of that company, carrying with them a clergyman, fundry artificers
and tools, provifions, ammunition, &c. They landed and fortified three
miles from the mouth of Powhatan (now James river) v>'ithin Chefapeak
bay, and gave their firft fettlement the name of James town, which
it ftill retains. This therefor was properly the firft Englifti colony on
the continent of America which took root, and has proved permanent
to our days, all former attempts having proved abortive. Here one
hundred men fettled, with all necefiaries, and Captain John Smith (who
has written the firft account of the country) was left to be their princi-
A. D. J 606.
247
pal manager ; and the earl of Southampton joining himfelf to this com-
pany, procured Sir Thomas Dale (an experienced foldier in the Nether-
land wars) to be their firfl governor. Some of the other principal ma-
nagers were Sir Edwin Sandys, Sir John Danvers, Sir Maurice Abbot,
Alderman Abdy, &c. Thefe gentlemen prevailed on the great Sir
Francis Bacon to write his excellent inflrudions concerning new colo-
nies, which are printed amongft his other eflays.
It is very true that the yellow ifinglafs dull found in James river,
find other golden dreams, did for a while fufpend the proper improve-
ment of that infant plantation, which was alfo greatly obflruded by
their many fquabbles with the natives, then very numerous there ; but
as they were regularly fupplied with neceflliries and recruits from Eng-
land, they at length furmounted all difficulties, the greateft of which
were perhaps their own inteftine divifions, and bad condud, often bring-
ing them into diflrefs.
The company of merchant-adventurers of the city of Exeter obtained
an ad of Parliament [4 ^ac. I, c. 9] confirming a charter which Queen
Elizabeth had granted them, in the year 1560, for an exclufive trade to
the dominions of France. This was a proper monopoly legally efta-
bH{hed, but only as far as related to the reft of the inhabitants, who
were not free of that company, for which this ftatute afligns as a reafon
the inconveniencies arifen from the exceflive number of ignorant artifi-
cers, &c. who in that city took upon them to ufe the fcience, art, and
m.yftery of merchandize.
In the fame felTion of parliament, and the very next ftatute, the town
of Southampton obtained power to exclude every one from merchan-
dizing, and buying and felhng in that town, who was not free of it,
with an exception, however, of the barons and freemen of the Cinque
ports, whofe privileges of buying and felling there are hereby preferved
entire. Both thefe monopolies, though merely local, would neverthe-
lefs in our more experienced days be deemed by wife men an unreafon-
able reftraint.
1607. — Camden now pubiiftied his laft and improved edition of his
moft valuable work, intitled Britannia. Since his time the condition of
many Englifti towns is greatly altered for the better, by the general in-
creafe of commerce. For inftance, fpeaking of Lyme in Dorfetftiire,
he calls it a little town, fcarcely to be reputed a feaport town ar haven,
though frequented by fiihermen ; yet this once contemptible place is
now become a great town, and a port of good ftiipping, having a fine
pier and many opulent merchants.
The town and port of Poole, alfo in rhe fame county, is greatly in-
creafed in ftiips and merchants fince a little before Camden's time, when
according to him the bulk of its inhabitants were a few fifliermen-
248 A. D. 1607.
The feaport town of Sunderland had no exiftence in Camden's rime,
otherwife it could not have eibaped the notice of that accurate author;
and the like may be obferved of Falmouth, now a wtU frequented port.
Of Norwich we have elfewhere noted the great improvements ; and the
like may be remarked of Briftol, and yet much more of Liverpool ;
alio of Newcaftle, and many others, both leaports and inland towns,
where manufadures now greatly flourifh, as Leeds, Halifax, Birming-
ham, Manchtfler, &c.
It muft however, be admitted on the other hand, that fome few Eng-
lifli towns have decayed, which in old times were much more confi-
derable, particularly the cities of York and Lincoln. The latter efpe-
cially muft have had a fudden as well as a very grievous decay in Cam-
den's time, who obferving how much the city of Lincoln was funk un-
der the weight of time and antiquity, adds, ' that of fifty churches
' which were remembered to have been in it by our grandfathers, there
' are now fcarce eighteen remaining.' Since Camden's time they are
reduced to thirteen fliabby ones.
Since we are upon this fubjed of the increafe and decline of cities,
Thuanus (who likewife wrote in 1607), fpeaking of the famous com-
mercial city of Dantzick, obferves, that from a fmall and oblcure be-
ginning it has fince fo greatly increafed, that at this day it may be
efteemed the moft frequented and richeft emporium, not only of the
north and weft, but even of the whole earth, which was probably fay-
ing rather too much, as Amfterdam may be prefumed to have been
then much more frequented by ftiipping, of greater magnitude, of a
more extenfive commerce, and more opulent than Dantzick. But be
that as it may, Dantzick is fince in fome degree declined from its former
profperity, though ftill a noble and opulent city.
King James gave a charter for feven years to Richard Penkevell of
Cornwall, Efq. and his colleagues, for the fole difcovery of a pafiage to
China, Cathay, the Moluccos, and other parts of the Eaft-Indies, by
the north, north-eaft, or north-weft. They were hereby incorporated
by the name of the colleagues of the fellowftiip for the difcovery of the
north paft^age, and v/ere to enjoy for ever all the lands they fhould dif-
cover (not already found by any Chriftians), referving to the crown
the fuprem.e fovereignty, and alfo certain prerogatives, duties, &c.
[Fcedi'ra, V. xvi, p. 660.] But as nothing followed (that we can learn)
trom this charter, we need fay nothing farther about it. *
Captain Henry Hudion (whether connecSted with the above company
or not is uncertain) now failed as far north as 80^- degrees, in quell of
the paflage ; and he repeated his attempt in the following year to as
little purpofe, after having in vain tried a north-eaft paflage by Nova
Zem.bla the fame year. His name, however, is perpetuated, by being
given to a great bay in the northern part ot America. 2
A. D. 1607. 249
There having been of late years many inclofures of heaths, commons,
and other wafte grounds in England, the poor peafantry or cottagers
of feveral counties made a kind of riotous infurrection on that account,
which however was foon quelled.
The Englifli Eaft-lndia company now fent out their third voyage
with three Ihips ; but as it would be equally tirefome and unprofitable
to relate what is to be found in fo many othep works, it is fufficient to
remark that the fuperior induftry of the Dutch in India had already
been beforehand. with us at the fpice illands, of w^hich they foon after
this time made themfelves fovereigns, as they remain at this day, and
that the Portuguefe jefuits at the mogul's court ftill continued equal ene-
mies to both Englifh and Dutch in India.
Under this year Mezeray (though a poplfli author) writing of the
reign of King Henry IV of France, highly commends the ftate of Ve-
nice for wifely confulting the true interefl; of their people ; for, finding,
many inconveniencies from the indlfcreet zeal of perfons, efpecially on
their deathbeds, in the year 1 603, they prohibited the building of
churches, convents, or hoipitals, v/ithout the fenate's permiflion ; and
in 1605 enaded that no ecclefiaftic be allowed to leave, bequeath, or
engage any goods to the church ; that none fliould henceforth give any
eftate m lands to the clergy, nor to religious orders, without the confent
of the fenate, who v/ould allow of it upon good coniideration. And
upon the pope's fiorming therear, the fenate anfwered, ' that it was not
■ jufl that fuch lands as maintained the fubjefts, and were to bear the
' charges of the flate, fliould fall into mortmain ;' and they quoted the
like pradice of the emperors Valentinian and Charlemain, of all the
French kings from St. Louis to Henry III, of Edward T king of Eng-
land, of the Emperor Charles V, &c. And (what is moil memorable)
although the pope interdidcd the republic and excommunicated the fe-
nate, yet many of their bilhops and clergy flood firm to the fenate, in
fpite of all the thunder of the Vatican.
1 60S. — The manufadlure of alum war. now invented and fuccefsfully
pradifed in England, being happily encouraged and propagated in
Yorklhire by Lord Sheffield, Sir John Eourcher, and other landed
gentlemen of that county, to the very great benefit of England in ge-
neral, and to the fmgular great emolument of the> proprietors thereof
to this day. King James was a great encourager of thefe alum works,
having, by the advice of his miniilers, aflumed the monopoly of it to
himfelf ; and therefor he prohibited the importation of foreign alum.
But that king was not at all fuccefsful in his laudable zeal for the
propagation of filk in England, in imitation of King Henry IV of
France. He this year fent circular letters into all the counties of Eng-
land for planting mulberry trees ; for which end he cauied pnntt^d in-
flruciions to be publilhed, as alfo for breeding and feedmg iilk-worms>
V0L.IL I i
250 A, D, 1608,
' Having feeu,' fays King James, ' in a few years fpace, that our bro-
* tlier the French king hath, fince his coming to that crown, both be-
' gun and brought to perfedion the making of filk in his country,
' whereby he hath won to himfelf honour, and to his fubjeds a mar-
' vellous increafe of wealth.' This was very true ; but experience has
flievvn tliat neither that king nor any of his fucceflbrs have been able to
propagate filk in any place north of the river Loire, and much lefs fo
far north as about Paris.
Neither have any later attempts in England for this purpofe fucceed-
ed ; our climate being apparently too cold for it. But the climate in
Carolina and Georgia is better fuited for filk-worms than the very
foLithernmoft provinces of Spain, France, or Italy ; which therefor
it is earneftly hoped will foon be efl'ec^ually encouraged, as very hope-
ful and confiderable beginnings have already been made. But as the
bringing of fo great a matter to any degree of perfedion will require
many hands and much expenfe, it feems very well to merit the confider-
ation and aid of the public ; the quantity of raw filk of the very befl
quality already produced in thofe two provinces giving rational ground
for hoping that perhaps even the very next generation may enjoy the
fubftantial effeds of the prefent endeavours for the propagation as well
of filk as of wines, potaflies, cochineal, and fundry other excellent new
produdions ; more efpecially confidering the encouragement annually
allotted for thofe and many other noble purpofes by the honourable and
ever to be applauded fociety for the encouragement of arts, manufac-
tures, and commerce, lately efi:ablifhed in our own time.
Hitherto the Englifh were but little Ikilled in the arts of dying and
drefling their own woollen cloths ; they therefor ufually fent them white
into Holland, where they were dyed and drefi^ed, and then fent back to
England for fale. It is furprifing that thofe who made the fineft cloths
in the world could not finifli them : but the fad was really fo. Alder-
man Cockayne, and fome other merchants, refleding on the great profit
thereby made by the Hollanders, propofed to the king to undertake the
dying and drefling of cloths at home, to the great profit of the public
and his majefi:y ; whereupon Cockayne obtained an exclufive patent for
it, and the king was to have the monopoly of the fale of fuch home-dyed
cloths. The king thereupon ifilied a proclamation, prohibiting any
white cloths to be fent beyond fea, and leized the charter of the com-
pany of merchant-adventurers, which empowered them to export white
cloths. The Hollanders and German cities, on the other fide, prohi-
bited the importation of all Englilh dyed cloths. Thus was commerce
thrown into confufion, Cockayne being difabled from felling his cloth
any where but at home : befide that, his cloths were worfe done, and
yet were dearer, than thofe done in Holland. There was a very great
A. D. 1608. 251
clamour tlierefor ralfed againfl this new project by the weavers, info-
much that the king was obliged to permit the exportation of a limited
quantity of white cloths: and a few years after, (viz. in 1615) for
quieting the people, he found himfelf neceflitated to annul! Cockayne's
patent, and to reftoi-e that of the merchant-adventurers, who Teem to
have gained over the lord chancellor Bacon to their fide, who, in a
letter to King James (printed in his Refufcitatio) concerning Cockayne's
new company, complains, ' that they at firfl; undertook to dye and
* drefs all the cloths of the realm ; yet foon after they wound themfelves
* into the trade of whites. This feeding of the foreigner,' (meaning the
Dutch) fays that great man, ' may be dangerous. For, as we may think
' to hold up our clothing by vent of whites, till we can dye and drefs ;
* fo the Dutch will think to hold up their manufactures of dying and
* drefling upon our whites till they can clothe *! T confefs, I did ever
' think, that trading in companies is moft agreeable to the Englifh na-
' ture, which wanteth that fame general vein of a republic which
* runneth in the Dutch, and ferves them inflead of a company ; and
' therefor I dare not advife to adventure this great trade of the king-
* dom, which hath been fo long under government, in a free or loofe
' trade.' And thus, merely by proceeding too precipitately, an art,
which afterward was gradually brought to abfolute perfection in Eng-
land, was now deemed impra6licable.
King James entered into a new defenfive treaty with the ftates of the
United Netherlands ; engaging to defend them againli all invalions and
injuries, and to aflift thern with twenty fhips of war, from 3C0 to 600
tons burden ; and alio with 6000 foot and 400 horfe ; they on the other
fide engaging to alhfl; him with 4000 foot and 3C0 horfe. But this
treaty was not to take place till after the peace now treating of between
Spain and the ftates.
Another treaty of this fame date concerns the arrears of debt due to
King James by the flates, and alfo concerning commercial privileges.
' i) The dates acknowlege L8i8,4o8 Sterling to be due to the king,
' of which fum he will exped nothing for the fi-rft two years after the
' peace, that they may have time to eftablifli their affairs ; and after-
' wards he will be content with annual payments of L6o,ooo until all-
' be paid off.
' II) The Englifli merchant-adventurers fhall enjoy all their wonted'
' privileges in the feven provinces, for the mutual advancement of the
' commerce of both nations.' \_F(jed£ra, V. xvi, p. 667.]
Captain Hudlon made fundry difcoveries in North-Virginia, as it was
then called, where he alio gave name to Hudfon's. river. He is faid to
have made a foimal fale of lands lying on that river in the year 1608,
* la tills \\\i loidHiip was a true prophet, t'lough in what he adds we may fon-.ewha. iliiRnt from
him.
I i 2
252
A. D. 1608.
including therein Martha's vineyard and Eh'zabeth's ifland, now part of
New-England, to certain Hollanders ; who thereupon fet about planting
and improving very fafl. They named the countiy New-Netherland,
and built there the city of New-Amfterdam, (fince named New- York,)
and the fort of Orange (now Albany) about 150 miles up Hudfon's
river.
In this manner did the Hollanders go on improving their New-
Netherland, without any effedual check from England even until King
Charles II's firll war with Holland. Ttie Hates-general, in the placart
or patent eftablifhing their Weft-India company, exprefsly included
New-Netherland therein ; which, however, we fliall fee in its proper
place, they were unable to keep.
1609. — Captain Hudfon made a third attempt for a north weft paf-
fage to China ; but being again obftrucled by ice, fogs, and crofs winds,
he failed back to the ifland of Faro, and thence to Newfoundland, Sec.
and fo home.
James was the laft king of England who took the benefit of the fta-
tute, [25 Edw. Ill] for levying an aid of 20/ on every knight's fee
immediately held of the king ; and the like fum on every L20 yearly
in lands, held immediately of the crown in foccage, for making the
king's eldeft fon a knight : the aid being in favour of Prince Henry,
King James's eldeft fon, not yet created prince of Wales, though fifteen
years old. [Foedera, V. xvi, p. 678.]
Mr. Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt, with fixty perfons, fettled on the
river Weapoco, in Guiana, where Captain Ley had fettled in 1605 ; and,
returning to England, he obtained, by Prince Henry's intereft, a pa-
tent for all that coaft, together with the river of Amazons, for him and
his heirs. But that colony could not ftand it for want of fupport from
home ; which had likewife been the cafe of Captain Ley's fettlement
four years before. {Smith's Voyages, V. ii.]
King James having iffued a proclamation, prohibiting all foreigners
from fifliing on the coafts of Great Britain, the Hollanders v/ere obliged
to enter into a treaty to pay an annual fum for leave to fifli on his coafts.
And when James would afterwards have broke this treaty, they fup-
ported it, by convoying and guarding their fiftiing veflels with ftiips of
war.
After above thirty years war between Spain and the United Nether-
lands, at length, principally through the mediation of the kings of Eng-
land and France, a truce was concluded for twelve years, which was
highly honourable and advanta'^eous to the ftates ; and though difreput-
able to Spain, yet it gave- that crown a breathing time from a war,
which, according to Mezeray, had coft Spain more treafure and the
lofs of more ir,en than all thofe provinces were worth, and which, had
it continued longer, would have utterly ruined their trade to the Eaft-
A. D. 1609. 253
Indies, and would alfo have totally o1:)ftru(n:ed their flotas from the Weft-
Indies, without which Spain could not f'ubfifl. The Hollanders having,
in a few years paft, taken and deftroyed more than thirty of their great
galleons; and the Dutch admiral, Heemfl<irk, having, in 1607, with
twenty-fix fhips of war attacked the Spanifh admiral Alvarez d'Avila,
though one third part ftronger, even under the fhelter of the cannon of
Gibraltar, deftroying thirteen Spanifh fhips and 2000 men. Spain was
alfo under an apprehenfion, that, by continuing the war longer, the Hol-
landers might through neceflity give themfelves up to France, and there-
by, with the lofs of (even provinces to France, lofc alfo the refl of the
feventeen provinces. For, as Sir William Temple obferves, the great-
nefs of the Spanifli monarchy, fo formidable under Charles V and Philip
II, began now to decline by the vaft defigns and unfortunate events of
fo many ambitious counfcls •. as, on the other hand, the affairs of King
Henry IV of France were now at the greateft height of felicity.
On the other hand, the Dutch, notwithftanding their continued fuc~
cefs, had powerful motives to conclude this truce : ift. They were great-
ly in debt. 2dly, The French court became weary of the annual con-
tributions for fupporting them in that war. 3dly, King James had well
nigh forfaken them, becaufe of his favourite fcheme of the Spanifli
match for his fon. 4thly, King Henry IV of France, whofe interefl: it
was to difarm Flanders, on which IMezeray owns he intended to feize,
made ufe of both entreaties and menaces to bring the ftates into this
truce.
The greatefl difficulty, which Spain the longeft ftuck at, was the
Dutch trade to the Eaft-Indies ; which point had broke off a treaty two
years before. At length, however, the truce was concluded on the foot-
ing of every one keeping what they then pofTeffed.
This year is alfo very memorable for the foundation of the moft fa-
mous bank of Amfterdam ; a bank, which, as well in contemplation of
its never violated credit, of its immenfe treafure, and its extenfive ufe-
fulnefs in commerce, mayjuftlybe ranked the firft in Europe. The
commerce of that famous city was now become lo vaft, that the mer-
chants found great payments in filver very inconvenient, and gold coins
in any quantity hazardous to keep in their pofleflion. It was therefor
prudently judged by the magiftrates and merchants, that if an office
were eftabliflicd for the receipts and payments of all fums of money of
600 guilders and upv/ards, (afterwards reduced to 3C0 guilders and up-
wards) to be duely regiftered in books kept open at ftated hours, it
would be a legal proof of ail fuch tranladions, udiereby many dilputes
and lawfuits would be prevented ; and, 2dly, If all bills of exchange,
as v>-ell foreign as inland, and limited in quantity as above, were to be
paid only in this office, it wovdd prove a great fecurity to both payers
and receivers, by preventing many frauds in the payments intrufted to
2
254 ^' ^' 1609.
private perfons. 3(ily, To fuve the lime, trouble, and hazard attend-
ing the frequent carrying of cafli to this office of record, they faw it
expedient to lodge their main cafli in that office altogether ; and for
this end books were opened, wherein each peribn had a diftind account,
the whole, or any part thereof, to be transferrable to others at pleafure,
who thereupon flionld have accounts in bank opened for them, and they
again to have the like liberty of transferring as above. Ricard (in his
Traife ^e/teral du rommercc, qunno, Jimdcvdcxm, 1^06, p. 170) fays exprefs-
ly, that the magiftrates of Amfterdam, by authority of the ftates, on the
3 1 ft of January 1609, eftablifhed themfelves perpetual caftiiers of its in-
habitants, and that all wholefale payments in commerce and in bills of
exchange (hould be made in that bank. When the new ftadthuys was
ereded, this bank office was removed into a large vault of that magni-
ficent ftra<3ure ; where (1'ays Sir William Temple in his Obfervations
npon the United provinces, c. ii) is the greateft treafure, either real or
imaginary, that is known any where in the world : and ' whoever is
' carried to fee the bank fhall never fail to find the appearance of a
' mighty real treafure in bars of gold and lilvcr, plate, and infinite bags
' of metals, which are fuppofed to be all gold and filver, and may be
' fo for ought I know. But the burgo-mafters only have the infpedion
' of this bank, and no man ever taking any particular account of what
' ifllies in and out, from age to age, it is impoflible to make any calcu-
' lation or guefs what proportion the real treafure may hold to the cre-
' dit of it. Therefor the fecurity of the bank lies not only in the ef-
' feds that arc in it, but in the credit of the whole town or ftate of
' Amflerdam, whofe flock and revenue is equal to that of fome king-
' doms, and who are bound to make good all moneys that are brought
' into their bank. This bank (continues Sir William Temple) is pro-
' perly a general cafli, where every man lodges his money, becaufe he
' efteems it fafer and eafier paid in and out, than if it were in his cof-
' fers at home ; and the bank is fo far from paying any intereft for
' what is there brought in, that money in the bank is worth fomething
' more in common payments than what runs current in coin from hand
' to hand * ; no other money palling in the bank but in the fpecies of
' coin the beft known, the moft afcertained, and the mofh generally
' current in all parts of the higher as well as of the lower Germany.'
Now, though this great author writes with prudent caution concern-
ing what he could not certainly determine, yet it is generally taken for
certain by all others who have written on this bank, that there is either
caffi, or bullion, and pawned jewels, lodged in the vaults of the ftad-
thuys, equal to the amount of the whole credit of this bank ; which
■* He nilgtit have added, that one ftivcr Is paid to the bank for evei-y payment, or transfer of mo-
ney, and fix ftivcis k'l Ic.ivc to make a transfer under 300 gilders; belides ten gilders paid by every
pcrfm in opening an .iccount for him. 3
A. D. 1609. 255
fome will have to amount to thirty-fix, others to but thirty millions Ster-
ling. But as they fhut their books twice in a year, for a few days, to
flrike a general balance, their true capital is then certainly known,
though probably kept fecret by order of the magiftrates, for prudential
confiderations. Ricard, before quoted, (in his fecond edition,/*. 171)
is very exprefs in this particular point; and, as a proof of ir, fays, ' that
* in the very height of the war in 1672, when the French king had al~
* ready taken the city of Utrecht, (within twenty-one miles of Amfier-
' dam) there was a very great demand (or run, as we term it in London)
' by the creditors on that bank, to draw out their money; juflly fear-
* ing, that if the French king Hiould become mafter of Amflerdam,
' they fliould lofe all ; yet the bank paid all who came for their mo-
' "ey.'
The proper definition of this bank, is not a bank of current money,
to be received and iflued dayly, like thofe of London, Venice, &c. but
is purel}' a depofit of money, the credit whereof palfes from hand to
hand dayly, by figned tickets, carried to the cafliiers of the bank, di-
recfling them to write off any fum intended to be paid from the ac-
count of the ower to that of the receiver. But although it be, doubt-
lefs, an excellent inftitution for fafety, eafe, difpatch, and record, yet
it cannot be fald to increafe the general quantity or circulation of mo-
ney, as fome other banks certainly do ; if it be prefumed, as above, that
aquantity of treafure equal to the total of their credit ever remains in it ;
any farther than the value of the uncoined bullion, and of the jewels faid
to be pawned there (by feveral princes, nobles, &c.) amounts to. With
the above-mentioned dues the expenfe of the management of this bank is
defrayed ; and what furplus there may be in any one year, goes to the
Tupport of the poor of that city. Bank-money, i. e. credit in the bank's *
books, is dayly bought and fold, by means of brokers, who have their
offices near the bank ; the money whereof is commonly of late about
five per cent better than the real current coin of Holland ; which pre-
mium is called the (Jgio, a term borrowed from the bank of Venice.
The rate of agio varies according to the demand tor bank-money, and
alfo according to the quality or goodnefs of the coins to be paid for it.
And this advance or agio in bank-credit will always prevent any from
demanding current cath of the bank for it.
By means of this bank, the magiftrates of Amfterdam are pofleffed
of the bulk of the property of their inhabitants, and thereby have the
ilrongeft fecurity for their fidelity *.
* The beil and mod copious acco'.int of the Hope ot" Amfterdam to Dr. Smith, wlio has in-
ibank of Amllerdam, cvtr publifhed in the Enghlh fencd it in his Inquiry into the nature and causes of
liiiiguage, is that which wasicmimniicatcd by Mr. the iveahh of nations, V. u, f--. 219, rj. 1793. /»/.
256 A. D. 1609.
sir Robert Cotton, in an efiay written in 1609, probably for King.
James's private information, propoied the coining of Li 20,000 in cop-
per halfpence and fartliings, by which the king would gain Li 0,000;
and by an annual increafe of Li 2,000 of thofe coins, he would gain
yearly Liooo. In order to render this profit to the king effectual, he
propofed to prohibit retailers of viduals and fmall wares from ufing
their own tokens, (a pracT:ice then univerfal, efpecially in London.)
' For (fays he) in and about London, there are above three thoufand'
(perfons) ' that, one with another, call yearly L5 a-piece in leaden to-
' kens, whereof the tenth remaineth not to them at the year's end ; and
' when they renew their flore, it amounteth to above Li 5,000; and all
* the reft of this realm cannot be inferior to the city in proportion. Here-
' by, (he obferves,) ift, thofe retailers made as much advantage of
' their own tokens as is nov/ propofed for the king to make by the
' copper coins,' (which he had before obferved were already in i\{e in
all the monarchies of Chriftendom.) ' 2dly, The buyers hereafter fliall
' not be tied to one feller and his bad commodities, as they are ftill ;
' when his tokens, hereafter made current by authority, {hall leave him '
' the choice of any other chapman. Belides, it cannot but prevent much
* wafte of filver, that there will be no occafion hereafter to cut any bul-
' lion into proportions fo apt for lofs : what that hath been may be con-
' jeclured, if we mark but of the great quantities, from the penny down-
* ward, fince Henry VIlI's time flamped, how few remain ; whereas all
' the coins, from threepence upward, which are manual, plenty pafs ilill
* in dayly payment.' This fcheme foon after put an end, in a great
meafure, to thofe private leaden tokens, and introduced the legal cop-
per coins, as at prelent. It alfo put an end to the "coining of fuch mi-
' nuce gold and filver pieces, fo eafily to be loft. But our great author
was certainlv miftaken in imagining, that, becaufe the leaden tokens of
■i^rivate retailers were moftly loft, that metal being naturally very perifli-
able, the national copper coin would.be fo likewiie ; or that fo large a
new annual coinage thereof would be requiiite, or that the public
would require lo great a ium to be circulated as Li 20,000 in half-
p:;;nce.
The fuburbs of London dayly increafmg, and confequently the dan-
ger of fire and fcarcity of water, notwiihftanding the many fprings
broughc in leaden pipes into the city, as well as the many wells with
pumps almoft every where dug within ihe city and fuburbs ; an aft of
parliament was obtained in tlic year 1605 for bringing a frefli ftreani
of running water to the north parts of London from tbiC fprings of
ChadwcU and Amwell, &c. in the county of Hertford ; giving power to
the lord-mayor, &c. of London to lay out fuch convenient ground fou
making the trench for the faid nevi^ river, not to exceed ten feet in
breadth, leaving the inheritance in the owners thereof, who are to allow
A. D. 1609. 257
a free paflage through their grounds to and from the new cut at all
times, with carts, horfes, 8cc. for making and repairing the fame ; for
which fatisfadion fliall be made to the owoiers of the lands, and of the
mills {landing on the ftreams from which water fhall be taken, to be
valued by commifTioners, as herein direded. The lord mayor, &c. ihall
make and keep up convenient bridges over the faid new cut, at fit places,
for the ufe of the king's fubjeds, as well as of the proprietors of the lands
on each fide, &c. [3 Jac. I, c. 28.]
In the year following another ad of parliament paffed, purporting,
' that fince palling the former ad, upon view of the grounds through
* which the waters are to pafs by men of ikill, it is thought more con-
' venient, and lefs damage to the ground, that the water be conveyed
' through a trunk or vault of brick or ftone inclofed, and in fome places,
* where need is, raifed by arches, than in an open trench or fewer.
' Power therefor is hereby vefted in the lord mayor of London, &c. for
' that efFed.' {^i^^Jac. I, c. 12]. Yet notwitliftanding this expenlive pro-
pofal, and alfo another ad of parliament [7 Jac. J, c. 9] granting to the
king's newly -ereded divinity college at Chelfea power to bring water
in pipes from the river Lea, for fupplying London therewith for their
benefit (which, with the college itfelf, came to nothing), the new river
was this year brought into the head or refervoir at Clerkenwell near
Iflington, in the firfl-defigned open trench ; and from thence it has
been conveyed into all parts of the city and fuburbs in elm pipes. The
projedor and manager of this new river was Mr. Hugh Middleton, citi-
zen and goldimith of London, who was thereupon knighted by King
James ; and the proprietors were afterwards incorporated.
Although this article may feem to fome not immediately to relate to
the hifiory of commerce, yet it in fome fenfe demonfirates the great
increafe of the wealth of London by commerce, to be able to undertake
fo vafily expenfive a work ; a work fuitable to the power and grandeur
of antient Rome in its zenith of glory. And to complete the whole
trench or canal in three years time *, though running the length of
about 50 miles in its various windings, from near the town of Ware to
Clerkenwell, with above two hundred bridges over it, we could not
therefor think this fuccind account of it would be unacceptable to the
reader.
In this and the three following years Captain Jonas Poole failed as far
north as 78 degrees 43 iminutes, on the hope of difcovering a north-weft
paflage, but at the fame time prudently employed part of his time in
killing whales, &c.
In this fame year ambafllidors are faid to have come from Japan into
Holland, and concluded a commercial treaty with the Dutch Eaft-India
^ rUc continuat on of Slew's Survey of London makes the commencement of the work on the loth
February i6;8, and the conclufion of it zyth September 1613. M.
Vol. II. K k
258 A. D. 1609,
company at the Hasjue. It feems indeed almofr incredible to many,
ift, Tb.at fo Imall a ftate fliould, between the year 1579, ^^hen they
openly revolted from Spain, and this year 1609, when the famous truce
before mentioned was concluded for twelve years with that crown, not
only be able to make head againft the then mightieft potentate of Eu^
rope, and at the fame time fo enlarge their union, by takmg in the two
provinces of Overyffel and Groningen, where many flrongly fortitied
places were firfl to be conquered at a vaft expenfe of blood and trea-
fure. 2dly, To enlarge their frontiers in Flanders by the conqueft of
the important town and port of Sluyce, as alfo of Hulft, and feveral
other places in what is fince named Dutch Flanders. 3dly, To block
up the river Scheldt by the forts of Lillo, &c. whereby the famous com-
mercial city of Antwerp ^vas abfolutely barred from all maritime com-
merce. 4thly, On the frontiers of Brabant to conquer the ilrcng places
of Bergen-op-zoom, Breda, Bois-le-duc, &c. and for above three years
to hold out the town and port of Oflend againft the power of Spam at a
great expenfe. 5thly, To annoy Spain with powerful fleets in her own
ports, and to fack fome of the Canary ifles, and that of St. Thome un-
der the equinodial line. And yet, during all thofe prodigious expenfes,
to grow opulent, and to be courted by the moil diftant potentates of the
known w^ord, as well as by many nearer home. What can more effec-
tually demonftrate the inexprefhble advantages of a general and exten-
five commerce to a nation than thefe and fuch like inftances ? while at
the fame tifne they fhew the great propenfity of thofe Netherland pro-
vinces to trade and induftry, while attended with fo happy an union of
hearts ancj counfels in thofe early times ; fearching every corner of the
earth where any commerce could be had ; pulhing on fo immenfe a
filhery alfo as fupplied all Europe, and fo great and extenfive a com-
merce, and fuch numerous conquefts in India, as amazed all the world ;
while at home they wonderfully cultivated all forts of manufidures :
and bemg fiaiated as it were in the middle of Europe, they very foon
made Amfterdam become (what it ftill in a great meafure is) the grand
ftorehoufe or ma2:azine of almoft all the merchandize of the univerfe,
whither there dayly arrived numbers of iliips from all parts, ar.d from
whence others daylv liiiled to all parts. Even in this fame year 1609
they Ijad about 100 ftiips employed in the gold-coaft trade, at Gmrica
and the Cape de Verd ifles, a- id were fo fuccefi,fal in that co m ce
that they foon began to think of eftabliflihig a Weft-India compaiiy.
The Engliflr Eaft-India company now fent out but one fliip, tir-T to
Banam, and thence to the ifles of Banda, &c. ; but the Hollanders
being abiolure lords there, they were refufed admittance to tiuJic.
Yet the Dutch not being as yet mafters at the ifle of Puloway ihis fliip
obiained there a cargo of mace and nutmegs. They left tadors there
A. D. 1609. 259
for future trade, and returned home after flopping again at Bantam.
This is ufually called the company's fifth voyage.
161 o. — Although the fifteen years exclufive trade granted by Queen
Elizabeth's charter to the Eafl-India company was not to expire till
1615, yet King James, on the 3ifl: of May, in the year i6ro, was pre-
vailed on to grant that company a renewal of their charter, fetting forth
the profit and honour which this trade brought to the nation, whereby
his majefty was now induced to render this company perpetual, with
the ufual powers of making bye-laws, of having a common feal, and the
other powers in the former charter.
The Eaft-hidia merchants, encouraged by their new charter, now
built the largeft merchant fhip that had ever been built in England,
being of i roo tons burden, which they narned the Trade's Increafe, and
with her and three others they made their fixth voyage to India.
At the fame time the king built a (hip of war called the Prince, fu-
perior to any fhip ever feen in England hitherto, being of 1400 tons
burden, and carrying 64 cannon. Thus we fee how far fliort the navy
was of its prefent force and dignity even at this late time. Such a fhip
at prefent is the fmallefl of thofe which are admitted into the line of
battle.
Henry IV, in the midfl of his patriotic labours for the improvement
of the manufaftures and commerce, and promoting the general happi-
nefs of France, was affaflinated in his capital.
Voltaire, in the introduction to his EfTay on the age of Louis XIV,
gives us a compendious view of the ftate of France at the acceflion of
Louis XIII. The king had not one fhip of war *. Paris did not con-
tain 400,000 people, and there were not four magnificent edifices in it.
The other cities of the kingdom were like the towns beyond the Loire.
Every nobleman throughout the provinces lived in a fortified caflle fur-
rounded with moats, and opprelled the laborious peafants around him.
The roads were almoll impracticable, and the towns under no regula-
tion. The ftate was without money, and the government was as much
without credit amongft foreign nations as defective at home. The or-
dinary revenue did not exceed 45 millions. Silver, it is true, being then
valued at but about 26 livres the mark, thefe 45 millions amounted to
about 85 millions of the prefent money of France.
King James granted many patents for the fo!e vending or making of
certain merchandize and manufad:ures, v/hereupon the people became
extremely uneafy and loud againft all fuch pernicious grants (which in-
deed were become very great grievances to the fubjefts, and obliged the
king this year to revoke all his monopolies by proclamation. The re-
*■ Voltaire fometimes runs too fafl. According of war at Breft and Rochelle, and twenty galleys
to Su/'j'^s Memoirs, France had about fifteen (hips in the ports on the Mediterranean.
Kk 2
260 A. D. 1610.
vocation, however, was afterward forgotten, as will be feen, by him and
his miniflers.
In the early part of this century there was a prevailing fpirit of ad-
venturing on new plantations from England. Even the barren and in-
hofpitable ifland of Newfoundland was reprefented as proper for plan-
tation in printed accoimts, which induced the earl of Northampton, the
lord chief baron Tanfield, Sir Francis Bacon folicitor-general, &c. to
join with a number of Briftol merchants in obtaining from King James
a grant of part of Newfoundland, lying between Cape Bonavifta and
Cape St. Mary's ; which fets forth.
That whereas divers of his fubjeds were defirous to plant in the fouth-
erft and eaftern parts of Newfoundland, whither the fubjeds of this realm
have for upwards of fifty years pafl been ufed annually, in no fmall num-
bers, to refort to fifh, intending thereby to fecure the trade of fifhing
to our fubjeds for ever, as alfo to make fome advantage of the lands
thereof, which hitherto have remained unprofitable ; and the land be-
ing at prefent defiitute of inhabitants, whereby the king has an un-
doubted right to difpofe of it, therefor he now grants to Henry earl of
* Northampton, and 44 others therein named, their heirs and alfigns, to
be a corporation, with perpetual fucceflion, &c. by the name of the
Treafurer and company of adventurers and planters of the cities of Lon-
don and Briftol for the colony or plantation in Newfotmdland, from,
north latitude 46 to 52 degrees, together with the feas and iflands lying
within ten leagues of any part of the coaft, and all mines, &:c. faving to
all his majefty's fubjeds the liberty of fifhing there, &c.
Mr. Guy of Briftol went thither as condudor of the firft colony, who
, is faid to have contra<fted familiarity and friendfliip with the natives,
who lived at a diftance from the fouthern and eaftern coafts ; and it is
faid, that while he remained there, viz. for two years, they went on
very well. But the illand has never to this day been valuable as a fet-
ileraent any farther than as a ftation for the fiftiery.
This year the gallant Spanilh governor of the Philippine ifles attack-
ed the Dutch admiral Willart, who had funk a SpanilTi galleon richly
laden from China, killed him, and took three of his four fliips ; where-
upon the Spaniards retook from the Dutch the iflands of Tidore and.
Banda. This was the laft fuccefsful ftruggle of Spain in thofe parts
againft the Dutch.
A treaty of commerce, and of a defenfive alliance between England
and France, and for the confirmation of former treaties, was begun in
the lifetime of King Henry IV, and concluded by his Ion Louis XIJI,
a minor under the authority of the queen-regent. It is in fubftance
as follows :
I) King James ftipulates, in cafe of France being invaded, to fupply
iSoQO foot-foldiers, armed either with, bows, guns, or pikes: and with
A. D. 1610. 261
eight fliips of \vai*, with 1200 fighting men in them; all which to be at
the expenfe of France.
II) On the other hand, France fhall fupply King James, in the like
cafe, with the like number of foldiers and fhips, when demanded.
III) If any potentate fhall detain or arrefl any fhips of England, Scot-
land, or Ireland ; the French king fhall in fuch cafe arrefl and detain
the fhips of fuch potentate in his harbours until thofe of Britifh fubjeds
be releufed : and King James promifes the like for the French king's
fubjeds.
IV) Free liberty to the Englifh fubjeds in France for the private ex-
ercife of the proteftant religion.
V) Three months time allowed, in cafe of a rupture, for the mer-
chants on both fides to bring away their efFeds.
VI) Security fhall be given by the commanders of the fhips of both '
parties fetting fail, not to commit piracy or any other violence to the
other party. [With fundry other articles againfl piratical acls.]
VII) The Englifh fhips trading to Boiirdeaux and into the river Ga-
ronne, fhall not hereafter be obliged to land and depofit their arms and
ammunition there : neither fliall the French fhips in England be put to
the like inconvenience : neither fliall thefe pay the impofition or petty
dues in England called head-money, warranted by no law of England.
VIII) Laflly, with refped to all other commercial matters, the treaty
of 1606 fhall take place. \^Foedera, V. xvi, p. 694.]
Captain Hudfon now made his third and laft attempt for the difcove-
ry of a north-weft paffige to China. He entered the ftraits and bay of
his name, and went 100 leagues farther than any before had done, till
his progrefs was obflruded by ice or by flioal-water, giving the Englifh
names to many ports, bays, and promontories, which they flill retain on
all the maps. He traded with the natives, and wintered in the country,
in which he found fwans, geefe, ducks, partridges, &c. But great dif-
cord arifing between him and the liiajority of the fliip's company, they
mutinied, and mofl cruelly turned him and eight of his men (who were
nioftly fick) into an open boat, and they were never heard of more.
The mutineers returned home with the fhip, though in great diflrefs for
want of provifions, &c. the ringleaders againfl Captain Hudion moflly
lofing their lives in the homeward vojage.
The London adventurers to Virginia (or the firfl colony) now^
obtained the king's charter, which incorporated them by the name of
the treafurer and company of adventurers and planters of the city of
London for the firfl colony of Virginia. This was what was then pro-
perly called the Virginia company. They were thereby impowered
to grant lands to the adventurers and planters; — to appoint a council,
refident in Virginia, to place and difplace officers, &c. The fanguine
hopes entertained of that colony in thole times fupported their fpirits
2.
262 A. D. 1610.
under great expenfes and many difappointments ; and although tboic
firft adventurers were far from being gainers, yet the nation has fince
reaped a noble harveft from their endeavours. In the tenth year of this
king's reign, he granted them all the iflands on the coafi: of South Vir-
ginia.
i6ir — The Dutch Eaft-Tndia company's ambaffadors to the empe-
ror of Japan are faid to have now obtained very advantageous terms
of commerce, maugre all the oppofition of the Spanifh and Portuguefe
agents there.
Henry prince of Wales now fent out his fervant Sir Thomas Button
to attempt a difcovery of a north-weft paflage to China. He entered
the bay, which bears his name to this day, on the fouth fide of Hud-
fon's bay, where he wintered at a place called Port-Nelfon, fo named by
him from the captain ot his fliip, whom he buried there. He difcover-
ed a great continent to the fouth and weft of that bay, to which he gave
the names of New North Wales, and New South Wales, and ere^^ed a
crofs, on which he fixed the arms of England.
In the tenth voyage of the Englifli Eaft-India company, our people
had an opportunity of obferving the vaft commerce of the Portuguefe
at Surat, where there were no fewer than 240 fail of their merchant
fliips in one fleet, bound for Cambaya : neverthelefs, our two fliips foon
after fought and defeated four of their great galleons, and 26 frigates
from Goa, fent in purfuit of them ; which caufed great joy to the In-
dians at Surat, by whom the Portuguefe were much hated, who were
foon to lofe the bulk of this mighty commerce.
About this time Philip III king of Spain, through the inftigation of
his bigotted clergy, drove out of his dominions the moft induftrious and
valuable part of his fubjects. After the former flaughters and expul-
fions of the Moors and Jews, there were ftill about 1,200,000* of both
thofe races of people remaining in Spain, under the charad:er of }iew
Chrijlians. Philip II could never be prevailed upon to proceed to ex-
tremities againft thefe unhappy people, though it had often been propof-
ed to him ; but his fon Philip III, being a weak prince, and confequent-
ly much led by the clergy, was drawn into this cruelty. The Moors
and Jews were faid to have folicited the protection of France, of Eng-
land, of the Dutch, of the king of Morocco, and of the grand fignior, being
apprehenlive that their inveterate foes the clergy would fooner or later
bring about their deftrudion. Rumours had alio been, fpread at this
time of their intending on a Good Friday to butcher all the old Chrif-
tians. Upon fuch furmifes and pretences KingPhilip feized all their eftates,
and expelled them from his kingdom in the moft cruel manner. Priefts
ber
Moft of the Spanidi authors reckon the mim- mimber fonie ■extenuation of the atrocity and fre.'i-
0!i!y 6cG0. Perhaps they thiuk a fmallcr zy of this fignal triumph of fuperftition. M.
A. D. i6r I. 263
were dragged from the altars, judges from the benches, hufbands from the
arms of their wives, and wives from their hufbands : not fparing even
fuch officers of the crown as were allied to the moft antient Chriftian
flimilies. Many of thofe miierable people were tranfported to Barbary,
where they joined the race of thofe before expelled, in their revenge
for Spanifh cruelties. Mezeray fays that fcarce a fourth part of them
were able to preferve their wretched lives ; for being looked upon as
infidels by the Chriftians whither they fled, and as Chriftians amongfl
the infidels, they encountered cruelties and death in various fhapes.
Some were drowned by the very, mariners who pretended to tranfport
them ; others were mafPacred by the Moors of Barbary. Mr. Cotting-
ton, the Englifh ambaflador at Madrid, wrote to Mr. Trumbull, the
Englifh refident at Fruflels, that the Spanifh king had made vafi prepar-
ations for deftroying the Morifcoes of the kingdom of Valencia, having
for that endafi^embled 85 galleys, 20 fliips, and 70,000 foldiers. At one
inftanr they feized on all the towns and villages of Valencia, proclaim-
ing that within three days, upon pain of death, they fhould all repair to
the fea-fide, there to be embarked. Many, fearing what fliould after-
ward be done to them, and attempting to fly, were immediately execut-
ed. The refl; (which they fay will be at leafl 80, ceo houfeholds) have
dayly their hands bound, and fo put on board. What they will do with
them, or whither they will carry them, is yet kept a fecret. Some fay
there is a commiflion given to put them all on fliore in Barbary ; and
others, (which I rather believe) that it is to call them all into the fea.
' Poftfcript. I can almofl; afiTure you that they have and will throw
* into the fea, of men, women, and children, above 300,000 perfons. A
* cruelty never before heard of in any age,' lays Lord Cottington.
In another letter to the fame, he fays, ' that three of the befl: galle-
' ons and three fmaller fliips were loft- in a tempeft, all fraught with
' Moors. Our Morifcoes (or Moors) notwithftandmg we have embark-
' ed at leaft Ho,ooo of them, are now above 20,000 ftrong in the moun-
' tains.' In another; ' Our Moors in the mountains are, through fa-
' mine, forced to come down : their king is hanged in Valencia with
' fome few others, and the reft are embarked for Barbary. We now begin
' to clear Caftile, Eftre nadura, and Andalufia of iMorilcoes alfo. They
' are to be gone within thirty days.' In another; ' We here turn out
' our Morifcoes, without fuflfering them to carry in fpecie, or in letters,
* any kind of gold or lilver.' [Wimvood's Memonnls, V. iii.]
This and former expulfions deprived Spam of vaft numbers of her
moft ingenious and ind^iftrious people, who (had they been treated with
moderation) might have been gradually brought over to their catholic
religion. Now if to thefe lofles of people be added thofe great numbers
fent to their vaft American colonies, we cannot be furpriied that there
are now, by fome accounts, fcarce five millions of people in all the king-
264
A. D. 161 r.
dnm of Spain, though about thrice as large as the ifland of Great
Britam, wherein are about twice that number of people. By thefe de-
populations, and by their bigotry, lizinefs, and pride, that fine country,
from being once one of the mofl; populous, as well as befl: cultivated in all
Europe, is become a barren folitude. Mezeray obferves that the Moors
in Spain had fo far improved the lands as to make them yield more by
one ti'iird part to the landlords than die Spaniih tenants could do; where-
for, when King Philip Til expelled them, he gave the nobles and gentry
one fourth part of the plunder, by way of recompenfe. The Moors left
behind them in Spain very illuflrious marks of their long dominion
there ; feeing moft of the eminent cities, caftles, and palaces, and alfo
cathedral churches, which formerly were mofques, remaining even to
this day, were built by them, who were accounted more ingenious, as
well as more induftrious in buiinefs, than the Spaniards. We thought
ourfelves obliged to dwell the longer on this article of the expulfion of
the Moors and Jews from Spain, that it might prove an ufeful memento to
us and all wife nations never to fuflfer a bigotted clergy to poifon court
and country with their perfecuting principles : a numerous, frugal, and
indurtrious commonalty being the greatefl riches, glory, and flrength of
a well-ordered flate.
In mofl of the new branches of trade difcovered by the Englifh in
the later part of the laft, and the former part of the prefent century,
we may obferve that the Dutch followed clofe at their heels. This has
been feen in the Ruffia trade, the north-eaft and north-wefl attempts
for a pafHige to China, &c. in planting in America, in the circumnavi-
gations of the globe, and in the Eaft-India commerce. It is true De
Witt in his Intereft of Holland fays that the Dutch made early attempts
for the whale-fifliing at Spitzbergen ; yet as the mariners of Hull were
long before much in the fifhery at the North Cape, it feems probable
that the Dutch learned the way to Spitzbergen from them.
The Hollanders, being emboldened by their late truce with Spain,
now ventured into the Levant feas, and fent their firfl: ambaflador to
the grand fignior at Conilantinople, where he concluded a favourable
treaty of commerce.
This year is generally fixed on as the firfl time that the Dutch gained
a footing in Japan; and it is faid that by the year 1616 they were the
only European people permitted to trade or refide there. The invidi-
ous ftory of their artful anfwer to the Japanefe, upon being afked if
they were Chriflians is much more like a Portuguefe calumny than the
real truth : for as the Hollanders had entirely driven the Portuguefe
out of the trade to Japan, it is mofl probable that their priefts invent-
ed that deteflable calumny to render them odious every where ; and
we have the greater reafon for this fuppofition, as the Portuguefe je-
fuits (we know) were alfo very liberal of their falfe and cruel invectives
A. D. i^iT. 265
againft both the Englifli and Dutch, at the great mogul's court, and
elfewhere in India, upon a vain prefumption that their nation, being
the firfl difcoverers of a paflage by fea to India, had the fole right to
trade thither.
The Ruffia company having fent a fhip in the preceding year to ex-
plore the coaft of Spitzbergen, now fitted out two fhips for the purpofe
of catching whales, which carried with them fix Bifcayners, that people
being fuppofed the moft expert in fuch a fifhery. Both fhips were loft ;
but the men were faved by a fhip belonging to Hull, which was upon
the fame fifhery.
16 1 2. — From the year 1598 the Enghfh went on unrivalled with
their whale-fifhing at Greenland, till 161 2, when the Hollanders fir ft re-
forted thither; whereupon fome of the Englifti Ruffia company's fhips,
outward-bound, feized the whale-oil, fifhing-tackle, &c. of the Durch,
and obliged them to return home, threatening that, if ever they found
them in thofe feas thereafter, they would make prize of fhips and car-
goes ; their mafter the king of Great Britain having the fole right to that
fifhery, in virtue of the firft difcovery thereof, and of Spitzbergen ; and
in the following year the Englifli actually brought home two Dutch
fhips as prizes.
The Hollanders now joined the Hanfe towns in a complaint to Chrif-
tiern IV, king of Denmark, of the heavy additional toll which, fince
the commencement of his war with Sweden, he had imposed on all fhips
paffing the Sound : whereupon the king gave them the choice of a hard
alternative, viz. either to pay that new toll, or elfe to let their merchandize
be thenceforth carried up the Baltic in Danifh bottoms. The Lubeckers
being from their fituation peculiarly affeded by that toll, loudly com-
plained to the emperor, whofe redrefs (if at all to be hoped for) being
likely to be very flow, they made a league with the Hollanders for the
mutual protedion of their commerce and navigation, determining to
fend an armed force to the Sound for that end. Seven eighths of the
expenfes were to be born by Holland, and the other eighth part by
Lubeck ; and the alliance was to laft eleven years, during which the
other Hanfe towns might come into it. Accordingly afterwards the
cities of Magdeburgh, and Brunfwick, Roftock, Straelfund, and Lunen-
burgh, agreed to pay each one per cent, and Wifniar, Gripfwald, and
Anclam, each one half per cent, at their affembly held at Brunfwick.
Hamburgh and Bremen are alfo mentioned by Werdenhagen, without
afcertaining their quotas. The Lubeckers alfo complained to the em-
peror that the Danes had feized and detained their fhips and merchan-
dize bound to Sweden: and the king of Denmark replied, that the
Lubeckers had had fair notice before-hand, that if they carried on any
correfpondence with his enemies he would make prize of them. And
with refped to the toll which he had laid on fhips pafling the Sound.
Vol. II. L 1 '
266 A. D. i6i2.
Buring his war with Sweden, that was no more than what other princes^
in like cafes do : for that he was fovereign lord of the Baltic fea, or
Sound, the dominion whereof was tranfmitted to him by his anceftors,
feeing a great part of his territories border on that fea ; wherefor he
would never fuffer his title to his fovereignty in the Baltic to be called
in queftion. Probably, however, he meant only that part of it called
the Sound.
The Dutch, having prevailed on King James to join with them and
the Hanfe towns in the complaint to the ftatcs of Denmark, (which
then had a free conftitution) the toll was reduced to the fame rates that
were paid before the Swedifh war. And, to guard againft the repeti-
tion of fuch encroachments, the Dutch contraded an alliance with the
Hanfe towns in general, in the year 1613, and another with Lubeck and
fome other of the Hanfe towns in 1615, wherein they agreed to ftand
by each other againft all impofitions.
By the interefl of a Dutchman, who was in great favour with the king
of Ceylon, the Dutch Eaft-India company obtained a favourable treaty
with that king, who engaged to fell them all the cinnamon of theifland,
to exempt them from fundry taxes, and to allow free commerce thither to
no other European nation without their leave, and alfo to difpofe of all
his pretious ftones to them alone ; and lafdy, to allow them half the
cuftoms of the ifland, &c. (fays Baldaeus, a Dutch preacher at Ceylon,
who publiflied his Account of Ceylon at Amfterdam, 1672) Yet the
contefts of the Dutch for fecuring the conquefl of the Molucca fpice
iflands prevented their being able at this time to improve that treaty fo
far as to drive the Portuguefe out of Ceylon, who were guarded againft-
the encroachments made by the Dutch, and had alfo violent quarrels
with the king of Ceylon.
This effort of the declining Hanfe towns to draw the Dutch into a
confederacy with them for the freedom of commerce, did, by the power-
ful conjundion of England, produce the defired effed. Yet, in general,
it was unlikely that any durable confederacy (and much lefs an union,
as fome then propofed) could rake place between the Dutch and fo great
a number of widely difperfed towns, with interefts almoft as different as
their fituations ; over-awed too by the greater potentates near them,
fmce they have become ftrong in {hipping. Such an union therefor
could not be advantageous to the Dutch, whofe aim always was to gain
ground every where in commerce, and who now for m.ore than a cen-
tury have engrofled the greateft part of the commerce of the Baltic, and
thereby have rendered mofl; of the Hanfeatic ports on that fea as empty
of good (hipping as their exchanges now are of rich merchants.
About this time alfo the Swedes treated as enemies all fuch m^erchant
(liips as did not take out licences from their king for liberty to trade
thither : fo that the eafterling Hanfe towns, being prefixed with difficul-
A. D. 1612. 267
ties on every fide, were obliged to relinquirti a great part of their an-
tient commerce, which gradually brought on their prefent great declen-
fion. \lVerdenhagen, V. ii, />. 105.]
Ireland having been very much exhaufled of people by former wars
and rebellions, King James, finding it now in peace, thought it a proper
time to improve it : he accordingly divided the whole kingdom into
counties, appointed regular circuits of the judges ; and (fays Sir James
Ware in his Hiftorical relations) the benefit and protedion of the laws
of England were communicated to all, as well Irifii as Englifh, whereby
the Irifh were reclaimed from their wildnefs, cut off their glibs and long
hair, converted their mantles into cloaks, and conformed to the manner
of England, in all their behaviour and outward forms. The pofleffion
and limits of lands were fettled, whereby the hearts of the people were
alfo fettled, and they were now encouraged to build and plant, and to
improve the commodities of the lands ; whereby the yearly value there-
of is already increafed double of what it was within thefe few years, as is
alfo the crown revenue. Encouragement has been given to the maritime
towns and cities, to increafe their trade and mechanical arts and fci-
ences. He alfo granted markets and fairs in all counties, and ereded
corporate towns among them : fo that, unril the beginning of his
reign, Ireland was never entirely fubdued and brought under the obe-
dience of the crown of England.
Sir John Davis juftly remarks, (in fundry places of his ufeful treatife
on this fubje6l) that it was bad policy in England, that for the fpace of
350 years, at leaft, after the conquefl, the Englifh laws were not commu-
nicated to the Iriili, nor the benefit and protedion thereof extended to
them, though they earneftly defired the fame : as if it was intended
to keep up a feparation and enmity between the Englifh and Irifh for-
ever ; whereby a perpetual war was kept up between them till this hap-
py time that a complete conquefl was now made of that entire ifland.
For the prevention of future rebellions, King James in the year 1609
propofed to the city of London the eflablifhment of an Englifh fettle-
ment in a part of the province of Ulfter, then much depopulated and
deferted ; and the city accepted his propofal, and raifed the fum of
L20,ooo for making a new plantation there*, now fent thither about
300 perfons of all forts of handicrafts and occupations, principally in-
tended for repeopling Derry (thenceforth called Londonderry) and Co-
le rain ; and 200 houfes were built in the former, and 100 in the laten
The king alfo ereded Derry into a bifhopric, and made Colerain a cor-
poration.
A corporation was accordingly eftabliflied in London for that end,
under the name of the governor and committee of the Irifh fociety, to
* The Irifli inhabitants of that part of tjlfber were ta-anfpknted to Connau;^ht, where Uicii pofle-
riiy ftill remain.
Li 2
268 A. D. 1612.
be annually eledled out of the court of aldermen and common-councilV
for the management of the lands and fifheries of that part of Ireland.
Yet it feems King James thought the magiflrates of the city of London
were not expeditious enough therein: for in the year 1613 he fent for
that newly-ereded corporation to Greenwich, and reprimanded them
for their dilatorinefs, 8cc. Whereupon the city fent over to Ulfter an
alderman and a commoner, with fome furveyors, who fettled the new
colony to the king's, as well as the city's fatisfadion : and the lands
and fifheries there have bten fmce greatly improved, to the confider-
able benefit of that part of Ireland ; it being a very valuable eftate
pofTefl^ed to this day by the city of London in its corporate capacity.
King James took the benefit of a ftatute [25 Edw. Ill} which enabled
the king to levy a reafonable aid for the marriage of his eldeft daughter,
and ifiued his precepts to the (herifFs of the feveral counties for the levying
thereof, being the fame with that he levied in 1609, for making his
eldeft fon a knight, viz. twenty {hillings on every knight's fee ; and the
like on every L20 per annum on all lands held of the crown in foccage.
Which aid was alfo (we conceive) the laft of the kmd raifed by any of
our kings. [Feeders, V. xvi, p. 724.]
In this fame year, or, as fome others, two years fooner, the Danes
firft failed to Eaft-India, w'lcre they have ever lince carried on a com-
merce, and have a good fort and town, built about the year 161 7, on
the coaft of Coromandel, called Tranquebar ; though their trade be not
very confiderable there to this day.
The ciufter of fmall and very rocky illands, fituated between Europe
and America, and named the Bermuda or Somer ifles, in the north la-
tirudf of 327 degrees (.500 miles diredly eaft from Carolina), was now
planted by the Englifli. They had, almoll 100 years before, been dif-
covered by one Bermuda, a Spaniard, but were never planted by any
before this time. Sir George Somers and Sir Thomas Gates, in their
voyage to Virginia in 1609, were flripwrecked there, and lived there
nine months; and having built a fliip of the cedar of the place, they
failed thence to Virginia. They left two men in the largeft ifle, whom
the colonifts found there. And from the firft-named gentleman they
were named the Somers' ifles, though the firft name of Bermuda is
moftly ufed. Sir George Somers was, it feems, a fecond time driven on
thofe ifles, and died there. But thofe who were with him, on their ar-
rival in England, made fo favourable a report of the beauty and fertili-
ty of them, that the Virginia company (who, as firft difcoverers, claim-
ed the property) fold them to about i 20 perfons, to whom the king
granted a charter. And in this year 1 60 perfons fettled on the largeft
of them, named St. Qeorge's ifland, and afterwards 500 more followed
in 1 61 9; whereupon they inftituted an alTembly, with a governor and
A. D. 1612. 269
council. Some have reckoned the iflands 400 in number ; but moft of
them too fmall to have any name, they being all circumfcribed within
the compafs of little more than about 47 leagues. St. George's, the
largefl:, is naturally fortified almoft quite round by rocks ; and where
there is any landing place they have forts and batteries ; and their on-
ly two harbours are alfo very well fortified. They at firfl planted fome
tobacco ; but it did not anfwer expedation. They are faid to have the-
finefl oranges in the world, alfo mulberries, olives, &c. and the nobleft'
of cedar trees. Yet they produce very little ftaple commodities fit for ;
exportation, excepting their cedar floops, with which they trade, and
fell them at the Weft-Indies, and fome provifions : with the gain of
which trade they are enabled to pay Great Britain for all the necefla-
ries they are conflantly fupplied with. It was afterwards, like Virginia,,
made a regal government, and fo it ftill continues. As thefe ifles lie fo'
remote from America, there were no people found on them by the
Englifh : but they found plenty of hogs, which the Spaniards had left
there, as they likewife did on many other uninhabited ifles, that they
might afterward, in cafe of fhipwreck or ftorms, find fuftenance there-
on. The iflands labour under a want of frefh water, and the frequent
attacks of furious winds, florms, thunder, &c. At the main ifland of
St. George (as well as at the chief town) large (hips may fafely enter
and be fecure, both harbours being fo well fortified that an enemy may
be eafily kept out: and this is probably what induces government to
keep up thofe inconfiderable and much worn-out ifles, which lie fo
much in the way of our enemies (in whofe power they ought never to
be) as well as of our own fhipping ; there being no produ(^tions there
but what maybe had in our other plantations ; and their tobacco is
much worfe than that of Virginia.
The Englifh Eaft-India company now fent out one fhip, carrpng Sir
Robert Shirley, as ambaflador from King James to Perfia, and wich him-
Sir Thomas Powell, who obtained of the Perfian court certain privi-
leges for the company. This fhip returned home with a cargo of pep-
per, from Sumatra and Bantam, in 1614 ; and this is ufually reckoned
the twelfth voyage of tliis company.
In the fame year, James Hall and William Baffin failed as high in
Hudfon's bay as 6$ degrees 20 minutes of north latitude, fearching for
a paflage to China, in vain. They alio made trial of a fuppoied mine
there, which had been digged by fome Danes, but found it of no value.
The Spaniards and Portuguefe lT:ill continuing to infift that none but
themfelves had any right to fail beyond the equinodial line, the learn-
ed Hugo Grotius, on the part of his own country of Holland, under-
took to confute them in his ever-famous fmall Latin treatife, intitled,
* Mare liberum, five de jure quod Batavis competit ad Indicana com-
270 A. D. 1612.
" mercia, diflertatio *.' He begins with an addrefs to the princes and
free people of Chriftendom ; and in 1 3 chapters learnedly illuftrates
the freedom of navigation on the open feas to all mankind. He main-
tains, that neither the Portuguefe nor Spaniards had any kind of ex-
clufive right of dominion in the Eaft-Indies ; either by the title of prior
difcovery, or by virtue of the pope's donation, or by right of war or
conqueft, or by virtue of any claim of prefcription or cuftom. That
by the law of nations, commerce is free to all mankind : and there-
for by no equitable rule ought they to reftrain the freedom of the In-
dian commerce, which the Hollanders are determined to maintain, whe-
ther in peace or war. He clearly proves that the Portuguefe were far
from being the original difcoverers of the Eaft-India feas, ift, From
Alexander's difcoveries thereof, and of the Perfian and Arabian gulfs.
2dly, From Caius Caefar's having found marks in the Red fea of the
wrecks of fliips, belonging to the Gaditani ; who could come no other
way thither but by the Cape of Good Hope. He cites Coelius Antipa-
ter's ocular teftimony of a maritime commerce in antient times be-
tween Spain and Ethiopia ; and what Cornelius Nepos writes, viz. that
in his time, Eudoxus, flying from Lathyrus, king of Alexandria, took
fhipping in the Red fea, and failed round Africa to Gades in Spain.
That while Carthage flouriflied, it is moll: clear that thofe people, deep-
ly fkilled in maritime affairs, were not ignorant of thofe feas : particu-
larly, that Hanno failed from Gades to the fartheft parts of Arabia,
round by that now called the Cape of Good Hope ; and would have
gone farther, had not his ftores and provifions failed him. Next, the
regular annual voyages of the Romans from Egypt to India, by the
Red fea, after Auguflus had conquered Egypt. And that Strabo aflerts,
that in his own time a company of merchants of Alexandria traded with
fhips from the Red fea to the fartheft Ethiopia, as well as to India,
f Grotius fubjoins, that when the Portuguefe firft failed to India, the fe-
veral feas between Europe and India were known, and could not poffi-
bly be unpraftifed by the Moors, Ethiopians, Arabians, Perfians, and
Indians, people bordering upon them ; and that a difcovery gives no
right to any thing but what belonged to nobody before fuch difcovery.
Neither is it certain, that unlefs the Portuguefe had made the difcovery
(as they term it) of India, none elfe would have done it. For the time
was then come when almoft all arts, and particularly the fituation of
the earth and feas, were much better underftood, and dayly improving.
The Venetians, who had learned much of India, were then upon far-
ther inquiries ; the indefatigable induftry of the people of Bretagne,
and the bold attempts of the Englifh, all plainly fhow what in time
* The free fea, or a diiTettation on the right of of Uie antient intercourfe of the Europeans with
Uie Dutch to the commerce of India. the Eall, will iinJ that Grotius has'atted lather as
f The reader, who lias attended to the hiftory aii advocate than as a critical hilloriaa. M,
A. D. 1612.
271
would have been effeded. Among his other reafonings, he quotes Al-
phonfus Caftrenfis, a Spanilh divine, as inveighing againft the abfurdity
and injuftice of thofe nations who claim an exclufive navigation in
xertain feas ; as the Genoefe, in their bay -, the Venetians, in their
gulf; and principally the Portuguefe, in the Eaft-Indian feas; as well as
all other nations (Spain itfelf not excepted) who pretend to fuch an ex-
clufive right on the fea (which is common to all), contrary to the law
of natvn-e, or natural juflice, and to that natural and divine rule, of do-
ing to others as we would they fliould do to us. Towards the conclu-
iion, Grotius, fpeaking of the neceflity of vindicating by all poflible
means the freedom ot navigation and commerce, thus addrefles his own
nation, viz. * Go on, thou mofl: invincible nation on the Ocean, in bold-
* ly aiferting and defending that freedom which is not thine alone, but
' is equally the right of all mankind.'
In this treatife there is not a word of England's claim to any kind of
fea dominion ; the author's whole drift feeming profefledly to be againfl
Spain and Portugal (then flill united). Yet there is one expreffion in
his fifth chapter, which feems to have been pointed at King James
obliging the Hollanders to pay a tribute for the liberty of filhing on our
coafts, where he alTerts, ' that the reafons given for the freedom of na-
' vigation hold equally good for that of fifliing on the feas, which alfo
'■ ought to remain common or free to all.'
What fomewhat confirms this conjedure, was, that William Wel-
wood publiflied a fmall treatife, in Latin, {2^ pp. ^to, 161 5] intitled,.
' De dominio maris juribufque ad dominium praecipue fpedantibus, af-
' fertiobrevis et methodica. * Cofmopoli. 161 5.' As it is an anfwer
to Grotius, we fhall here give the fubftance of it, though three years
later in point of time.
He endeavours to prove, rhat the fea is capable of diflindion of pro-
perty, or of private dominion, as well as the land ; contrary to the opi-
nion (he owns) of many antient lawyers, orators, and poets; as Cicero,
Seneca, Virgil, Plautus, Ovid, &c. whom he boldly accufes of igno-
rance of the law of nature. And he fixes that dominion to be one hun-
dred miles every way from the fliore of the country adjacent, and
claiming the fame. But all the refi: of the fea beyond that limit, he,
and the civilians Bartolus ai^d Cepola (whom he quotes) leave perfedly
free to all mankind, to ufe indifferently without all doubt or controver-
fy. Thefe points he fpeaks of as the fenfe of all nations, ' excepting
' (fays he) only one nation, who, though her native foil abounds with
' milk, is neverthelefs indebted to other countries for all other nccefla-
' lies, and is even enriched and become haughty with the fpoils of all
* A brief and methodical vindica'Ion of the dominion of the fea, and the ptincipal rights appertai:>
ing to it.
272 A. D. 1612.
' nations, having defpifed all diftindion in her open or free fea, and
' has even had the boldnefs to flile herfelf invincible !'
In his third chapter, he complains, ' that Britain is robbed in
her own feas by foreign fifliers, who like an inundation crowd her
fhores with their fifhing-vefTels ; infomuch, that the filh thereby are fo
much diminifhed, that whereas thirty years before they were wont to
come in fhoals up to our very houfes, now it puts our poor fifliers to
the toil and hazard of going many miles out to fea in quell of them !
That the Scots, formerly obferving and confidering this damage, obliged
the Dutch, by treaty, to keep at eighty miles diftance from their fliores
in their fiftiery ; and themfelves to pay a tribute at the port of Aber-
deen ; where a tower was ereded for that and other purpofes, at which
the Dutch paid that tribute even in the memory of our fathers ; al-
though by the diftradions, &c. of fucceeding times the fame be now
-quite negleded.'
In his 4th and laft chapter, he endeavours to prove, by quotations
from civilians, &c. that the fea (the paflage of flrangers within his pro-
pofed limits) is tributable, (and that Cepola particularly affirms this of
the Venetian gulf), both on account of fafeguards from pirates, and of
the expenfe of maintaining beacons, and likewife for leave to fifli with-
in fuch limits.
But as neither he, nor any one elfe, ever undertook to fix exadly any
certain mark whereby to know the limits fo claimed in the fea, this
occafioned the Hollanders in thofe days to fay fcoffingly, that if the
Englifli would pleafe to fix palifadoes round the feas they claimed as
their property, they would willingly fubmit to their claim. Otherwife,
whilft the fea remained fo unfixed, indivifible, and uncertain, they
fliould continue to ufe it in common with all other nations, both for
navigation and fifhery. To fay the truth, what has been obferved by
others, carries obvious demonfiration and reafon with it, viz. that a
claim to any uncertain dominion implies a kind of nullity in it ; and
would alfo be produdive of an infinity of contentions : feeing it is im-
pofllble for the moft innocent and intelligent to know exadly the limits
of fuch a claimed dominion ; nor, confequently, can they always be
able to avoid encroaching on it, fince the claimers themfelves are un-
able to fix any marks to their limits.
Till now the Englifli Eafl-India trade was carried on by fundry fepa-
rate fliocks, making particular running-voyages ; but in this year they
united all into one general joint capital flock. Yet it feems to have
been a great overfight, that even for fome years after this confolidation
of flock, they did not (like the Portuguefe and Dutch) ered any forts
nor permanent fettlements in India. They fent but one fliip this year
,on the ioint-flock account.
A, D. 1613. 273
1613 — The confideratlon of the voyage of Richard Chancelor, &c.
in the lad century, from Ruffia, down the great river Volga, and crofs
the Cafpian fea into Perfia, where he attempted to trade with Enghfti
manufadlures, &c. for Perfian and Indian merchandize, put Sir Henry
Nevill upon a fcheme of the Uke nature, for bringing the whole trade
of Perfia, and the inland parts of India, up the river Hydafpes (a
branch of the Indus), and thence over land to the river Oxus, which
falls into the Cafpian fea, thence crofs that fea, and up the Volga to a
fmall land-carriage, which would bring then to the river Dwina, and
thence down to Archangel. This proje6l was communicated by John
Chamberlain, in a letter to Sir Ralph Winwood, at the Hague, and is
printed in his Memorials of affairs of ftate [/^ iii] ; but this 'letter-
writer very juflly thought it a matter of no fmall difliculty. The
fcheme, however, as far as relates to Perfia acrofs the Cafpian, has in
our days been found prafticable by the Ruflia company, for import-
ing raw filks, till the continual troubles in Perfia have again interrupt-
ed it.
In this year fixty-two perfons from England had a grant of lands in
Newfoundland : they pretended to have raifed wheat, rye, and garden-
fluff there ; yet it is Imce found that neither wheat nor any grain will
profper on that ifland. Thofe planters, however, foon grew weary of
their attempts, which by no means anfwered their expedations, and
therefor transferred their grant to other new adventurers.
In this loth year of King James's reign, he coined the pound weight
of gold into L44 by tale, of the old ftandard of 23 carrats 3^ grains,
fine. He alfo coined gold this fame year of bafer allay, viz. of 22 car-
ra^-s fine, into L40 : i 8 ; 4, by tale; the pieces being units of 22/,
double crowns 11/, Britain crowns 5/6, thiflie crowns 4/11.1, half Bri-
tain crowns 2/9 each; a very flrange fancy, of having gold coins of dif-
ferent finenefs ! wherein he was followed by his Ion.
In the treaty of peace and commerce, between King ChriiHern IV
of Denra:irk, and Guftavus Adolphus of Sweden, under the mediation
of King James I of Great Britain, we find the following articles relat-
ing to commerce.
' I) Both nations may freely trade to each other's country, without
* paying any cuflom or duty.
' II) The Swedes fliall freely pafs the Saund with their fhips without
* paying toll there, either for perfons or goods ; excepting in the cafe
* of foreign liquors, for which the Swedes muft pay the fame toll as
' Danifli iubjed themfelves do.' [Fcedera, V. xvi, p. 738.]
The Englifli Ruffia company having this year obtained of King James
a charter, excluding all orhers (natives as well as foreigners) from fail-
ing to Spitzbergen, they profecuted the whale-fifhery with fuch refolu-
tion, that this vear thcv equipped feven armed fhips ; wherewith they
Vol. 11. " ' M m
274 ^' ^' ^^^3'
drove from thofe feas, not only fifteen fail of Dutch, French, and Bif-
cayners, but even four Enghfli feparate fidiers, to whom they gave the
Dutch appellation of interlopers. They alfo fet up a crofs, with the
king's arms on it, at Spitzbergen, calling it King James's Newland.
And they obliged fome French Ihips, which they had permitted to fifh
there, to pay them a tribute of eight whales. This was that company's
fecond equipment exprefsly for whale-fifhing there.
This year Captain Saris, in the Englifli Eaft-India company's fervice,
arrived the firfl of any of our nation at the port of Firando, in the ifle
of Bungo or Ximo, a part of the empire of Japan, the governor of which
received him civilly, and got him introduced to the emperor at Meaco,
his capital city, to whom he delivered our king's letter and prefents,
and who made fuitable returns, and gave liberty for the Englifh com-
pany to trade to Japan. At Firando Saris fettled an Englifh facftory,
notwithftanding the oppofition of the Portuguefe jefuits there, and the
Dutch, who did him all the ill offices in their power. Our company con-
tinued for fome years to trade thither ; but were afterward excluded, toge-
ther with all other Europeans, the Dutch only excepted. Saris returned
home to Plymouth the following year with a cargo of pepper from
Bantam .
Complaints being made of the decreafe of the exportation of Englifh
woollen cloth, and of the increafe of the woollen manufadures of Holland,
fo far that the Dutch had laid a confiderable duty on all foreign woollen
cloth imported into Holland, where alfo great immunities and privileges
were granted to foreign manufa<fturers, a motion was made in the privy-
council by the earl of Middlefex, lord high treafurer, and a confequent
order of that board was made, that a general ftate fliould be taken of
the exports and imports of all England for this year, in order to know
on which fide the balance lay ; which flood thus, (as given us in an in-
genious treatife, intitled, the Circle of commerce, publifhed in 1623,
p. 121 , by Edward Miflelden, Efq. an eminent merchant, viz.
1. Exports to all the world, between Chriflmas 161 2 and Chrift-
mas 161 3 - _ - _ _ _ L2,090,64o 11 8
2. The cuftom on thofe goods, _ _ _ 86,794 16 2
3. The impoft paid outwards on woollen goods,
tin, lead, and pewter, - _ _ _ _ io,coo o o
4. The merchants gains, freight, and other petty
charges, --____ _ 300,000 o o
Total exports, L2,487,435 7 10
Imported, during that time, in filks, Venice gold
and filver fluffs, Spanifh wines, linen, and other mer-
chandize, with all the cuftom thereon, - 2,141,151 10 o
Balance gained this year to the nation, - L346,283 17 10
A. D. 1613. 275
We have likewife, from the faine very credible author, the total
; amount of the cuftoms of England for this year 161 3, viz.
London.
Outward, L6i,32 2 16 7
Inward, 48,250 i 9
Li09,572 18 4
Out-ports.
L25,47i 19 7
13,030 9 9
L38,502 9 4
Total.
L86,794 ^^ 2
61,280 II 6
Li 48,075 7 8
Thus we fee, that London paid then very near thrice as much for
cuftoms as all the reft of England together.
1614. — ^King James commiflioned Sir Henry Wootton his ambafla-
dor extraordinary to the ftates of the United provinces and others, to
treat with the commiflaries of their high mightinefles, concerning the
differences between the fubjects of the two nations, on account of the
free commerce of his fubjeds to the Eaft-Indies obftruded by the Hol-
landers, and alfo on account of the fiftiery in the North fea, near the
ftiores of Greenland, of right folely belonging to him and his people,
-but interrupted alfo by the Hollanders. \F(xdera, V. xvi, p. 774-]
George Spilbergen now failed from Holland, with five fliips, through
the ftraits of Magellan, and did great mifchief to the Spaniards in the
South fea, &c. and thence he failed round the globe, by the way fettling
a factory at Ternate, the chief of the Molucco ifles, and returned home
by the Cape of Good Hope in 161 7. This is the fecond voyage round
the globe pertormed by the Hollanders.
This year produced the difcovery of a new fpecies of woollen manu-
facture in England, on the following occafion. The ftates general of
the United Netherlands having ifllied a placart, prohibiting the importa-
tion of any Englifti woollen cloth that was dyed in the cloth, (becaufe it
prevented them from dying and drefting them as formerly) upon pain
of confifcation of the goods, and of 25 gilders per cloth beftdes, the
Englifti clothiers iiigenioufly fell upon the way of making mixtures dyed
in the wool, rather than lofe all the advantages of dying and drefting.
This has ever fince got the appel'ation of medley cloth. All woollen
doth before this time being only of one ftngle colour dyed in the cloth,
as black, blue, red, &c.
The Ruftia company now fent thirteen ftiips to Greenland, and the
Dutch eighteen ftiips, four of which v\'ere ftiips of war of the ftates,
where they fiftied in fpite of the Englifti company's exclufive preten-
fions.
About this time, the fine iftand of Barbadoes, in the Weft-Indies, was
faid to be dilcovered and fettled on by fome Englifti people. Others
fay, it was before difcovered by one of Sir William Courten's ftiips, but
had then no inhabitants, nor any beafts but hogs, left there by the Spa-
niards as ufual, for their own future conveniency : and Courten's heirs
, M m 2
276 A, D. 1 6 14.
affirm, that he then planted and fortified it, but was difpofTefled in the
year 1629, by the earl of Carlifle. It is the mother of all our Wefh-
India fugar illands, and the chief of the Caribbees ; and it has proved
of exceeding great confequence to the kingdom by its excellent produc-
tions, as we fliall hereafter have occafion to obferve.
Lord Napier, a Scottifh nobleman, now invented thofe excellent arti-
ficial numbers called logarithms, which are fo ufeful in operations of
trigonometry, &c. by performing, in the eafieft manner, by addition,
the office of naultiplication, and by fubtradion that of divifion ; where-
by they are of great and fpecial utility to mariners at lea, in calcula-
tions relating to thei-r courfe, diftance, latitude, longitude, &c.
The famous market for live-cattle, horfes, and hay, in London, named
Wefl-Smithfield, was become fo miry and nafty, that it was now found
neceflary to pave it for the firfl time.
The Englifli Eafl-India company fent out, an the joint flock account,
four fliips, with which they defeated a Portuguefe fleet in India, by
whom they were attacked : at Surat, they loaded indigo and Cambaya
cloths ; and at Bantam, mace and filk. Great complaints were made
againft the Dutch by our people, both at Bamara and Macaflar, the par-
ticulars whereof are in all our accounts of voyages.
The Eaft-India commerce of England becoming very eonfiderable,
King James at the Eaft-India company's requeft and expenfe, appointed
Sir Thomas Rowe his and the company's ambafllidor to the great mogul,
to treat for a commercial intercourfe with Eafl;-India. This was the firfl
royal embafTy from England to that remote country, and will probably
be the lafl; ; the company ever fince managing their concerns at the
eaftern courts by their own proper and more private agents *. This able
minifter, however, fent the company very good intelligence P-nd in-
flrudions concerning the mercenary and treacherous temper and difpo-
fition of the mogul and his minifters, and for the advancement of their
trade ; all which are to be found at large in the printed coUedions of
voyages. He remained in India feveral years ; in which time the follow-
ing European goods were the mofl acceptable in India, viz. knives of all
forts and fafhions, toys of the figures of beafts, rich velvets and lattins,
good fowling-pieces, polifhed coral and amber beads, faddles with rich
furniture, fwords with fine hilts, inlaid, &c. hats, choice pidures, wines
of Alicant, &c. cloth of gold and filver, flowered filks of gold and fil-
ver, French fhaggs, and fine Englifli Norwich fluffs, fine light armour,
emeralds, &c. finely fet in enamelled work, fine arras hangings, large
looking-glafTes, quivers of arrows and fine bows, figures of brafs or flone,
Sir Thomas Rowe freely advifcd the Eaft-India company to fend no more fpecial ambaffadors
tQ India, as they could not live in due honour there; and a meaner agent would better effeft their
bufincls with the haughty Moors, I
A. D. 1614. 2
77
fine cabinets, embroidered purfes, needle-work, French tweezer-cales,
table-books, perfumed gloves, belts, girdles, bone-lace, dogs of various
natures, plumes of feathers, comb-cafes richly em^broidered, prints of
kings, &c. cafes of ftrong waters, drinking and perfpedive glalfes, fine
bafons and ewers : in general, any thing curious for workmanfliip, not
then known in India ; all which things, fays he, will fell for ready
money at good prices.
It feems the Portuguefe, by their tyranny and cruelty, had by this
time rendered themfelves extremely odious to all the Eafl-Indian nations,
who were well pleafed to fee the Englifli and Dutch dayly gaining grouixl
upon them : yet we alio flill find complaints againft the floUunders in
India by our people.
The Englilh company by this time had fadories at Bantam, Jacatra
(fnice called Batavia), Surat, Amadavar, Agra, Afmere, Brampore, Cale-
cut, Mafulipatan, Patan, Slam, Benjar, Soccadania, MacafHir, Achecn,
Jambi, Tecoo, Banda, and at Firando in Japan. From many of
which the company have fince withdrawn their fadories, and from fome
others of them the Dutch have long fince wormed us out. The four
fhips of this voyage traded at Bantam and Sumatra, for pepper, &c. and
returned in 1617.
Peyton, the hiftorian of this voyage, obferves, that our company were
only fettled on fufferance in fome parts of India, while the Portuguefe
were maflers of the following numerous and widely diLperfed fettle-
ments, viz.
'" On the north-eafl: coaft of Africa,
' They had a trade on the river Quam, in 21 degrees 50 minutes,
* fouth latitude, and at Mozambique, for gold, ambergris, ivory, and
' flaves.
' At Mombaza, for the fame, in barter for Guzarat commodities;
' At Magadoxa, for the fame, and for feveral forts of drugs. And from
' all thofe places they drove a trade to Cambaya, to the Red fea, and to
* many other parts.
' In the gulf of Perfia,
' At Ormus, they make a profitable trade thence to Perfia, Arabia,
' and India. Hither they bring quantities of pearls from Balfora, and
' with them and other Perfian commodities, they fend a fliip or two an-
' nually to Diu in India ; and next to Goa : this is their belt port.
' In Arabia,
' At Malcat they have a ftrong fort, though no great trade : but be-
* ing domineering maflers there, they keep all in fervile awe, giving out
' their licences for the veflels to go from place to place.
' In Indoflan, &c.
' At Diul, near the mouth of the Indus, and at Diu, in Guzarat,
' they have very firong caflles.
278 A. D. 16 14.
' At Daman alfo they have a ftrong caftle, and entirely inhabit the
' place, with a territory of 100 villages.
' Serra de Bazion, a little fouth of Daman, they are poffefTed of; and
' between it and Chaul, the three ports of Gazien, Banda, and Maia.
' They likewife poflefs the large city and caftle of Chaul.
• At Daubul, they have a fadory, but no fort.
' Goa is their Indian naetropolis, the feat of their viceroy and of all
the gallantry of the nation, and the general rendezvous of all their
forces. Goa has alfo a large fhare of trade ; and, in fhort, th^re are
the ftrong finews that hold together the parts of their eaftern empire.
' At Onor and Barcelor, they have forts, and trade for pepper, ginger,
and drugs. They have alfo Mangalor and Cananor, fortified and traded
to as the former.
' And though they are quite fnut out from Calecut, and are befieged
at Cranganor, yet they have the ftrong city and caftle of Cochin, with
a confiderable trade and a favourable fituation for it.
' They have Coulan, Quilaon, and Taccatra, well fortified, and moft-
ly filled with Portuguefe, both laity and clergy.
' On the great ifland of Ceylon, the ports and forts of Punta de Galla
and Columbo are wholely theirs ; and they are dayly increafing their
dominion in this ifland, where they have a warm trade for cinnamon
and drugs.
' On the eaft fide of the continent they have a fadory at Negapatan.;
and Maliapore, (or St. Thomas) a walled city, is their own.
' Thence to the Ganges, they have feveral fmall refidences, good fac-
tories in fome places, and every where fome advantage, that makes it
worth their while to fettle there.
' In the kingdom of Bengal they are pofi!efl"ed of a good town.
' In Pegu they have a fadory, and alfo at Aracan, and upon the river
of Martaban.
* At Junfulao, they have a great fadory, from whence they (hip vaft
quantities of tin for the Malabar coaft.
' At Malacca, they are mafters of the city and caftle, both very ftrong ;
whereby they command the beft part of the trade of the adjoining
countries.
' At Macao, an ifland on the coaft of China, near the mouth of the
river of Canton, they have a city and caftle, and a -great trade with
the Chinefe.
' In Japan, they have no fort nor caftle, but only a fadory ; the wife
' prince of that country (fays our author) keeping them at arms length.'
Of all thefe pofleftions, and their prodigious power in India, there re-
mains now fcarcely a veftige, except the general ufe of the Portuguefe
language in the ports of India. An interefting memento to all other
nations.
A. D. 1615. 279
1615 We have elfewhere obferved, that, from the very commence-
ment of the EngUfli commerce to Eaft-India, there was a fpirit raifed
at home again 11: it : that fpirit flill continued, and a fmall tradl was now
pubhfhed, entitled, the Trade's increafe, wherein we meet with the
following plaufible objedions to it, viz.
That to follow the Eaft-Tndia trade, they had negleded that to RufTia,
in which, laffc year, there were only two fliips employed, inftead of
feventeen great fhips formerly employed by the company, befide thole
of interlopers : whereas the Dutch, in this year, fent out thirtv-flve
fhips thither. To which it was replied, by Sir Dudley Diggs, that the
Eall-India company had fpent Li 20,000 in difcoveries only, towards
Ruflia, — and do yet make good a flock not only for defending their fifh-
ing of the whale at Greenland, which at their own charge was firft dif-
covered, and the Bifcayners fent for by them, to teach our nation to
kill the whales.
The Englifh Turkey company's complaints againfl the Eafl-Tndia^
company feemed to be better, or at leaf! more fpecioufly, grounded,
viz. that the trade of the later had leffened theirs to the Levant, to
which parts they now fent thirty fliips fewer than formerly ; whereas the
Dutch now employed above one hundred fail to the Levant ; though the
author of the complaint owns they were principally laden with Englifh
lead, tin, Norwich ftuflfs, &c. He complains of the lofs of feveral
Eaft-India fhips, and of the death of many of their failors, whereby
(fays he) when the royal fleet was to be fitted out for conveying the
Lady Elizabeth to her fpoufe the eledor palatine, there was a neceflity
for a general prefs.
The above quoted author, in fpeaking of obfolete reftraints-on the
tifhing on the coafls of other nations, obferves,
' I) That the antient cuf^om of the Hollanders and Flemings, before
* they began their fifhing lor herrings on our coafls, was, to crave leave
' of the governor of Scarborough caflle.
* II) On that part of the coaft of Norway called IMalllrand, all
' flrangers may fiili only till Chriflmas ; after which they muft pay a
' certain tax on every laft of herrings to the king of Denmark.
' III) And I can remember, that certain of our merchants of Hull
* had their fhips and goods taken away, and tliemfelves imprifoned, for
' lifhing about the Wardhoufe, at the North Cape in Norwegian Lap-
' land.'
To all which Sir Dudley Diggs replied, iii a maflerly manner, in this
fame year, in a treatife intitled, the Defence of trade, infcribed to his
kinfinan Sir Thomas Smith, governor of the Eafl-India company.
Wherein (after accounting for the lofs of fhips and men) he gives a lifl
of all the fhips they had employed from the beginning, being only
twenty-four in number,, four of wliich had been lofl. — That one of
28o A. D. 1615.
their fhips was of 1293 tons burden, one of 1 100, one of io6o, one of
900, one of 800, and the reft from 600 down to 150 tons. Their ftiip
of 800 tons was bought of the Levant company : and he conceives the
ground for having fuch large fliips in the Levant trade to be, becaufe
our royal navy was not as yet confiderable enough to proted our trad-
ing fliips from the Barbary rovers. And the like alfo may be alleged
for the Eaft-India {hips. He fays, that our Eaft- India company's
greateft ftock (i. e. the value of goods and money exported), in any one
year, was but L36,ooo, and that the nation faves annually L70,goo in
the prices of pepper, cloves, mace, and nutmegs, merely for home-
confumption. That of thefe fpices they exported laft year to the va-
lue of L2 1 8,000 befide indigo, calicoes, China filks, benjamin, aloes,
&c. * A confiderable addition this to the national ftock. To which fhould
be added the king's cuftom, and alfo the employment given to fliips
and mariners in the re-exportations.
That, befide cinnamon, the company computed that we annually con-
fumed at home the following quantities of fpices, viz.
Pepper (formerly 8/ now but 2/ per lb.), 450,5000 pounds weighL
Cloves, _ _ _ . - - 50,000
Mace, _ _ _ _ - _ 15,000
Nutmegs, _ _ _ ._ _ 100,000
Total, 615,000 pounds weight.
And that , the cloves, mace, and nutiTiegs, are proportionably reduced
in price, iince our direct trade to India.
Next, he gives the outfet and cargoes of the company's trade for the
year 1614, viz.
' In bays, kerfies, and broad-cloths, dyed and drefl^d, to the king-
' dom's beft advantage, _____ Li4,ooo o o
' Lead, iron, and foreign merchandize, - 10, coo o o
' Ready money in all the fliips (and which was lefs
' than is allowed bj their charters), _ _ _ i 2,000 o o
' Total, L36,ooo o c
' The fame year, their ftiipping and furniture coft
* them in fitting out, _ _ _ _ 34,000 o c
' And for viduals and other extraordinary charges, 30,000 o o
* Total outfet, anno 1614, I>ioo,ooo o o
The anonymous but acute author, whom Sir Dudley Diggs now an-
Twered, gives us a lift of our fliips employed in other branches of trade.
* There is no nienliou as yet of porcelain or the cargo of tlie fliip Ntw-Ycar's-Gift taken in at
tea. Bantam in this fame year. lPurc,':ai, I., iv, c. 15,
■Porcelain is mentioned by Elkington as part of ^ i.J M.
A. D. 1615. 281
' We trade to Naples, Genoa, Leghorn, Marfeilles, Malaga, &c. with
' only 20 fliips, chiefly with herrings ; and 30 fail moi'e laden with
' pipe-flaves from Ireland.
' — To Portugal and Andalufia, we fend 20 fhips for wines, fugar,
' fruit, and Weft-India drugs.
' — To Bourdeaux, we fend 60 fhips and barks for wines.
' — To Hamburgh and Middleburgh, 35 fliips are fent by our mer-
' chant-adventurers company.
' — To Dantzick, Koningfljerg, &c. we fend yearly about 30 fliips,
' viz. fix from London, fix from Ipfwich, and the reft from Hull, Lynn,
* and Newcaftle : but the Dutch many more.
' — To Norway, we fend not above 5 fhips, and the Dutch above
* 40 ; and great fhips too.
* — Our Newcaftle coal-trade employs 400 fail of fliips, viz. 200 for.
* fupplying of London, and 200 more for the reft of England.
' And befides our own fhips,' (fays this author) * hither, even to the
* mine's mouth, come all our neighbouring nations with their fliips con-
* tinually, employing their own fhipping and mariners. I doubt not,'
(continues he) ' whether if they had fuch a treafure, they would not
' employ their own fhipping folely therein. The French fail thither in
' whole fleets of 50 fail together ; ferving all their ports of Picardie,
' Normandie, Bretagne, 8cc. even as far as Rochel and Bourdeaux. And
' the fhips of Bremen, Enibden, Holland, and Zeeland, fupply tliofe of
' Flanders, &c. whofe fhipping is not great, with our coals !
' — Our Iceland fifliery employs 120 fliips and barks of our own.
' — And the Newfoundland fifhery, 150 fmall fhips.' [Yet Gerard'
Malynes, in his Lex Mercatoria (printed anno 1622, p. 247), fays, that
this very year there were 250 fhips from England at the Newfoundland
fifhery, the tonnage of which amounted to 15,000 tons. And that the
French, Bifcayners, and Portuguefe, can make two voyages yearly with
400 fhips.}
' — And our Greenland whale fifliery, 14 fhips.
' As for the Bermudas,' (fays he) ' we know not yet what they will
' do ; and for Virginia, we know not what to do with it ; the prefent
' profit of thofe two colonies not employing any ftore of fhipping
' The great expenfe that the nobility and gentry have been at in plant-
' ing Virginia is no way recompenfed by the poor returns from thence *.'
* How much is the cafe altered fince this author Judicious readers need not to be told, that fuch
wrote ? And how great a fund of authentic mercan- tiiemoirs as thcfe, concerning the ilate of trade and
tile hiftoiy have fuch old trafts fupplicd us with, (hipping, in different period?, drawn from fafls,
which otherwife might have been loll ; many of written by fuch able authors as lived at the refpec-
which have been collceted witli great labour and tivc times, tend moll effeftually to illullrate the
expenfe ; and therefor ought to be made a begin- vail increafc of, and furprillng alterations in, our
ning to a public mercantile hbrary, in order to pre- commerce, colonies, i5cc. and the like alfo in thole
ferve fuch valuable memoirs from deftruflion. of other nations.
Vol. II. N n
282 A. D. 1615.
This author finally urges the extenfion of our filheries by motives
drawn from the prodigious profits of the Dutch from their fifhery, in
which there have been numbered in fight 2000 fail of bufles, employ-
ing 37,000 fifliermen, going out to fea at once.
The great Henry IV had ereded an Eail-India company in France
in the year 1604; and his fon Louis Xl il gave them a new charter :
but they remained inadive till this year, when their fhips took pofi^ef-
fion of the great ifland of Madagafcar, which not anfwering their ex-
pedations, the company and trade were wholely dro])t.
This year, Dr. William Vaughan, calling himfelf a fervant of King
James, attempted a fettlement on Newfoundland, at the expenfe of his
own fortune. He carried thither a number of his countrymen of Wales,
and gave his plantation the name of Cambriol, being in the louth part of
that ifland. His fcheme was for the fiihery on the banks of Newfound-
land to go hand in hand with his plantation. In a book publiflied by
him, intitled, the Golden fleece, [4to, 1626] he tells us alio, that the
Lord Falkland and Sir George Calvert, afterwards created Lord Balti-
more, made a fettlement on the north tnd of that ifland at a great ex-
penfe in the years 1621 and 1622 : yet, as we have elfewhere obferved,
no permanent plantation has ever been made on that cold and barren
ifland to this day. In the lame year, Sir Henry Maynard, with five fi:ouC
fliips, was. fent thither for protecfting the fifliery, which was fo confider-
able that there were 170 Englifli fl\ips there together. According to
the acute author of the Trade's increale, publilhed in this year, our
trade to Spain and Portugal was very low at this time, fcarcely employ-
ing 500 feamen ; owing, he thinks, to our long wars with that crown
in Queen Elizabeth's days.
The Rulfia company now fent out two fliips and two pinnaces to
Spitzbergen, fl;i]l, by our voyagers, called Greenland, and the Dutch
fent thither eleven, and alfo three fliips of war to proted them. At the
fame time, the court of Denmark fent three fliips of war thither, being
the firft Danifli fliips feen there ; yet they alio pretended to demand toll
of the Englllh fliips, but the Fnglifli refufed it, alleging that Greenland
(i. e. Spitzbergen) belonged folely to tise king of England. This hu-
mour of an exclufive claim to that remote, dangerous, and vaftly ex-
tended fea, where there was no land territory that was habitable, and
which therefor could not eafily be fupported, held on through all King
James's reign, and was at leafl: as unreafonable as even the Portugu fe
exclufive claims fouthward ; in fuch inflances, vainly copied by our own
and other nations, at the fame time that we condemn both Spain and
Portugal for doing the like ! So blind are mofl: men whilfl their own
immediate intereft is in queftion !
161 6 By the dexterity of Penfionary Barnevelt, the Dutch ambaf-
fador extraordinary in England, and of Caroon their ambaflador in or-
A. D. i6i6. 28 -»
dinary, the cautionary towns of Flufliing, Briel, and llammekins, were,
in the year 161 6, evacuated by King James's order: the fum due by
the ftates-general to England had been adjufled by Queen EHzabeth to
be eight milHons of gilders : but King James was prevailed on to ac-
cept 2,728,000 gilders, in lieu of the eight millions; and alio remitted
eighteen years interefl on the fame. This was a mod politic ftep in
the Dutch, lince, while England held thofe faftnefTes, the flates were
very much at the mercy of our nation. {^Fcedrra, V. xvi, p. 783.]
King James gave a commiflion to Sir Walter Raleigh, and fuch
as he fliould join with him, to undertake a voyage unto the fouth
parts of America, or elfewhere in America, pofFefled and inhabited
by heathen and lavage people, to difcover fome commodities in thofe
countries that be neceflary and ]5rofitable for the fubjecls of thefe
our kingdoms. We being credibly informed, that there are diverfe
merchants and owners of fhips, and others, well difpofed to affifh
the faid Sir Walter Raleigh, in his enterprize, had they fufficient af-
furauce to enjoy their parts of the profits returned, in refped: of
the peril of law wherein the faid Sir Walter Raleigh now ftandeth !
And we being alfo Informed, that diverfe other the kinfmen and
friends of the faid Sir Walter Raleigh, and diverfe captains and other
commanders, are alfo defirous to follow him, and to venture their lives
with him in this journey ; — we have granted full power to him, and
free liberty to carry and lead out of this realm, or eliewhere, all fuch
of our loving fubjeds as fliall Vvillingly accompany him, together with
fliips, arms, ammunition, wares,, merchandize, &c.: and he to be
the fole governor and commander ot the faid people, with power of
martial law, &c. ; and alfo power to appoint under him fuch captains,
officers, &c. as he fliall judge proper: and to bring home gold and fil-
ver, pretious ftoncs and other merchandize : and to difpofe thereof at
his and his partners pleafure, paying to us one fifth part of the gold,
lilver, and pretious flones, and alfo the ufual duties for the other mer-
chandize. And we do grant unto the faid Sir Walter Raleigh, that thefe
our letters patent fhall be firm and fufficient in law, 8cc. {Fcedcra, V.
xvi, /.. 789.]
WiUiaai Baffin failed for the difcovery of a north-weft pafilige to
China, as far as the feventy-eighth degree of north latitude, and gave
name to a bay in thofe feas, but he returned home without being able to
find any ijafi!;ige. This undertaking was at the charge of Sir Thomas
Smith, Sir Dudley Diggs, Sir ]ohn Wolftenholme, &c. directors of the
Ruffia compiany, &c. In his letter to the laft named gentleman, he
fays, ' that having, in three years time, coafted all, or near all, the
' circumference of Davis's ftraits, he found it to be no other than a
' great bay, and no hopes of a paflage. But that fome advantage may
* be made of th's voyage, fince there are here very great plenty of thofe
' whales called by the bifcayners, the grand bay whales ; the fame may
N n 2
284 A. D. i6i6.
' be purfued, and good ftore of oil may be made between the middle of
' July and the laft day of Auguft.'
Nor were the Hollanders at all behind us in new enterprizes ; for this
fame year William Cornelitz Schouten and James Le Maire, performed
the third Dutch circumnavigation of the globe. Such as were not of
their Eaft-India company being prohibited to go to India either by the
Cape of Good Hope eaftward, or weftward through the flraits of Magellan,
fome now began to think there might be another paflage thither weft-
ward, fomewhere fouth of thofe ftraits. This was firft ftartcd by Le Maire,
a merchant of Amfterdam, joined by William Cornehtz Schouten, a
merchant of Hoorne. In the year 1615 they fitted out two fiiips, one
of which was loft by fire at Port Defire, under the command of the lat-
ter. Schouten, who pafling on fouth from the Magellanic ftraits, found
a new and fafer ftrait, which he named after his partner Le Maire,
through which he failed into the South fea, and having failed almoft in-
to the 60th degree of fouth latitude, he got round the Cape, which he
named after his town of Hoorne, on the ifle named Terra del Fuego,
lying in 57 degrees 48 minutes ; thence crofting the great Southern
ocean, he came to Jacatra, (fince named Batavia,) where, nctwith-
ftanding this new and great difcovery, the ftiip and goods were feized
by the prefident of the Dutch Eaft-India company, in the year 1516.
Schouten and his men took their pafi"age home in one of that company's
Ihips, having performed their whole circumnavigation in two years and
eighteen days.
The Dutch found a fliorter pafiage to India in the year 1623, by the
ftraits of Naffau, north-weft of Le Maire's ftrait; and another ftill fliort-
er by Brower's ftraits in 1643. But fince the powers of Europe have
made treaties about the Eaft-India commerce, that fouth-weft paftage is
feldom ufed, unlefs for illicit commerce with the Spanifli territories in
the South fea, or by powers at war with Spain.
Very early in the feventeenth century, the Algerines, and by their
example thofe of Tunis and Tripoli, began to ufe fquare-rigged ftiips,
and to drop galleys and galliots, [Morgafi's Hijl. of Algiers, V. ii, p. 628.]
According to a letter of Sir Francis Cottington, the Englifli minifter in
Spain, to the duke of Buckingham, the fleet of thofe corfairs now con-
fifted of forty fail of tall fliips, their admiral being of 500 tons burden,
with which they ftruck terror all along the Spanilh coafts, dividing their
force into two fquadrons, with one of which they blocked up the port
of Malaga, and with the other they cruifed between Liihon and Seville.
Confidering the mean ftate of the naval ftrength of the chriftian powers
of Europe in thole times, this was truely a formidable fleet : but thofe
rovers are fcarcely able in our days to fend out fuch a fleet ; and, on
the other hand, the chriftian powers' are fince become much more
powerful at fea. j
A, D. 1616, 285
The Englilh Eaft-Tndia company now fent out five fhlps of rcoD, 900,
800, 400, and 150 tons burden: and this was called their fifth voyage
on the joint flock ; yet we have not yet met with any account of their
fourth voyage. In this voyage they took a Portuguefe (hip loaded with
elephants teeth, which they landed at Surat, together with their own
cargoes of coral, cloth, tin, wines, fl:rong waters, &c. Thence they went
to Jacatra ; but the Dutch, having a fort there already, ufed our factory
(fettled there by a grant from the king of Bantam) fo rudely, that our
people were obliged to attack their fleet ; and ours being joined by Sir
Thomas Dale, with fix more fiiips from England, and other fliips of the
company's at Bantam, it confifl:ed of thirteen fail of good fhips, where-
by they beat the Dutch fleet near Jacatra, as they alfo did in another
engagement on the coaft of Sumatra: yet, in the end, five of our fliips
were taken by the Dutch, we having before taken one of theirs. In the
mean time a fliip from England brought an account of agreement at
home between 'the two companies, which put an end to thefe hoftilities.
Afterwards our fliips at Firando in Japan joined with the Dutch, who
now ftiewed our people all friendfliip, in applications to the emperor,
who granted all their requefl:s. In their return to Bantam, they found
a French fliip trading there in the year 1621 * ; and ours returned that
year home, loaded with pepper, filk, cloves, and benjamin. In this
voyage, one of our fliips failed to Mocha in the Red fea, and fettled a
fadlory there for the firft time, by permiflion of the Turkifta aga.
The accounts given by the writers of voyages in thofe times are often
vague and confufed. They pretend that the princes and chiefs of the
Banda ifles, by a folemn writing, reiigned thofe ifles, fo famous for nut-
megs and cloves, in full property to the king of Great Britain for ever;
declaring that they never acknowleged the Dutch as their fovereigns ;
and that, in token of their fubjeclion, they would annually fend a
branch of nutmegs to our king. Whereupon our people eredted forts
there, and warned the Dutch to come thither no more ; yet the later
found means to furprife both our fliips at Pooloway ; and at Bantam,
inftead of a friendly accommodation of thofe differences, the fadories
of the two companies fell to fighting; and the Dutch infifted on the ifle
of Poolaroon as the condition of refl-oring our two fliips; and, more-
over, in 1 61 8, they took two more of our (liips.
This year eight fliips from London and Plymouth failed to the coun-
try fince called New England, whence they carried great quantities of
fifh and oil to Spain and Portugal, as they did alfo in the year 1618 :
but no fettlement was yet made in that country,
* This was apparently the fliip commanded by Beaulieu, who in the narrative of his voyage, pub-
•iiflicd in The\eni:,t''s Ri/nticns de voyages, fays, that at different times in the year l6zi he met with
two Englifh (liips at Acheen. M.
286 , A. D. 1617.
1 61 7. — King James, in tlie year 1604, and again in 1617, gave new
charters to the company of merchant-adventurers, confirming all their
former powers and privileges in trading to the Netherlands and Ger-
many, with the woollen manufaftures of England, exclufive of all who
were not free of that company. Both thefe charters flill referved to the
mayor, conftables, and fellowfliip of the merchants of the ftaple of Eng-
land, full liberty to trade into the faid limits. ' Yet (according to
' Malynes their profefled enemy) the merchant-adventurers company
' increafed their arbitrary proceedings more and more, and enlarged
* the fums to be paid for the freedom thereof, &c. So that the merch-
' ants of the Ihiple gradually loft their privileges, and all others were
' compelled to conform to the rules and meafures of the merchaiit-ad-
* venturers compa'iy, whofe menibers were at this time about 4030
' perfons,' i. e. in facl, almoft all who traded in the woollen manufadure
to Germany and the Netherlands.
King James being on his progrefs to Scotland, iffued out a proclama-
tion which, in our days, would be thought not a little arbitrary, ftrid-
ly coannanding all noblemen, knights, and gentlemen, who have
manfion-houfes in the country, to depart within twenty days after the
date thereof, with their wives and families, out of the city and fuburbs
of London, and to return to their feveral habitations in the country,
there to continue and abide until the end of the fummer vacation, to
perform the duties and charge of their places and fervice ; and likewife
by houfekeeping, to be a comfort unto their neighbours, in order to re-
new and revive the laudable cuftom of hofpitality in their refpeclive
countries. Excepting however, fuch as have necelfary occafion to at-
tend in London for term bufinefs, or other urgent occafions, to be fig-
nified to and approved by the privy council.
We may here obferve, that Henry IV of France, after the peace of
Vervins, iffued a fimilar proclamation (which poflibly King James
thought a good precedent, having likewife, on fundry other occafions,
teftified a fondnefs for imitating that able prince in matters of ftate po-
licy, perhaps without ducly confiderlng the difference of the conftitu-
tion, temper, &c. of the two kingdoms) commanding his nobility and
gentry to retire to their eftates, improve their lands, and keep the peace
of their refpeclive countries.
The Dutch now fortified the ifland of Goree near Cape Verde on the
African coaft. The Englilh, in the year 1663, '^ook it from the Dutch,
but refiiored it in 1664. In the year 1677 the French took ^it from
the Dutch, and held it till the year 1758, when it was retaken by Great
Britain. It is a fmall barren ifle, laid to be deilitute of wood and good
water. But having a good harbour, it was convenient to the French, ^
who had fadories on the adjacent coaft, where they traded for gold^
A. D. 1617. 287
ilaves, hides, oftrich-feathers, bees-wax, gum, fencgal, (a very ufeful
article) millet, an)bergris, &c.
This year the quarrels at Spitzbergeii about the whale-fifhing ran very
high between the Englifh and Dutch, the former feizing on part of their
oil : and this is the firfl: time we find mention of fins or whalebone be-
ing brought home with the blubber or oil ; although probably before
this time it came into ufe for women's ftays, 8cc. by means of the Bif-
cay whale-fifhers.
161 8 — In the next year King James (as king of Scotland) incorpo-
rated a number of Englifh, Scots, and Zealanders, to be a new company
to fifh at Spitzbergen ; and much fhipping, provifions, &c. were con-
traded for : yet, after all their preparations, this Scottifh patent was
annulled ; and it was agreed, that the Eaft-India adventurers fliould flill
join flock with the Ruflia company, and be one joint company for the
whale-fifhery. Thirteen fliips were thereupon fent thither; but the Zea-
landers proving fuperior there, and being exafperated at the felzure of
iheir oil, &c. laft year, and their difappointment by refcinding the
Scottifli patent, attacked, overpowered, rifled, and difperfed the Englifti
fliips ; mod of which returned home empty.
The method of managing the whale-fifliing of both nations was then
quite different from what it is in our days. The whales in thofe early
times having never been difturbed, (fay our voyagers) refortcd to the
bays near the fhore, whereby their blubber was eafily landed at Spitz-
bergen, where they erecfted cookeries (i. e. coppers, &c.) for boiling
their oil, which they left (landing from year to year, and only brought
home the purified oil and the whalebone. The Englifh having been the
firfl in that fifhery, kept pofTeffion of the bed bays. The Dutch, com-
ing later, were obliged to find bays farther north : yet the Danes, who
came later into this trade than the Dutch, got in between the Englifli
and Dutch. The Hamburghers came after the Danes ; and afcer them
came the French, and alfo the Bifcayners, who, though older whale-
fifliers than any in Europe, except the Norwegians, had not however
fallen into this method, but by the example of England and the reft,
and who were forced to fet up their cookeries flill farther off. But fince
thofe times che vi'hales are lefs frequent in the bays, and are moft com-
monly among the openings of the ice farther from land, which obliges
•the fhips to follow them thither. So that the blubber is now cut from
the whales in fmall pieces at the fhip's fide, and brought home in cafks
to be boiled and purified, and the whale fins alfo to be cleaned. This
later method, however, of fiihing being often found dangerous and
perilous tO fliipping, difcouraged our Englilh adventurers, who then
traded in a company, fo that they foon after relinquifhcd that fifhery,
and fo it rem.ained till the reign of King Charles II.
288 A. D. 1618.
The Englifh Eafl-India company, fending out fix ftiips in the year
1618 for India, under the command in chief of Sir Thomas Dale, King
James, to add the greater weight to that voyage, granted him a fpecial
commiffion to govern that fleet, as well by common as by martial law.
Alfo to feize on the (hips and merchandize of any others of his fubjeds
who fliould be found navigating within the company's limits without
their licence ; half the value of fuch feizures to belong to the crown,
and the other half to the company. [Fcedera, V. xvii,/>. 56.]
We have feen King James's commifTion to Sir Walter Raleigh for the
projed of finding the fuppofed rich gold mines of Guiana. In the year
following he failed out on that adventure with twelve fhips, two of which
deferted him before he arrived at Guiana, where, however, he could
never find the marks he had left there ; although his fon and Captain
Kemys failed a vafl way up the river Oronoco in queft of them to no
purpofe. But, being narrowly watched by Count Gondemar, the Spanifli
minifter at King James's court, and perhaps, as many think, given up
to be a facrifice to the projeded match between Charles prince of Wales
and the infanta of Spain ; King James was induced this year to iffue a
proclamation, ' that whereas he had licenced Raleigh and others to un-
' dertake a voyage to Guiana, where they pretended great probabilities
' to make difcovery of rich gold mines ; in which licence we did, by
' exprefs limitation and caution, reftrainthem from any ad of hoflility,
' wrong, or violence, upon the territories of any princes in amity with
' us, and more peculiarly of thofe of our dear brother the king of Spain.
' All which notwithftanding, we are fince informed by common fame,
' that they have, by an hollile invafion of the town of St. Thome, be-
' ing under the obedience of our faid dear brother the king of Spain,
' and by killing divers of the inhabitants thereof, his fubjeds, and after
' burning and lacking the faid town, malicioufly broken and infringed
' the peace and amity which hath been fo happily eflablifhed, and fo
' long inviolably continued, between us and the fubjeds of both our
* crowns : we have therefor held it fit, to make a public declaration
' of our utter miilike and detefi:ation of the faid infolencies and excefles.
' And, for the clearing of the truth of the faid common fame, we do
* hereby flridly charge all our fubjeds that have any particular under-
' Handing and notice thereof, immediately to difcover the fame to fome
' of our privy council, upon pain of our high difpleafure,' &c. \_Foedera,
V. xvii, p. 90.]
Upon Raleigh's return without gold. King James difavowed his hav-
ing given him authority to iail to Guiana, although he had privately re-
ceived of him a fcheme of the whole defign, with a particular defcrip-
tion of the country and the river Oronoco, &c. He could not, however,
be put to death on account of this enterprize, becaufe he had the king's
commiflion for it ; but as he had been found guilty, in 1603, of a pre-
A. D. 1618. 289
tended confpiracy vviih Lord Grey, &c. for dethroning King James, in
favour of Lady Arabella Stuart, and kept twelve years in the tower of
London, (where he wrote the firfl; part of his Hiflory of the world,) to
pleafe the court of Spain he was now, in the 77th year of his age, exe-
cuted on that old fentence, to the no fmall difreputation of King James,
and the infinite regret of all good men.
The king granted an exclufive patent for twenty-one years to John
Gilbert, for the fole making and vending of an inflrument which he
called a water-plough ; for taking up fand, gravel, &c. out of rivers and
havens *: and of an engine aUo invented by him, for railing water in
greater quantity than heretofor known, and to be moved and driven
either by fomeflream of water, or, for want of that, by flrength of
horfes, for draining coal-pits and other mines. [Fcea'erij, V. xvii, p.
102.]
A proclamation was iiTued, prohibiting buildings on new foundations
in London, or within two miles of any of the gates of that city ; alfo,
for retraining the immoderate confluence of people thither ; wherein
the fame reafons are aJligned as in the reftraint publilhed in 1602 by
Queen Elizabeth •, but which, in modern times, would not be efteemed
of i'ufficient weight to require any fuch reftraints in either cafe.
The king hereby alfo prelcribes the manner of rebuilding houfes in
London, in refped to the height of the ftories and thicknefs of the
walls ; the later to be either of brick or flone ; with the form of the
windows and fhops, &c. He alio diredts all fheds and other nuifances
to be removed. [^Fcedera, V. xvii, p. 107.]
King James IiTued a fpecial commillion to his chancellor, and fundry
other lords and gentlemen,' for the removal of nuifances in the grounds
' called Lincoln's-inn-field5, fituated in a place much planted round
* about with the dwellings of noblemen and gentlemen of quality ;
' which grounds, if they were reduced into fair and goodly walks,
* would be a matter of great ornament to the city, alfo of pleafure and
' frefhnefs for the health and recreation of the inhabitants thereabout,
* and for the light and delight of ambafladors and Grangers com-
' ing to our court and city. The commiflioners are therefor direded
' to lay out thofe fields into regular walks, &c. in fuch form as Inigo
' Jones, our furveyor-general of our works (and one of the commif-
"■ fioners) Ihall draw by way of map. The expenfe thereof to be de-
' frayed by contributions from the mofl fubftantial inhabitants of the
' adjacent pariflies of St. Martin's, and St. Giles's in the fields, St. Mary
' Savoy, St. Clement's, St. Andrew's, St. Dunflan's, and St. Bride's :
' and a lill: of luch as will not contribute ihall be laid before us. A
' treafurer to be eledfed out of the contributors. The mafler of the
* Probably the fame now ufed by the bailafl-inen.
¥oL. n. O o
290
A. D. 1618.
' rolls is hereby directed to coUedl; the contributions of the two Ser-
* jeants-Inns. the four inns of court, and the eight inns of chancery *.'
\_Foedera, V. xvii, />. 119.]
The king gave a patent for thirty-one years to David Ramfay and
Thomas WildgolTe, ' for the fole benefit arifing from their inventions,
* for ploughing land without horfes or oxen, for improving barren
' grounds, for raifing water from any low place to the houfes of noble-
' men and gentlemen, and to cities and towns, and to make boats for
' the carriage of burdens and pafTengers, to run upon the water as fwift
' in calms, and more fafe in ftorms, than boats full-failed in great
' winds.' \Fo£dera,V. xvii, ^. 121.]
With refped to the whale-fifhing of the Hollanders, De Witt quotes
Lieven Van Aitzma, who fays, ' that the whale-fifhery to the north-
' ward employs above 12,000 men at fea ;' which infers, that the
Dutch had probably near 300 fail of {hips employed in the whale-fifh-
ery about I GO years ago, at a time when England had none at all.
The colony of Virginia went on increafing, and confiderable quanti-
ties of tobacco were raifed there, which now began to be well taken off
at home. Sir Samuel Argall, the governor, finding this colony in a
thriving way, began to have his eye on the French, who, about the
year 161 6, had croflcd the river of St. Laurence, and made a fettle-
ment in the country then named Acadia (now Nova-Scotia), and alfo
on part of what is now called New-England. He drove the French
from Port-royal (fince named Annapolis-royal), and from another fmall
fettlement of theirs, and took a fhip riding before it. We are here to
obferve, that the Englifh, from the very beginning of their planting
on the continent of America, had ever deemed Nova-Scotia to be a part
of North-Virginia, as Georgia, more lately, and before it took that
name, was undoubtedly deemed a part of South-Carolina, though not
then planted on. For at this tmie Virginia, being the mother Englifh
-colony on that continent, and its patent extending to the northernniofl
parts of America, all the fettlements to the northward of Cape Henry
were comprehended under the general appellation of North-Virginia.
Sir Samuel Argall alfo diflodged lome Dutchmen, who, under pre-
tence of a purchafe from Captain Hudfon, had feated themfeives on
Hudfon's river, in what is novv called New-York, and which the Dutch
had then named New-Netherlands. Yet they again foon refettled and
multiplied there.
Whether the Indians of Virginia had received bad imprefiions of
our firfl; Engllfli planters, fome of whom through rafhnefs might have
* The houfes round Liiicoln's-Inn-fields, men- nicmhir the adjacent ground plots, tlien wade, be-
tioncd in this commiflion, were erefted by Inigo ing liid out by the fame great archittdt.
Jones ; and fame of them on the fouth and weft ^lere, Jn what year did Mr. Andtrfon write
lidea of the i'quare, and on the fouth fide of Qjieen- that peo|)le were ahve u;k> li.^d been coutempora-
fh'eet, are Hill entire. Many people Hill akve ro ry with Jones, who died in 1651 ? M.
A. D. 1 6i8. icji
ufed violence towards them, is not, at this diftance of time, and through
partial reprefentations, fo eafily to be determined ; but it is certain that
the Indians deflroyed many Englifli people in thofe times ; and that
they, in retaliation, made great havoc of the Indians, who at firfl were
very numerous along that coaft. Certainly, whenever it can be done
with fafety, it is of vail: benefit to any fuch plantation to live well uath
the natives, who may be many ways fubfervient to their intereft, more
efpecially by driving a very conliderable traffic with them for furs and
fkins, in exchange for that fort of woollen cloth called duffle, guns,
gun-powder, lead-dior, hatchets, knives, fcifllirs, needles and thread, red
oker, for painting their bodies, &c. Alio, by engaging their friendihip,
in oppolition to thofe of the colonies of the other European nations at
variance with them ; of which our other colonies have fince had fufficient
experience. We ought however, on this occafion, to do the managers of
the Virginia company the juftice to obferve, that they had already
formed a defign to ered a college for the convtrfion of the Indians to
chriftianity, although it proved abortive.
The Dutch went on very fuccefsfully in their captures of Spanirti and.
Portuguefe fliipping ; but of all their expeditions (fays Voltaire in his
General hiftory of Europe, K v\, r. ii) that of Admiral Peter Hen
was the moll profitable to them; he having this year taken the entire
fleet of galleons homeward bound, whereby he carried home no lefs
than twenty millions of livres..
The Dutch fortified the port of Jacatra (now called Batavia), which
is capable of containing looo fhips, in order to exclude the Englifli
from it. The Javans oppofing it, were allifted by the Englilh from Ban-
tam with cannon and fliips, wherewith they drove away the Dutch fliips
of war ; yet, in the end, the Dutch ftood their ground, and kept pof-
fefTion of Batavia, and alio of their fidory at Bantam, after many
ftruggles with the Englifli company's fliips, and much flaughter between
them, and alfo with thole of Bantam. After which, this new city of
Batavia increafed very m.uch in people and commerce, although it was
attacked by the king of Java by iea and land in the year 1630, and
again by the Bantaniefe in 1655. Hither they import vafl; quantities of
European merchandize for the Javans, and alio for the Chinefe, who
come hither in their large veflels. It is indeed a magazine for all the
productions of India, Jdpan, and the fpicc-iflands : it is the centre of
all the Dutch commerce : and its governor-general lives in the Hate of
a fovereign prince, his forces being reckoned 20,000 or more. And in
Java, the Moluccoes, Ceylon, and Malacca, fome have reckoned half a
million of people fubjed; to the Dutch company, who, in India, are
flrong enough to expell all the other European nations : and they fend
more European merchandize to India than perhaps all the reft of Eu-
rope do together. The Dutch governors of Batavia have from time-to
3 Qo 2
292 A. D. i6i8.
time added many new fortifications and outworks to that city, which is
about fix miles in circumference, and contains about 80,000 people.
They have likewife built many forts and i-edoubts, at proper diftances,
for feveral miles round it, for the fafety of their plantations, farms, and
pleafure-houies ; fo as to be deemed long fince out of danger from any
attack of the natives, according to NieuhoflP's voyages, publifhed in
1676, who then'reckoned 6720 fighting men in it, befides the Dutch in-
habitants, and the families of great numbers of Chinefe, Malayans,
Amboynefe, Moors, and Javanefe. They have fugar-houfes, powder-
mills, paper-mills, and all other conveniences, without being obliged to
depend on the uncertainty of iupplies from Europe. And their coffee
is reckoned next to that of Mocha for goodnefs. They have alfo pep-
per, rice, wax, benzoin ; magazines of iron, timber, and naval flores ;
founderies for cannon ; docks for fliipbuilding, &c *.
The Engllih Ruflia company were now difputing with the Hull men
their whale-fifhing at the ifle of Trinity, lying in the north fea towards
Spitzbergen, that company claiming an exclufive right to the fifhery ;
yet the Hull fhips having firfl difcovered that ifle, and very early fifhed
at it, it was this year granted to the corporation of Hull by King James
for their whale-fifhing.
Although the Englifh (as we have feen) had, fo early as the year
1 536, reforted for commerce to Guinea or the wefl coafl of Africa, yet,
by reafon of lofTes and difappointments in that traflfic, they became ne-
gligent of it, and even feem to have difcontinued it entirely, till now
that Is^ing James granted an exclufive charter to Sir Robert Rich, and
other Londoners, for raifing a joint flock for a trade to Guinea. Never-
thelefs, as feparate traders would not forbear reforting to that coafl,
fuch difputes arofe between this company and them as foon ended in
the difTolution of the company, the proprietors withdrawing their
fliares. This occafioned that trade to he negleded during the refl of
this king's reign, and alfo fome part of his fon's reign, w^hilfl the Hol-
landers perfifted in improving their own trade on this coafl. That
fhort-lived company had foon fpent the greateft part of their capital ;
the gold and drug trade alone not being fufEcient to fupport fadories
and forts there ; there not having as yet been any trade for negro flaves
for our own American ifland plantations, fcarcely as yet exifting.
1619 — Tlie Ruflia and Eafl-India companies of England fitted out
nine fhips and two pinnaces for the whale-filhery at Spitzbergen in the
year 1 61 9. But the voyage proving unfortunate, the two companies,
after carrying it on jointly for two years without fuccefs, agreed to give
up that fijhery.
* An ample account of this Duttli capital of tlie Eaft, may be found in the Voyages of Stavori-
mis, a commander in the fervice of the Dutch Eatt India company. M.
A. D. 1619. 293
The Englifli filver coins being much melted down and exported at
this time, King James ifTued a proclamation, prohibiting the exchange
of filver coins into gold ones, for any manner of profit, or above the
ates for which the fame coins are current in the realm. And ' where-
as the drawing of monies into the goldl'miths hands, by turning filver
into gold upon profit of exchange, doth make it (the filver) the more
ready to be irigrofled into the merchants hands for tranfportation to
mints abroad, and that fuch profit to be taken upon change of monies
is prohibited by law, — the king flridly commands that no goldfmith
nor any other perfon fhall melt down, or make into any kind of vef-
fel or plate, or other manufacture, any of his coins current in thefe
realms ; but fliall only make the fame out of old plate, foreign bul-
lion, or foreign coin, or of filver burnt out of lace, and the like.
' And, the better to prevent the unneceflary and excefllve vent of
gold and filver foliate (i. e. leaf) within this realm, none fuch fliall
from henceforth be wrought or ufed in any building, ceiling, wain-
fcot, bedfl;eads, chairs, fi;oo]s, clothes, or any other ornament whatfo-
ever ; except it be armour or weapons, or in arms or enfigns of ho-
nour at funerals, or monuments of the dead.' [^Fcedera, V. xvii, />. 133.]
In this year there were two proclamations againfl: eating flefli in lent,
or on other fafi:-days. * None to prefume to difobey this order with-
' out a licence from the bifliop of the diocefe ; which licences (fays the
' king) fliould be fparingly granted.' His reafons are, ' the benefit of
' this abfi:inence, for the increafe of flefli-meat all the refi: of the year,
' and that the contrary pradice is againfl; law.' \Foedera^ V.w\\, pp. 131,
I34-]
And alio a proclamation ' for the builders of new houfes in London
' to make their u'alls of brick, as in a former proclamation *.' \F(xdera,
/^ xvii,/>. 143.]
A pacification between the two rival Eaft-India companies of Eng-
land and Holland, after many controverfies, was effedled by the king's
interpofition, as follows.
After fundry fruitlefs conferences at London and at the Hague, in
the years 161 3 and 161 5, for accommodating their differences, the
king and the flates, defiring to cement more and more the bands of
friendfliip between the two nations, were earneft to refume the affair in
a third congrefs, to be held by commiflioners from the king and the
* From the preamble it appears, that fimilar thofe of greater height to have the length of two
proclamations had been ilTued in the 2d, 5th, 6th, bricks up to the top of the firll llory ; that the
5th, and i6th years of his reign as king of Eng- heads of the windows of Ihops Ihould be arched with
landibefides this one, fur regulating new buildings ; ftones or bricks cut in the form of wedges. Uni-
and direfting that they fliould be fufficiently airy formity of building, and regularity in the ftreets,
and fubltantial ; no other materials than brick or are likewife recommended. Regulations fome-
ftone to be employed in the walls, which in houfes what fimilar have lately been renewed, and in the
not exceeding two floties were to have the length prefent age of flight building, cannot be too ftricl-
of one brick and a half in their thicknefs, and in ly enf-^rced. M. '
294 A. D. 1619.
ftates, in the prefence of certain deputies fronn each company: and, af-
ter long debates, they have at length come to the following conclufions,
viz.
I) ' There fhall be, from the date hereof, an amnefly and oblivion of
all offences and excefles committed in the Eafl-Indies by either party ;
and in confequence thereof, the prifoners, fhips, and merchandize, of
both parties, fliall be freely delivered up and reflored.
II) ' All the officers and fervants of both companies fhall afford all
poilible aid and friendfhip to each other, as between friends and neigh-
bours lb nearly allied ; and if any of either party fhall happen to be in
diftrefs at iea, the people of the other party fhall afford them all poflible
fiiccour.
III) • Commerce in the Eafl-Indies fliall be abfolutely free for both
companies ; who may trade with and employ, on their refpedive fepa-
rate accounts, fuch fund and capital as they fhall judge proper.
IV) ' For the common benefit of commerce in India, both compa-
nies fhall endeavour to bring about a redudion of the duties there, as
well as of gifts and prefents.
V) ' The like endeavours fhall be ufed by both companies in India
to reduce the prices of merchandize there. And as to the fale of India
commodities in the countries of both the contracting parties, a certain
price fhall be mutually agreed on, below which neither company fliall
fell the fame.
VI j ' To prevent all jealoufies between the two companies, the com-
miflioners of both companies fliall fix a certain moderate price for the
purchafe of pepper at Bantam, and other places in Java-Major ; which
fhall be equally divided between the two companies.
VII) ' The Englifh Eaft-India company fhall freely enjoy the traffic
at Palicate ; and bear half the expenle of the fort and garnfon there.
VIII) ' In the Molucco ifles, Banda, and Amiboyna, commerce fliall
be fo regulated by common confent, that the Englifli company fliall en-
joy the third part of it, both for import and export ; and the Dutch
company the other two thirds thereof.
IX) ' And for tins purpofe the factors of both companies fliall buy
the merchandize at the current prices there, and fliall divide them by
lot, in due proportion, between both companies.
X) ' And as fo remote and fo important a commerce cannot be pro-
teded without a flrong power, 20 fliips of war fliall be furniflied for
that end, ten by each company, and each fhip from 600 to 800 tons
burden, carrying 150 men, and 30 pieces of cannon each, btlides other
needful ammunition ; which cannon fliall carry balls of 8 to 1 8 pounds
W' ight *.
* This is the fufl intlance (at lead in the Fadera) of fpecifying the number of guns and weight
of ihek fhot, as well as the tonnage, which ia our times conilitute the raU of Ihips of wiir.
A. D. 1619. 295
XI) * Alfo the council of defence {hall confider of the number of
galleys, frigates, and other lefler neceflary vefTels.
XII) ' The forts and garrifons in the Moluccos, Banda, and Amboy-
na, fhall be maintained by the mipofitions on the products of the faid
iflands, to be fettled by the common council of defence.
XIII) ' For the eflablifhment and prefervation of order, there fhall
be ereded a council of defence, of each company four pcrfons : being
the principal officers of each com.pany, who {hall prefide in their turns.
XIV) ' The council fliall dired all matters relating to the common
defence at fea, and ihall flation tb.e fliips of war as they fhall judge ne-
ceUIiry.
XV) ' They fhall alfo fettle the impofitions needful for the mainte-
nance of the forts and garrifons.
XVI) ' The {hips of war fhall remain in the places where {Rationed,
and fhall not be employed in carrying goods to Europe, or to the other
provinces.
XVII) ' Yet, if the council of defence fhall permit it, the faid {hips
of war may be employed fometimes from one place to another in In-
dia, for the conveying of merchandize belonging to their refpeclive
companies.
XVIII) ' The council may alfo, in emergencies, employ the merch-
ant fhips for defence.
XIX, XX) ' The lofs and expenfe, as well as the profit by captures,
&c. fhall be equally born and divided between both companies.
XXI, XXII) But fliips of war, which may be loft by tempeft, &.c.
fhall be made good by the company they belong to.
XXIII) * The forts Ihall remain in the polfelTion of that company in
whofe hands they now are.
XXIV) * It is agreed, that the eredion of fome forts, propofed by
the Engliih company, fhall be poftponed for two or three years, after
which the number and fituation of them can be more conveniently de-
termined.
XXV) ' The forts in the Moluccos, or elfewhere in India, acquired
by the joint forces of both companies, {hall be equally po{fefred and
garrifoned by both companies, or equally divided between them, as the
council of defence fliall dired.
XXVI) ' The two companies fhall jointly endeavour to open a free
trade to China, or other parts of India, under the diredion of the
council.
XXVII) ' Neither company fliall forcftall or exclude the other from
any part of the Indies, by fortifications, or by contrads hereafter to be
made ; but all the commerce fhall be free and common to both compa-
nies in every part of the Indies.
XXVIII) ' No perfon, not free of either company, fhall enjoy the
2cj6 ■• A. D. 1619.
benefit of this treaty, unlefs by the confent of both companies. And
if any fubjed of the king, or of the ftates, fliall hereafter invade the
privileges of either company, in that cafe both companies fhall jointly
and feparately oppofe all invaders of this trade, and all other companies
that may hereafter be fet up during the term of this treaty.
XXIX) ' In cafe of the death of the fadors, or other difaflers hap-
pening to either company, their property fliall be carefully preferved by
the factors of the other company for the proprietors.
XXX) ' This treaty fliall continue for twenty years ; during v/hich,
any difputes which cannot be determined by the council in India, or
by the companies in Europe, fliall be fubmitted to his majefty and the
ftates general, who will condefcend to fettle them.'
The king, in his ratification of the treaty, promifes not to ered any
other India company during the term of it. [Fiedera, V. xvii,/». 170.]
This famous treaty, or rather union, between the two companies, was
fcarcely fooner concluded than it was violated in its moll eflential points.
The Englifli and Dutch writers are fo diametrically oppofite in their
accounts of the tranfadions which followed, that they agree in nothing
but mutual accufations, fo that it is apparently impoflible to difcover
the truth. But we may obferve, that if the two companies could have
preferved the harmony profefled in the treaty, they might probably till
now have remained fole mafl;ers of the entire commerce of Arabia, Per-
fia, India, and China, and have expelled not only the Portuguefe, but
every other European nation, from trading to thole countries. How
juftly that could have been done, we do not pretend to fay.
The king appointed Sir John Ayre his minifter at the court of the
fultan Ofmin Han, at Conflantinople, to fettle friendfliip and com-
merce with Turkey, and to appoint the places of trade, and to nomi-
nate confuls. [Feeder a, V. x\n,p. 178.]
' About this time tapeftry work was firfl; brought into England by
* Sir Francis Crane, for the encouragement whereof King James gave
' L2000 for the building of a houfe at Mortlake, on the Thames, where
' Francis Clein was the firfl defigner.' {Prejentjlate of England, part iii,
p. gs,ed. 1683.]
According to the author of the Happy future flate of England [p.yS,
ed. 1689] the whole coinage of gold and filver in the mint at the tower
of London, between the years 1599 and 161 9, was L. 4,779, 3 14 • ^3 • 4-
The voyagers tell us, that in this year the Englifli, from Japan, at-
tempted to fettle a trade with China and Cochin China, though unfuc-
cefsfuUy. In the later country both the Englifli and Dutch faitors were
maflacred ; becaufe, as was given out, the Dutch had a little before
burnt one of their tov^ns. Letters from the Englifli fadory at Firando,
in Japan, gave accounts of a great perfecution of chriflians in that
country ;. and they ahb complained of the cruel treatment by the
A. D. I 6i 9. 297
Dutch to the Englifh there, whom they would have totally deftroyed,
but for the interpofirion of the Japanefe.
We have already feen, that the French had found the way to the
Eaft-hidies fo early as in the year 1601 , under the diredion of a com-
pany of merchants of St. Malo's. hi Thevenot's coUedion of voyages,
we find they now fent out three fliips thither : and at Acheen, in the
ifland of Sumatra, their admiral Beaulieu delivered to the king of that
place the French king's letters and prefents. Beaulieu complained of
obftrudhons from the Englilh.but more efpecially from the Dutch (that
obftrudion being quite confident with the before-recited treaty) ; and,
upon the whole, he feems to have made but an indifferent voyage *.
In this fame year the voyage writers tell us, that the Dutch pofi^efTed
the principal ports of trade in the great ifland of Borneo : its chief pro-
dudions being the befl; camphire in the world, frankincenfe, caflla,
mufk, agaric, aloes, various gums, wax, maftic, cotton, cinnamon, pep-
per, honey, diamonds, gold-dufi;, bezoar-fiones, load fiones, iron, tin, bra-
fil-wood, &c.
Captain Moncke, by order of the court of Denmark, now wintered
in the country ufually called Old Greenland, near Hudfon's bay : but,
out of 64 men, only himfelf and two more furvived to the next fum-
mer; and they, with the utmoft difficulty, brought home their (hip to
Denmark. Yet in that country of Greenland, properly fo called, he
found frefli raflDcrries under the Ihow, many trees, falmon in the rivers,
deer, hares, wild fowl, &c. and very good talc, of which he brought
home many tons : but the natives all the while would not come near
him. This was an attempt of the court of Denmark to re-people
Greenland, formerly occupied by a colony from Norway, which had
been unaccountably loft, hi our own days the Danes have re-colonized
fome fmall part of that coaft, though to very little purpofe.
1620. — By this time the voyages by fea to the Eaft-Indies had fo
greatly lowered the prices of Indian merchandize, that the trade be-
tween India and Turkey, by the old way, viz. by the Perfian gulf and
up the river Tigris, and alfo by the Red fea, was much decayed,; where-
by the grand fignior's cuftoms were very much leiTened. The ingeni-
ous Mr. Munn, in the year 1621, publilhed a treatifc in favour of the
Eaft-India trade ; wherein he gives the quantities of Indian meichan-
dize confumed annually in Chriftendom, with their prime coft, and all
charges till onboard, by the old way from Aleppo, and alfo the new way
by long fea ; whence, he thhiks, will be fcen the great benefit of our
own Eaft-Tndia commerce, viz.
* Befides the misfortunes brought upon him by his fecond voyage to India, and tliat the St. Malo
the confederates, he fuffcrcd much from not know- company had a faftory at Bantam in the year
ing the proper Rations and feafons for the trade. 1621. \_Relalions de iwyagcs par Thevenol,parlit-n,
It appears by Beaulieu's narrative, that this was pp. 10,41, 88, 90, 128. M.
Vol. II. p p
298
A. D. 1 620.
Cojl at Alep[0.
6,000,000 lb of peppei*, ^ per lb 600,000 o
450,000 lb cloves, 4/9 per lb 106,875
150,000 lb mace, 4/9 per lb 35.625
400,000 lb nutmegs, 2/4 per lb 46,666
350,000 lb indigo, ^fj\^ per lb 75,833
1,000,000 lb raw iilk, 12/ per lb 600,000
o
o
o
4
8
o
L 1,465, coo o o
Cojl in India,
2~dL.62,^oo o o
gd 16,875 o o
8^ 5000 o o
4^ 6666 13 4
1/2 20,416 13 4
sy 400,000 o o
L5 1 1,458 6 8
' Thus (continues Mr. Munn) for a little above a third part of the
price of the wares fliipped from Turkey, we have them fliipped from,
India ; and adding one fixth part more for the expenfe of the voy-
age homeward, beyond that of tlie Turkey one, the laid wares by the
Cape of Good Hope will coft us but about half the price which they
will colt from Turkey : befides, that the greater part of the Eaft-In-
dia coft is paid to our own people, and centers at home ; as the
freight, infurance, fupcjxargoes, wages, much of the provifions,' &c *.
in India, and thofc they fell
* Munn alfo eftimates tlie annual importation coft onboard the n>ips
of the following India goods, with the prices they for in England, thus :
Co/} an laard ihc Jh'ips In Indian
250.ooqlb pepper 2{.(/ . L26,04i 13
1 50,000 lb cloves 9(/ - 5626 o
150,000 lb nutmegs 4,/ - 2500 o
50,coo lb mace 8(^ - 1666 13
2oo,cco lb indigo 1/2 - J 1,666 13
],07,i40 lb China ia\T filk 7/ 37,499 o
50,000 pieces cah'co 7/ 15,000 o
4
o
o
4
4^
o
o
Li 00,000 o o
Selling fricei in En^Iantf.
1/8 L2o8,333 6 8.
2/6
6/
5/
20f
20/"
45,000
18,750
15,000
50,00a
107, 1 40
5 0,000
L494,22j 6 8
And he confiders ihc vvliale of the great differ- gives a comparative view of the lowefl, prices of
ence, which coiifiils of freight, duties, charges,
and profits, as clear gain to the nation.
He afterwards eftimates the annual confnmptlon
of the following India goods in England, snd
Tif" tuivejl aniient prices.
them, when got from Turkey or Lilbon, before
England imported any from India, and the com-
mon prices in his own time, thus :
Tie common viodern prices.
400,000 lb pepper 3/6
- L70,ooo
0
0
40,000 lb cloves 8/
i6,coo
0
0
2O,0CO lb mace qj
9C00
0
0
l6o,ocolb nutmegs 4/6
36,000
0
0
150,0001b indigo 7/
52,500
0
0
Li 83,500
0
0
i/S
L33,333
6
8
<>/
1 2,000
0
0
6/-
6000
0
0
276.
20,000
0
0
SJ
37,QOO
0
0
The difference of thefe fums is a faving in the
<'xpcnditurc of England in confeqnence of the di-
■.e&. impovtation from India.
It is proper to obferve, that a review of the
Dutch India trade was publiflied about this fame
time, the autlior of whieli ftales the returns from
the yc-ir 1596 to 1601, nil cliaiges deducted, to
be 233 tons of gold ; and he proceeds reckoning
the company's and the nation's profits by the
trade, aod all in tons of gold. The profits or di-
Lio8,333 6 8\
vidends made in fixteen years, reckoning from the
year 1605, were 200 gilders on each (hare of loc ;
and the value or market-price of each (hare was
230 gilders. [See the extract in Purchases Pil-
grlmes, L. v, c. 15.]
We muft remember that this work was written
by a partner of the Dutch company, who, like
Mr. Munn, was defirous of exhibiting the affairs
of his compnnv in the moil advantageous light.
M. ■ * • 3
A. D. 1620.
299
Now, on iuppofition, that near the fame proportion holds in our days,
then it will follow, upon Mr. Munn's plan, that a more confiderable
national benefit will arife from our modern Eafl-India trade, the im-
ports whereof are now fo greatly increafed ; more efpecially in the ar-
ticle of Bengal and China raw filk. Moreover, it is queftionable, whe-
ther, if the trade were turned into the old channel again, the Turks
could take off much more of our produce and manufadures than they
do at prefenf: fo that moft of the balance fnuTl, in that cafe, be paid
to Turkey in ready money by all Chriftendom. Yet an objedion may
be ftarted on the other fide, viz. whether that balance would be fo con-
fiderable as that which we, in particular, and the reft of Europe, fend
yearly in filver to India, more efpecially fince the vaft increafe of the
confumption of tea from China, then unknown to Europe. Mr. Munn
fays, ' that in his time the Turks lent aumjally from Aleppo and Con-
ftantinople L500,coo Sterling in money, merely for Perfian raw filk ';
and L6oo,ooo more from Mocha, for calicoes, drugs, fugar, rice, &c.
the Indians taking very little of the Turks in merchandize, but ahnoft
'the whole in money. That the Venetians, Elorentines, and Marfeillians
export much bullion ; but it is in order to import much more : and
this he thinks to be the cafe of our Englifli Eaft-India company ;
which, however, had only exported, from its firft eftabliihment in the
year 1601 to July 1620, L548,090 in Spanifh lilver ; whereas they
might by licence within that time have exported L7 20,000. And in
the faid nineteen years, they have exported, in woollen cloths, tin, lead,
and other Englilh and foreign wares, to the value of L292,286, being
on an average Li 5,383 per annum. Upon the whole, our author
thinks the trade to India ought to be confidered as exporting annually
in goods, &c. L48o,ooo, and importing only Li 20,000, whereby there
is an annual balance in our fivour of L36o,ooo, which is either receiv-
ed in money, or its equivalent, from Turkey, Genoa, Leghorn, Mar-
feilles, the Netherlands, &c. whither we fend our Indian wares. He
fays, the French aiad Venetians export annually to Turkey L'6oo,ooo
in bulhon, for the purchafe of Periian raw iilk, &c. which they after-
wards in part manufacture and export, and partly re-export raw to all
parts of Europe ; from whence they bring home much niore bullion
than they before exported to Turkey; which is alto a parallel cafe to
that of our company's exportation of bullion to India. That in the
company's late quarrels with the Dutch, twelve of our (hips were fur-
prifed and taken by them, which has been a great lofs to the company ;
yet they had ftill twenty-one good fliips in India, and 1.400,000 of good
eftate ; this trade employing 10,000 tons of fliipping, 2500 mariners;
500 flaip-carpenters, and about i2ofadors. That with regard to the
prefent complaints of the fcarcity of money amcngft us, our laying
afide the Eaft-India trade, inftead of a remedv, would make the matter
P P 2
300 A. D. 1620.
ftill worfe, unlefs we could likewife fupprefs the commerce of all the other
nations of Europe to India ; and efpecially that of the Dvuch, to whom,
in fuch cafe, we fhould be obliged to pay fuch prices as they fhould
pleafe to impofe for their Indian wares.' As Mr. Munn was an emi-
nent merchant, and feems perfedly mafter of his fubjed, we thought
fuch a brief view of the Eaft-India trade at that time would be curious
and acceptable.
In all the accounts hitherto publifhed of our Eafl-India commerce,
there is no mention of cinnamon ; becaufe the Portuguefe being ftill
pofTeffed of the ifle of Ceylon, where alone the beft is produced, that
fpice was to be had only from Lifbon.
King James, in fome of his fpeeches, and the people of England in
general, duely confidering the great advantages reaped by other Europ-
ean nations from their filk manufactures, about this time teftified much
earneftnefs for the propagation of filk worms, and of white mulberry
trees, for feeding the filk worms ; which however has hitherto not fuc-
ceeded, perhaps owing to the coldnefs of our climate. But with refpecl
to the manufadure of raw filk into broad filk fabrics, they began about
this time to fet about it in earneft. For which end, one Mr. Burla-
mach, a merchant, by the direcftion of the king, brought from beyond
fea filk-throwfters, filk-dyers, and broad-weavers ; and the manufacture
has in procefs of time proved fo extremely advantageous to the na-tion,
and is fo very confiderable in our days, as to be thought to employ no
fewer than at leaft fifty thoufand people in all its branches, and fome
think half as many more. Mr. Munn, in his treatife, fays, that even
then many hundreds of people were continually employed in winding,
twifting, and weaving filk in London. The anonymous author of an
ingenious pamphlet, in 4to, publifhed in 1681 (faid to have been Sir
jofiah Child), gives it as his opinion, that throughout Chriftendom, ge-
nerally fpeaking, there are more men and women employed in filk ma-
nufactures than in the woollen ; in which we muft beg leave to differ
from him ; as alfo in another afl'ertion in that piece, viz. that the num-
ber of families already [i. e. 1681] employed therein in England
amounted to above 40,000. Nevertheleis, there are abundance of very
juft reflecftions in the pamphlet, which is entitled, A treatife, wherein is
demonjlrateel that the Eajl-India trade is the nio/i natioiial of all trades.
King James commillioned certain phyficians, merchants, grocers, and
apothecaries, to direct; the garbling of the drug called tobacco, and to
feparate the good from the unwholefome parts thereof. The king, in
bis commillion, complains that the duty he had laid on tobacco was not
well paid : and the commiffion was probably intended for the better
;ifcertaining that duty. {Foedera, V. xvii, p. 190.]
King James iflued his proclamation, importing, that whereas Roger
North, Efq. and others, adventurers for an intended plantation and let-
A. D. 1620. 301
tlement of a trade and commerce in thofe parts of the continent of
America near the river of Amazons, which were prefuppofed not to be
under the obedience and government of any other prince or ftate, hath
fecretly conveyed himfelf away, and difloyally precipitated and embark-
ed himfelf and followers on this defign, contrary to our royal pleafure
and commandment exprefsly lignified to him by one of our principal
fecretaries ; our admiral of England having alfo refufed him leave to
go : We then, out of weighty confiderations and reafons of ftate, and
upon the deliberate advice of our privy-council, have refolved to fufpend
and reftrain the faid plantation and voyage for a time ; and have there-
upon ftraightly commanded the faid North and aflbciates for a while to
furceafe their laid defign, till our farther pleafure be known. We have
therefor held it fit hereby to make a public declaration of our miflike
and difavowment of this their rafli, undutiful, and infolent attempt : and
do hereby revoke and difannuU all power, authority, and commiflion,
vv'hich they may pretend to derive from us. And we do hereby charge
them immediately to make their fpeedy return home, with all their
ihipping, &c. and forthwith to prefent themfelves to fome of our privy-
council. And we do hereby ftridly require, as well the governors as
all other the partners and adventurers interefted as members of the
company and incorporation intended for that plantation ; as all other
merchants, captains, mariners, &c. not to aid, abet, or comfort, the faid
iVorth and his afl/jciates, with any fliipping, men, money, ammunition,
provifions, &c. And our admirals, captains, &c. of any of our fub-
jed:s fhips, if they meet them at fea, or in harbour, fliall attack, feize,
and fummon them to return home, and ftiall bring them back, and
commit them to the charge of fome of our officers, &c. till we give
farther order concerning them. [Fa'dera, P. xvii, p. 215.]
Sir Henry Savill made a noble efiablifliment for two profefibrs of
mathematics in the univerlity of Oxford ; one of which was for geo-
metry, and the other for afironomy : the falaries of each being Li 60
per annum, lioth thefe branches of mathematics are v.ell known to
be greatly beneficial to navigation and commerce. \_F(xdera, V. xvii,
/• 217.J
King James I is univerfallv known to have had a mortal averfion to
tobacco ; of which we have the following evidence in the preamble to
a proclamation.
' Whereas v/e, out of the diflike we had of the ufe of tobacco, tend-
' ing to a general and new corruption both of mens bodies and nian-
■ ners ; and yet, nevertlielefs, holding it of the two, more tolerable
' that the fitme fnould be imported, amongil: many other vanities and
' fuperfluities which come from beyond leas, than be permitted to be
' planted liere within this realm, thereby to abufe and mifeniploy the
' foil of this fruitful liingdom ; and whereas we have taken into our
3012 A. D. I 620.
* royal confideration , as well the great wafte and confumption of the
wealth of our kingdoms, as the endangering and impairing the
health of our fubjeds, by the immoderate liberty and abufe of tobac-
co, being a weed of no neceffary ufe, and but of late years brought
into our dominions ; we therefor ftridly charge and command, that
Our proclamation of December lafl, reftraining the planting of tobac-
co, be obferved.' [That proclamation is not in the Foedera, but the
0(£lavo hiftory of Virginia has given us its fubftance ; viz. ' that the
people of Virginia growin-g numerous, they made fo much tobacco as
overflocked the market ; wherefor the king, out of pity to the coun-
try, commanded that the planters fliould not make above one hun-
dred weight of tobacco per man : for the market was fo low that he
could not afford to give them above three fliillings the pound for it.
The king advifed them rather to turn their fpare time towards pro-
viding corn and flock, and towards the making of potafh, or other
manufactures.'] This king had afTumed the pre-emption of all to-
bacco imported, which he again fold out at much higher prices. This
record continues, ' and that no perlbn or perfons, other than fuch as
' fl^all be authorifed by our letters-patents, do import into England any
' tobacco from beyond fea, upon pain of forfeiting the faid tobacco,
' and fuch farther penalties as we fhall judge proper to inflidt. And, to
" prevent frauds, all tobacco fliall be marked or fealed that fhall hence-
'^ forth be imported.' "[Fadera, V. xvii, p. 233.]
Somelight is thrown upon the diverfions and amufements of Lon-
don and its vicinity, and the general cuftoms of the age, by a grant
from King James to Clement Cottrell, Efq. groom-porter of the houfe-
hold, to licence a limited number of places, for the ufe of cards, dice,
bowling-allies, tennis-courts, and fuch like diverfions ; viz. within Lon-
don and Weftminfter, and the fuburbs of the fame, 24 bowling-allies ;
in Southwark, 4 ; in St. Catherine's, i ; in the towns of Lambeth and
South-Lambeth, 2 ; in Shoreditch, i ; and in ievery other burgh, town,
village, or hamlet, within two miles of the cities of London and Weft-
ininiler, one bowling-alley. Alio within the faid cities of London and
Weftminfter, and witliin two miles thereof, 14 tennis-courts. And to
keep play at dice and cards, 40 taverns or ordinaries within the faid li'-
mits, ' for the honeft and reafonable recreation of good and civill
' people, whoe, for their quallitie and abilitie, may lawfully ufe the
' games of bowling, tennis, dice, cardes, tables, nineholes, or any other
"* game hereafter to be invented.' \Fcedera, V. xvii, p. 236.]
The pirates of the Barbary fliores having at this time greatly difturb-
ed the commerce of England, the king ordered Sir Robert Mauniell,
vice-admiral of England, to fail with certain fliips of the king's, jointly
with other {hips of his fubjeds, to deftroy the pirates. {Foedera, V. xviij
p. 245]
A. D. 1620. 0(^.0
King James borrowed 200,000 imperial dollars of his broii>er-in-kw
King Chriftian IV of Denmark, for the fuccour of the palatinate, &ci
for which he was to pay the ufual and legal intereft of 6 per cent, be-
ing 12,000 dollars yearly. [Fcedcra, V. xvii, p. 255.]
It is here to be noted, that the rate o£ interefl by law in England
was. at this time 10 per cent, an.dj_was.ni)t reduced to 8 per cent till the
year 1624.
King James, in his qommiflion to Sir John Merrick, to be his ambaf-
fador to the great duke of Ruflia, obferves, ' that whereas our fubjefts
trading to Ruflia,, by virtue of treaties, have long enjoyed fundry pri-
vileges and immunities there, which now, by occalion of the late
troubles happening in thac ftate, have received fome interruption ;
and the faid great duke and lord of Ruflia having, by an honourable
embaflage to us, mov-ed to us a continuance of amity, and fome other
things concern,ing our welfire : For renewing the league and amity be-
tween him and us, and~ the privileges of our fubjecls in his dominions,
and likewife for. the re-demanding of a great fum of money, which at
his requefl we were pleafed to furnifli him withal, we have conftituted-
Sir John INlerrick,' &c. Aaid in the fame year he gave the like com-
miflion and powers to Sir Dudley Diggs, for the fame errand to Ruflia, _
[Foederd, V. xvii, pp. 256, 25'7.]
About this time the Englifli company trading to the Eafl-Indies ob-
tained leave of the king of Golconda. lo fettle at Madras-patan, on the
coafl: of Coromandel, where they were permitted to build the fort call-
ed St. George ; which has ever flnce been the company's general fa(fto-
ry for their trade to all parts eaft of Cape Comorin. The principal
fiaple wares there, are calicoes of various kinds, and muflins ; although
they likewife trade in all other Indian merchandize, and to all parts.
At Madras (as they commonly call that place) and the adjacent villages,
the company has been faid to have 1 00,000 perfons fubject to them,
from whom they receive confiderable funis in dtitie^> and cufl:oms. Fort St.
George, however, is far from being a happy fltuation, being fituated on
a barren foil, and a tempefluous fliore, having no kind of harbour, nor
even a convenient landing-place for boats : it, has no freih water nearer .
than a mile diftant ; yet the company find their conveniency in it in
other refpecls, efpecially as to their. trade in diamonds, muflins, chintz,
&c. and in putting off their European wares moft in requefl; there, viz.
fl;ockings, haberdafliery, gold and lilver-lace, looking-glalfes, and drink-^ -
ing-glafles, lead, wines, cyder, cheefe, hats, fluffs, ribands, &c.
The Danes having reibrted to Eafl-India ever fince the year 1612,
and having erefted a company for that commerce, now formed a
fcheme for pofTefling themfelves of the cinnamon trade at Ceylon, and
for that end fent out five fhips, efcorted by two men of war; but thr._
Portuguefe there obliged them to return home uniucceisfuL
3^4
A. D. 1620.
And for preventing the Hollanders from fettling efFeflually, as they
imagined, on Ceylon, on which they had for fome years cafl; a longing
eye (having in 161 2 made a treaty for that end with the king of Cey-
lon), the Portuguefe at this time increafed the numher and flrength of
their forts along the coafts of that ifland, whereby they fo much
hemmed in the king of that country, that without their permifTion he
could not hold correfpondence with any foreign nation : of which vio-
lence they afterwards found the bad efFeds therafelves.
Our voyage-writers give accounts of fundry abortive attempts to
make fettlements in the country fmce called New-England ; as, firft, at
the charge of the lord chief-juftice Popham, Sir Ferdinando Gorges,
and others, in the year 1606, who had obtained of King James a grant,
enabling them to plant between the degrees of 38 and 45 north lati-
tude ; and a fecond time in 1608. Another in 161 1, a fourth in 161 2,
a fifth in 1 6 15 by the Virginia company, a fixth in 161 6, and alfo
again in 161 8 and 1619: though indeed fome of them were rather
trading voyages for filTi, train-oil, and furs, than aftual attempts for
planting. They, however, made many occafional difcoveries and fur-
veys of rivers, bays, &c. preparatory to fuch a plantation. At firft, it
was called by fome of the old geographers Norumbega, or more pro-
perly North-Virginia. But the firfl: permanent plantation, which re-
mains to this time, was not made till this year, at a place named Ply-
mouth, in New-England ; after having gained over fome of the fachems
or chiefs of the Indians, and difpofleffed others of them, who made op-
pofition thereto. And Captain John Smith, having furveyed the in-
land country, and prefented a map of it to Charles prince of Wales, the
prince gave the country the name of New-England.
This year four of the Englifh Eaft-India fhips, outward bound, made
folemn publication in Saldania bay, near the Cape of Good Hope, of the
poflellion of the adjacent country for King James, and ereded a mount
in token of it. They thence failed to India, where they fought fuccefs-
fully with the Pertugueie fleet, and took feveral prizes. They likewife
took fome of the mogul's own fhips called junks, and fome of the king
of Decan's likewife, who had ufed our people ill ; and they returned
home in 1622.
Giles Hobbs, one of our Ruflia company's fadlors, made a journey
from Mofcow to Ifpahan, by the way of Aftracan, and acrofs the Cas-
pian fea, as the company's agents had done in Queen Elizabeth's time.
In his letter he gives an account of a great trade for raw filk at fundry
ports on the Calpian fea ; and infmuates how ealily the company might
carry on that filk trade, by tranfporting it to RulTia. He fays, that at
Aftracan the Perfian vefTels bring in their dyed iilks, calicoes, and Per-
fian fluffs ; and, in return, carry home cloth, fables, martens, red leather,
and old Ruflia money : but that the Turks, Arabs, Armenians, and
A. D. 1620. -^oc
Poituguefe, were feverally plotting againft our Perfian trade. The Por-
tuguefe more efpecially were our company's greateft enemies on all oc-
cafions.
The Ruflia and Eaft-Tndia companies having (as related under the
year 1619) laid down their whale fifhery, four members of the Ruflia
company now fent out feven (hips to Spitzbergen, on their owm private
account ; but they proved unfuccefsful.
1 62 1 In the next year they fent the fame number of {hips thither
again, with better fuccefs. In both thefe voyages, and others alfo prior
to thefe, mention is made of the quantity of oil brought home ; but
not the leaft mention of whalebone or fins. They fucceeded very badly
in 1622 ; but in 1623, the lad year of their union, they had good fuc-
cefs ; though they were not able to drive the Dutch away, who were
fuperior in number of fhips, and had the prince of Orange's coni-
mifllon.
The truce between Spain and Holland expiring this year, the later
began hoftilities, by taking the tov.n and port of St. Salvador in Braiil ;
and in their homeward voyage they took feveral Spanilh fhips.
The Englifh at the Banda ifles were fo ill fupported by their friends
at Bantam, that the Hollanders, colleding all their force, attacked them
in the feveral iflands, feizing on their forts, artillery, and other effeds ;
burning fuch towns as made refiftance, and putting many of the natives
to the fword. They are faid alfo to have imprifoned and othervvife
cruelly ufed our company's people ; and, in fhort, after ading other bar-
barities, they drove the Englifh abfolutely from thence, compelling the
natives to make a folemn furrender of their country to them.
This is our Englifh company's account.
But the Dutch, in their own vindication (printed at Amflerdam 1622)
allege, that as early as 1609, the natives, by a fpecial treaty, put them-
felves under the protedion of the flates-general ; who agreed to defend
them againft the Portuguefe and their other enemies, on condition of
receiving all their fpices at ftated prices : but that afterwards the Ban-
danefe broke thefe engagements, and committed feveral violences againfl;
the Dutch, till the years 1616 and 161 7, when this agreement was re-
newed ; but was again foon after broken, by the inftigation of the
Englifli, who furnifhed them with provifions, ammunition, and fhips,
till the year 1620, when peace between the Englifli and Dutch com-
panies united their councils, for reducing the Bandanele into terms of
trade, for the common benefit of both companies. For, it feems, the
people of Banda had re-admitted lome Portuguefe to trade there : and
when the Dutch came to attack the Bandanefe on that account, they
were underhand fupported by the Englifh, contrary to the agreement
between the Englifh and Dutch ; wLert-by the later alone undertook
the redudion of thole ifles, for their common benefit. So that the
Vol. II. Q^q
306 A. D. 1621.
Dutch met with much difficulty in fubduing the Bandanefe, which at
lad was effefted ; and they were obUged to acknowlege the ftates-gene-
ral for their fovereigns, as before mentioned.
The Enghfli company repUed to this, by recriminations, &c. Cer-
tainly at this diftance of time it is by no means likely we fhould be able
to clear up the truth ; neither is it indeed worth our while to attempt it.
The judicious Mr. Munn [Difcourfe of Trade from England to Eafl-
India, p. 17] fays, ' that of all Europe this nation drove the moft pro-
' fitable trade to Turkey, by reafon of the vaft quantities of broad cloth,
' tin, &c. which we exported thither; enough to purchafe all the wares
* we wanted in Turkey ; and in particular 300 great bales of Perlian raw
' filk yearly : whereas a balance in money is paid by the other nations
' trading thither. Marfeilles fends yearly to Aleppo and Alexandria at
' lead L5oo,ooo Sterling, and little or no wares *. Venice fends about
' L40o,ooo Sterling yearly in money, and a great value in wares be-
* fide. The Low Countries fend about L50,ooo, and but little wares.
' And Meflina L25,ooo in ready money. Befides great quantities of
' gold and dollars from Germany, Poland, Hungary, &c. And all thefe
* nations take of the Turks, in return, great quantities of camblets,
' grograms, raw filk, cotton wool and yarn, galls, flax, hemp, rice, hides,
' fheeps wool, wax, corn,' &c.
What a fine account have we here of the Englifh trade to Turkey, in
thofe days, and how different from the prefent time, when the French
fo miuch go beyond us therein, and the Dutch have fo much improved
their own manufa6tures fent thither ? We would, however, hope that
our trade thither is ftill profitable to us ; at leaft, it is become now ab-
folutely neceflliry for our filk manufacture f, and for its drugs, dyeing
ftuflfs, &c. for our other manufadures.
A very impolitic and unjufi:ifiab]e perfecution of the puritans or pro-
teftant diflenters at this time brought on the effedual fettlement of New-
England, much fooner and completer than otherwife could have been
effeded. Robinion, a Brownift minifter, and his congregation, had re-
tired into Holland, to avoid the perfecution of the high commiflion
courts, and other fpiritual judicatures; but, not liking their refidence
there, they fixed their thoughts on a fettlement in that new colony,
which they realbnably hoped might alio prove an alylum for all other
perfecuted proteitants. Among thofe adventurers there were fundry
gentlemen of good families, who, upon the fame motives, fold their
efi;ates in England, to enable them to fettle in America ; fuch as William
Bradford, Efq. of Yorklhire ; Captain Standifli of Lancafiiire ; Edward
Winflow, Efq. of Worcefterfhire, &c. Sir Robert Naunton, one of the
* France had not then entered into tjie woollen territories in India has now rendered this country
manufafturc. in a great meafiire independent of the Turkifh do-
\ The inrniortation of raw filk from the Britifh minions for the fupply of that raw material. M,
A. D. 1621. 307
fecretarles of ftate, being a favourer of the puritans, was very aflifting
herein, by obtaining the king's patent for planting there : and accord-
ingly, this year, they fettled at a place near Cape Cod, which they named
New Plymouth, and by a formal inftrument declared themfelves fub-
jeds of the crown of England, and folemnly engaged themfelves to an
abfolute fubmiflion to fuch laws and rules as fhould be eftabliflied for
the good of the colony ; and they eleded their own governor, for one
year only.
For fome years, however, they underwent confiderable hardfhips, and
lofl half of their number by iicknefs ; yet, receiving annual fupplies of
people from England, thereby, and by exchanging knives, icillars,
needles, &c. with the Indians for corn, and for furs, fifli, and ikins,
which they fcnt home to England, they were enabled in five years time
to clear and cultivate as much land as produced corn enough, and to
fpare, of their own growth. And the mad periecution of the puritans
in England by the fpiritual courts continuing, numbers of them, with
their families and fortunes, from time to time, increafed this colony.
Thus, out of the great evil of perfecution and ill-judged reftraints for
confcience fake, have fprung up much good to the Britifli empire in
America. For by the great numbers of honeft and induftrious people
driven into that wildernefs, with their efteds, they were enabled to clear
and cultivate a noble province in a fhort fpace, which otherwife might
pofTibly have remained to this day thin, weak, and defencelefs againft
the Indians and the French of Canada. Thofe new-comers obtained two
patents of the Plymouth council, for poflefling the country of the
Mafllichufet's Bay, granted in 1627 and 1628, to Sir John Rofwell, Sir
John Young, and fundry other gentlemen of character : in the year fol-
lowing, fix ihips went thither, carrying 350 paflengers and 115 head of
cattle, befides goats, rabbits, &c. And thefe lafl were fent by thofe
called the London adventurers; who, in the year 1630, fent ten fliips
for the Maflachufet's colony, with 200 paflengers, many of whom were
perfons of confiderable fafhion ; who, to avoid perfecution at home,
chofe to fettle in that wildernefs : and yet, to their everlafting reproach,
they were fcarcely warm in that afylum, before they ran madly into
the crime, with which they had before juftly upbraided the preiatical
party, bv fetting on foot a cruel perfecution ot their proteftant brethren
and fellow planters, for mere ipeculative, and mollly unintelligible,
points ; whereby, and by their nonfenfical and barbarous treatment of
poor old women, under the denomination of witches, they greatly ob-
ftruded the growth of a colony fo well begun, by cruelly putting to
death fome, and by driving out others, of the foberefi; and bell: of their
people ! But, to the honour of the prefent generation be it recorded,
that they are of a much more moderate and charitable difpolirion, and
are univerfullv aihamed of that violent Ipirit of their forefathers. The
1 ' Q^q 2
308 A. D. 1621.
colony is at this day the noblefl of all our North American continental
provinces. And, by their late agent Mr. Dummer's account (in his De-
fence of the New England charters) they take off from Great Britain to
the value of L300,ooo annually in Britifli produd and manufadures ;
and by this time, very probably, our exports thither may be conlider-
ably increafed ; and will more efpecially greatly increafe by our poflef-
fion of the vafl: country of Canada, and in confequence thereof, by our
colony's freedom from the alarms and encroachments of the French be-
hind them.
The Virginia company went on fending fupplies of people and ne-
ceffaries thither from time to time, and now they fent no fewer than
1300 perfons. Laws began to be regularly enacted, and the country
laid out in plantations : churches were built ; and the face of a well re-
gulated colony began to appear. Yet, in this fame year, in time of pro-
found peace, the Indian natives had contrived a general maflacre, and
put it partly in execution, by murdering near 400 of the Englifh; which
barbarity was fufficiently revenged next year ; after which the colony
recovered itfelf : and the king fent thither (lores of artillery and am-
munition from the tower of London.
Petitions were preiented to parliament againfl: monopolies and pro-
je£ls, particularly againft the patents for licencing inns and public-houfes.
— For the fole making of gold and filver lace; a grievance the more in-
tolerable, as the patentees. Sir Giles Mompeflbn, &c. made it (fays
Wilfon) of copper and other fophifticated materials. — For licencing ped-
lars and petty chapmen. — For the fole dreffing of arms. — For the fole
making of playing cards, and tobacco pipes. — The fole exportation of
lifts and flireds, &c.
At the expiration of the truce between Spain and Holland, the later,
this year, ereded a Weft-India company ; who, by patent, were em-
powered to form colonies, ered forts, and make alliances, on the con-
tinent and iflands of America. Their firfl capital flock was 7,200,000
guilders. This company began with two moft towering projeds, both
which mifcarried, viz. 1 ft, to drive the Portuguefe out of Brafil; and, 2dly,
to attack Peru.
Spain being unable to crulTi the Algerines, who at this time were for-
midable in lliipping, and greatly intefted the Spanifli coafts. Count Gon-
demar, ambaflador from Spain to King James, found means to cajole
him into an undertaking for that purpofe, having before gained the lord
admiral (the earl of Nottingham) and next the duke of Buckingham,
his fucceifor. They flattered that king with the mighty glory of fuch
a conqueft, and the benefits which the taking of that piratical place
would bring to the commerce of England. Sir Robert Maunfell wis
therefor fent out with four fhips, of 40 cannon each; i of 36, i of 34,
1 of 20, and I of i8, all brafs cannon (fays Sir William Monfon, m
A. D. 1621.
309
his Naval tracts) the biggeft fhips being of 600 tons, and the fmalleft of
160 tons, manned with 1500 men, befides 12 armed merchant ihips,
carrying in all 243 cannon and 1 170 men, viz. 3 of 300 tons, 2 of 280,
2 of 260, 2 of 200, I of 180, I of 130, and i of lOO tons, from 12
to 26 guns, and from 50 to 120 men, per fhip.
A flender armament for fo great an undertaking; which alfo was badly
executed. It feems they feafted and banqueted in harbour inftead of
fcouring the feas ; whereby (fays Monfon) they loft the opportunity of
deftroying the pirates. They however attempted to buxni the fliips in
the mole of Algiers ; but it proved impracticable. And Mr. Burchet,
in his Naval hiftory, obferves that in return for our vifit, our admiral's
back was fcarcely turned when thofe corfairs picked up near forty good
fhips of ours, and infefled the Spanifli coafts with greater fury than ever :
wherefor (adds Sir William Pvlonfon) ' if thofe chriftian countries
' which lie oppofite to Algiers (viz. France and Spain) could never pre-
* vail in their fundry attempts againft it, although their greater vici-
' nity, and their having the conveniency to embark and tranfport an
' army without fufpicion or rumour, and of being fuccoured by the
* ifles of Majorca and Minorca ; what hope have we to prevail, who
' cannot fo fecretiy furnifh an army and fleet but all the world muft ring
' of it ? And the warning given will be fufficient for a garrifoned town
' of lefs force and fewer men than Algiers to prevent a furprize !' To
fay the truth, we arc now wiler by experience, and are not unacquaint-
ed with the iiibfiantial benefits we receive in our commerce, from thofe
corfairs keeping peace with us, whilft they make war on other nations.
And our poireilion of Gibraltar, v.ith our fliips of war ftationed there,
will probably be ever fufticient to keep thofe of Algiers, Sallee, Tunis,
and Tripoli, in conftant avve of us.
In this fame year a fumptuary law paiTed in the parliament of Scot-
land, whereby no perfons were to wear cloth of gold or filver, nor gold
and filver lace on tlieir clothes, nor velvets, fatins, or other hlk llufls,
except noblemen, their wives and children, lords of parliament, pre-
lates, privy-counfeliors, lords of manors, judges, raagiftrates of principal
towns, fuch as have 6000 marks (i. e. ibmewhat more than L330 fter-
ling) of yearly rent in money, or elfe fourfcore chalder of vidual yearly,,
heralds, trumpeters, and minftre's. And it was by this law farther
enad.ed, that even thofe hereby permitted to wear lilk apparel fhould
have no embroidering nor lace on tht-ir cloilies, except a plain lace of filk
on the fcams and edges, with belts and hatbands embroidered wiih fdk;
and the faid filk apparel to be no way cut out upon other ftuflfs of filk,.
except upon a fingle taffety. Foreign damafk, table-linen, cambrics,
lawns, and tiffanies, were limited to the above qualified perfons, as were
alfo pearls and pretious n:ones. Alio the number of mourning fuits in
great families was hereby limited : moreover, the fafhion of clothes
2.
310 A. D. 1621.
was not to be altered. Servants to have no filk on their clothes, ex-
ceptmg buttons and garters ; and to wear only cloth, fuftians, and can-
vas, and fluffs of Scottifh manufacture. Hufbandmen and labourers of
the ground to wear none but gray, blue, white, and felf-black cloth of
Scottifli manufadure. Neither wet nor dry confections were to be ufed
at weddings, chriflenings, nor feafts, except they be made of Scottifh
fruits. Alfo no clothes fhall be gilded with gold. [AB 25 o/" 23 pari.
"Ja. VI.'\ This is probably the lafl fumptuary law that ever will be made
in Great Britain. Such reftraints do not fo well fuit a free, and more
efpecially a commercial, country, wherein certain private follies and ex-
travagances prove often national advantages.
This year Sir William Alexander, fecretary of flate for Scotland, (af-
terwards created earl of Stirling) obtained from King James a grant of
a diftrid: in America, between the 42d and 46th degrees of north lati-
tude, to which the king had given the name of Nova Scotia, to be held
of the crown of Scotland: and in the year following, he and his part-
ners lent out a number of people from Scotland with an intent to fettle
there. It feems Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who then had the diredion of
the New-England colonies, had advifed Sir William to this undertaking.
Eut the Scottifh embarkation went no farther that year than New-
foundland, where they wintered : and next year (1623) they did no
more than furvey the coafts of Nova Scotia *, and returned home with-
out forming any fettlement.
The exclufive jurifdidion on the river Elbe, claimed by Hamburgh,
induced King Chriftern IV of Denmark, to place fome fhips of war in
that river : yet the emperor, having granted a charter to that city con-
nrming their claim, the court of Denmark ereded a toll-houle at Gluck-
fladt, where, by way of reprifil, they made all Hamburgh fliips pay the
toll. This brought on open hoflilities, whereby that city was a great
lufferer; and was, in the end, obliged to fubmii: to King Chriftiern, to
pay him 1,120,000 livres, and to drop their pretenfions.
A treaty of hereditary league was concluded between James I, king
of Great Britain, and his brother-in-law Chriftiern IV, king of Den-
mark ; the commercial and nautical articles of which are the follow-
ing:
Article IV) In cafe either prince be invaded, the other fhall fupply
him with eight fliips of v/ar, four of which to be of 1 50 or 200 tons {" Idf-
tariun fiauticaruin'') , and to have 150 or 200 men, with 20 cannon in
"_ They gave the name of Nova Cahdon'm to th.e /;,/, which, I'.owevcr, was not pevfciled till the year
peiihifula on tlie fuuth-eaft lide of the bay of Fun- 1625. Ami fo foou <'.s that year the names of
dy, and that of Ni^va /sL'>.anJna to the northern Nova Cilcdoiiia and Nova Alexandria feem to
f)ait. \_lhylhi's Cofntogrtiphy, p. 1024.] As an have been forgotten; at kail, they are not once
ailillance to Hir VViTiiam Alexander in the fettle- mentioned ii the very prolix charter of King
inent of his colony, Kir.g James gave him a tjcot- Charles I in th.at year to Sir Robei't Gordon,
thh patent for advancing a number of gentlcmea the i'\x[\ of the baronets of' the kingdom and dor
io the hereditary dignity of buroneli cf Nova Scj- ininioii of Nova Hcotia. ill.
A. D. 1621.
31
each {hip : the other four to be of 100 to 120 tons, with each 100 to
120 men, and 16 pieces of cannon.
XIII) The fubjeds of both contrading parties may freely refort with
their merchandize to each others dominions, paying the ufual duties.
XIV) Yet Britifli fubjeds fhall not refort to fuch parts of the Danifli
dominions as are ])rohibited by former treaties, (meaning Iceland, Weft-
mony, and Wardhuys for filhing) without the fpecial licence of his.
Danifli majefty.
XV) For fliips wrecked in either country liberty is granted to re-
cover what they can thereof; and they may demand the aififtance of
the other party, paying for it. [Fcedera, V. xvii, />. 305.]
King James obtained from the king of Denmark a further loan of
100,000 dollars, at the low intereft of fix per cent. \Fcedera, V. xvii, p.
315]
King James iffued a new proclamation againft eating flefh in lent, or on
other fifh-days. The reafons now afligned for this injundion are, ' for the
' maintenance of our navy and (hipping, a principal ftrength of this ifland,
' and for the fparing and increafe ol flefli viduals.' The maglftrates of
London to examine upon oath the fervants of all innholders, viduallers,
cooks, alehoufe-keepers, taverners, &c. who fell viduals, concerning
what flefli has been fold by them in lent, &c. and fliall oblige the maf-
ters of thofe houfes to give fecurity not to fell flefli-meat in lent, &c.
And he flridly commands that none, of what quality foever, fliall eat
flefli in lent, or on fifli-days, without a licence from the bifliop of the
diocefe, or other perfons impowered to licence : and the like rules fliall
be obferved by niagifl:rates in other cities, and in the country. \Ffxdera,
V. x\ai, p. 349] Whether there was a real fcarcity of flefli-m.eat, or it
was only the humour of the king and his council, is not perhaps
eafy to be determined ; though from other parts of his condud the later
fliould feem niofl: probable, together with his laudable zeal for proaiot--
ing the filTiery.
1622. — In the following year King James commiflioned the lord
keeper and others to colled annually the names, qualities, and profcfliony
of all fl;rangers-born (denizens or not denizens) now refiding in Eng-
land. And as there be iundry laws in force for preventing aliens and
ftrangers-born from the ufe of handicrafts, and the making of manufac-
tures in England, and from the liberty of felling by retail, and of buy-
ing and felling native commodities, the faid laws are to be put in exe-
cution. And our will is, that fuch fl:rangers as ufe ihe trade of mer-
chandize, and do not fell by retail, nor employ themfelves in buying
and felling the native commodities of this kingdom, may, notwithfland-
ing this our commillion, continue to enjoy fuch liberties and freedoms
as formerly they have enjoyed bv the permillion of us and our prede-
cefT-rs. Only, we will that every fuch merchant fliall pav to our ufe
fuch annual acknowlegement, by way of quarterage, as by a fchedule.
312 A. D. 1622.
under our'hand we fliall dired, or as our commiflioners fhall fet down
under their hands ; that fo it may appear that they enjoy this freedom,
not by right, but of our mere grace and favour. Alfo that no flranger-
born, or born in England of parents-ftrangers, who have not ferved an
apprenticefliip of at leafl feven years, fliall hereafter fell any wares by
retail, but only in grofs : nor fliall fell even in grofs at fairs or mar-
kets,, or out of the city or town where they dwell. And that fuch Gran-
gers, at prefent fettled with their families in England, and who ufe any
manual trade, or the making of our new draperies*, and who dcfire to
continue here, may quietly fo do, provided they put themfelves under
our royal prote(!^ion : and whereas by the laws of this realm they
ought not to work at all or ufe fuch trades, but, as fervants to the
Englifli, they {hall now inrol themfelves as fervants to ourfelves,
our heirs, and fucceflbrs ; whereby they may by law be freed and dif-
, charged from the danger and penalty of our laws. Yet, for the encou-
ragement of all ftrangers to bring new and profitable trades and manu-
fadures into ufe here, every fuch flranger intruding any of our na-
tural-born fubjeds therein, may ufe fuch trade for the fpace of ten years:
but they fhall not at any one time keep above two foreign journeymen,
nor retain any apprentice but by indenture for feven years. Yet our
will is, that fuch of the French nation, who, by reafon of the late trou-
bles in that kingdom, have taken refuge here, fhall be fhewn fuch fa-
vour, beyond the proportion of other ftrangers, as our commillioners
fliall think fit ; if within a convenient time after thofe troubles fhall be
overblown, they fliall return into their own country again. [Fcedera, V.
xvn,p. 372.]
This commiflion was immediately followed by a proclamation againft
the exportation of any gold or filver, either in coin or plate, jewels,
goldfmiths work, bullion, or other mafs. And ' for avoiding of all un-
' ncicefllary confumption of filver and gold within this realm, much
' pradiied of late by fome goldfmiths and refiners, and by the manu-
' fadurers of gold and filver thread, no finer of gold and filver, nor
' parter thereof by fire or water, fliall allay any fine filver or gold,
' nor fell the fame to any but to the mint and to goldfmiths. And all
' gold and filver thread is hereby prohibited to be made in this realm,
' of what kind foever : nor fliall any perfon either buy or fell any fuch
' gold and filver thread made in this realm. [Fadera, V. xvii, ^. 376.]
Had the king abfolutely prohibited the importation and ufe of that
inanufadure in England, there would have been fome more confiflency
in his condud. Probably his aim was to increafe his revenue by the
cuflom on imported gold and filver thread, though to the ruin of fo
many of his own people: befides, goldfmiths work and jewels are as
* This exfniplion was in favour of the Walloons, evidently to collect a tax from foreign merchants
^vho had intioduccd the new drapery in the prcccd- and workmen ; a meafurc equally arbitrar)- and im-
ing reign. But the chief objefl of the commiflion was politic in a commercial country.
A. D. 1622. 313
much merchandize as any other commodity whatever, and therefor
ought not to have been reftrained ; and fo indeed are gold and filver iti
coin or bulUon, in the judgment of the men in our days, though our
laws prohibit the exportation of our own coin.
King James granted a commiflion to Sir William Heydon and Charles
Glemham, Efq. to the following effect, viz. that he has been moved by
fundry letters and meflages from the great mogul, to gratify him with
fome choice arts and rarities which his dominions aff"ord. Wherefor,
he commifllons them to fail thither with two lliips, to advance the trade
of his fubjeds, as their own occalions fliall permit, or as they fhall be de-
fired by the company of merchants of London trading to the Eaft-
Indies, their fadors or minifters ; to govern the faid fhips, and the
men therein ; and to carry out and bring back fuch merchandize as
fhall be judged proper, and be. licenced; alfo to trade with the great
mogul, or any other prince or potentate, between the Cape of Good
Hope and the flraits of Le Maire, &c. The faid two gentlemen are
therein ftiled fervants of his fon the prince of Wales, and fpecially re-
commended by him as properly qualified for this purpofe. \_Foedera, F".
xvH,p. 407.]
King James, in a fpecial commiflion to many lords and gentlemen, con-
cerning the decay of trade in England, reprefents that from the ge-
neral complaints of our fubjeds at home, as alfo by information from
our minifters employed in parts beyond fea, it appears that the cloth of
this kingdom hath of late years wanted that effimation and vent in fo-
reign parts which formerly it had ; and that the wools of the kingdom
are fallen much from their wonted values ; and trade in general fo far
out of frame that the merchants and clothiers are greatly difcouraged ;
fo that great numbers of people depending on them want work ; the
landlords fail in their rents, and farmers have not fo good means to pay
their rents as heretofor they had ; ourfelves alfo find the defeds thereof,
by the decay of our cuftoms and other duties ; and in general the whole
commonwealth fuffereth : fo, as it is high time to look into the caufe
of this great decay of trade, and of the commodities of this our king-
dom, and how to have fit remedies, &c. : wherefor the king direds
them to inquire into the following pomts, viz.
I) Why wool is fallen in price ? What are the proper means to re-
flore it ?
II) How to prevent the exportation of wool and woollen yarn, fullers
earth, and wood-aflies ? How Irifli wool, not ufed at home, may be
brought into England; and the like of Scottifh wool?
III) How to reduce the many laws in being concerning the making
of cloth (fome of which contradid each other) into one good general
law ?
IV) To inquire into the prices of dying fluffs.
Vol. II. R r
3H
A. D. 1622.
V) Whether, by any of the orders, reftrictidns, &c. of the company
of merchant-adventurers of England, the prices of woollen cloth are too
highly raifed beyond fea ?
VI) How far companies or focieties of merchants may, or may not
be, a cramp on trade, as many do allege ? And how far joint -llock
companies are beneficial or otherwife ?
VIT) How to remedy the prefent unufual fcarcity of money ?
VIII) To inquire whether the balance of trade in general be not
againft our nation, by the imports of merchandize exceeding our ex-
ports ; and how to remedy fuch an evil ? Alfo to confider the gain or
loO. that comes to our kingdom by the courfe of exchange now ufed by
our merchants.
IX) How we may improve our native commodities to the beft ad-
vantage.
X) To avoid vain and unprofitable returns (i. e. imports) of the com-
modities of foreign countries in fuperfluities.
XI) For the better increafe of the wealth of the kingdom, and of the
importation of coin and bullion from foreign parts, we would have you
to confider what native commodities of this kingdom are of that necef-
fary ufefulnefs to our neighbour nations that they may fitly return home
a proportion of coin and bullion for a fupply of treafure.
XII) And, above other things, ferioufly and carefully confider by
-what good means our navy and the {hipping of this kingdom may be
befi; maintained and enlarged, and mariners bred up and increafed.
And to this end, we require you to take into your mature confider-
ation and judgements thefe things following, which ourfelves conceive to
be very good means to attain the end we efpecially aim at, as afore-
foid, viz.
Firft, and principally, that the herring fifhery upon the feas and coafis
appertaining to our own realms may be undertaken by our people for
the common good : for the encouragement whereof we fhall be always
ready to yield our bell aflifl:ance.
And to the end that the fhipping of other nations may not be em-
ployed for importing foreign commodities whilil: our own {hipping want
employment, confider how our laws now ftand in force for prohibiting
merchandize to be imported in foreign botroms.
And farther, advife if it be not behoveful to put in execution the laws
flill in force, which enjoin merchant-firangers (as well denizens as not
denizens) to employ the proceeds of the merchandize they import on
the native commodities of this realm, to be exported by them.
And becaul'e our merchants trading into the Eaftland countries (i.. e.
all the fouth {hores of the Baltic fea) were wont to make good returns
by corn, which they have neglected of late, to their own hurt and the
kurt of the kingdom, coniider how to give them encouragement, fo as
A. D. 1 62 2. ^jr
our own dominions may be fupplied in time of want, and yet, in time
of plenty, the hufbandry of this realm may not be difcouraged.
Confider alfo, that whereas our Eaftland merchants did formerly load
their Ihips with undrefled hemp and flax in great quantities, which fet
great numbers of our people on work in drefllng the fame, and convert-
ing them into linen cloth ; which kind of trade we underfland is of late
almofl; given over, by bringing in hemp and flax ready drelfed, and that,
for the mofl: part, by Arrangers. How may this be redrefled ?
And becaufe the Eafl;-India company have been much taxed by many
for exporting the coin and treafure of this realm, to furnifli their trade
withal, or that which would otherwife have come in hither, for the ufe
of our fubjefts ; and that they do not return fuch merchandize from
India as doth recompenie that lofs unto our kingdom ; we authorize
you to inq,uire and fearch whether that company do truely and juflly
perform their contradl with us concerning the exportation of money ?
And by what means that trade, which is fpecious in fliew, may really
be made profitable to the public.
And as much treafure is yearly fpent in linen cloth imported at dear
rates; and for that, if the fifliery, fo much defired by us, be thoroughly
undertaken and our ftiipping increafed, it will require a much greater
produdion of hemp for cordage, &c. in the fifliery, which would fet an
infinite number of our people on work. Confider how the fowing of
hemp and flax may be encouraged.
Alfo how the cloth and fluffs made of our own wools may be more
generally worn by our own fubjedb.
All which you fliall report and certify to the body of our privy coun-
cil as foon as the feveral points fliall be duely confidered by you.
iFcedera, V. xvii, ^. 410.]
With refpeft to the merits of this commiflion of inquiry, it may be
proper to remark, that though in every age there have been, and pro-
bably ever will be, caufelefs and groundlefs complaints of the decay of
commerce, yet there feems at this time to have been fome real grounds
for complaint: for, ift, the Hollanders had greatly improved their
woollen manufadtures, which now confiderably interfered with ours in
foreign parts ; 2dly, the hot difputes between the merchant-adven-
turers company and our feparate traders and exporters of v/oollen cloth
ran high at this time, and did real hurt alio to the fale of that manufac-
ture ; 3dly, as wc fliall prefently fee that the general balance of fo-
reign trade went this year againfl us, it is no wonder that there were
complaints of the fcarcity of money ; 4thly, the Dutch had alio at this
time (as we have feen) vaftly increaled their herring and cod lllhery,
whilft our own people negledled it too much ; no marvel therefore that
our navy or fhipping was at this time fo much fliort of theirs. But with
refped to the exportation of wool and yarn from Ireland in article 2d,
Rr2
316 A. D, 1622.
we have not been able to prevent it efFedually, even to this day, not-
withflanding the feveral much feverer laws made againfl that pernicious
practice fince thofc times. As for the query in article ift, why the
price of wool is fallen ? that is anfwered already by the king's com-
plaint in his preamble, that our cloth is not fo much demanded beyond
fea as formerly : and furely the importing and ufmg of Irifli and Scot-
tifh wool was not likely to make it rife in price ! What relates to dying
fluffs in article 4th feems a groundlefs, or at leafl; a trifling, complaint ;
and to the third we need fay nothing. As for the 6th, we have in the
feries of our work fufficiently enlarged on companies, with and without
joint flocks, and more efpecially on our Eaft-India company, whofe ad-
vocates in thole times (as we have feen) feem to us fufficiently to have
anfwered the main objections of their enemies ; which is all that needs
to be faid by way of anfwer to that article. The 9th, icth, i ith, and
1 2th articles require no particular remark. The king's defire to revive
the obfolete and impra(3:icable law concerning merchant-ftrangers lay-
ing out all their money on our own merchandize was injudicious: but
our importing all our hemp and flax rough is very right ; and is fince his
time almofl always practifed. In all our researches we could never
come at the report made by thofe conamiflioners to the privy-council ^.
The general balance of the commerce of England for the year ending
at Chriftmas 1622, as exhibited by Mr. Miffelden, [Circle of commerce ^
p. 121, ed. 1623] was as follows.
' The total amount of exportations (including therein the cuflom at
' 5 per cent on fuch goods as pay poundage, the impofls on bays, tin,
* lead, and pewter, and the merchant's profit of 15 per cent, together
' with freight and petty charges) was - 1^2,320,436 12 10
* The total imports, (including 1^91,059 : 1 1 : 7 cuf-
' toms, and Li o0;O0o for fine run goods, &c.) 2,619,315 o o
' Balance loft to England this year by foreign com-
' merce _ _ _ 298,878 7 2'
This accurate author gives us alfo the total amount of the cuftoms
of England, outward and inward, for the year 1622, viz. Li 68,222
15/ii t-. . .
De Witt (in his Intereft of Holland) acquaints us, that the Dutch,
for preventing difturbance in their whale fifhery, now eredted an exclu-
*
As the king exprelles his intention that this afcertain the fx^5 balance of the national commerce.
fliould be a {landing commiffion, \_fee p. 41 1, col. As the cuiloms of England in the year 1613, (al-
:] it may be coiifideied as the Ijrlt rudiments of ready inferted, alfo from MilTcldtn) were L20,I47
the board of trade. M. under the colkftion of this year, it was certainly
f The rule for competing the amount of the not on a comparifon of thofe two years that KinT
experts and imports was then to multiply the cuf- James, in the preamble to lils co nmiirion of in-
toms paid on either by twenty ; wliich muil have quiry, founded his complaint of th; decay of liis
been very inaccurate, as probably every method cuftoms.
v/ill ever prove wliereby any one may pretend to
A. D, 1622, 317
five company for it ; who, by their own power and rtrength, might pro-
ted their filhery ; which, however, was laid open to all the inhabitants
of the feven provinces in the year 1643, when neither the Enghfh
(who were engaged in a civil war) nor the Danes, by reafon of the in-
creafing power of the Swedes, were able to hurt them. But upon the
breaking out of the fecond war with England, the Dutch could neither
fpare their fliips of war nor mariners to protedl the great number of
their Greenland ftiips ; and therefor the Hates prohibited their fubjeds
from filliing there at all.
King James, who flill had the propagation of the filk worm much at
heart, now earneftly exhorted the Virginia company to fet about the
cultivation of mulberry trees for that purpofe, and alfo the planting of
vineyards, fending thither printed inftrudions for thofe ends. The earl
of Southampton alfo, as prefident of that company, requefted the go-
vernor and council to diftribute copies of thofe inftrudions all over the
colony.
The Englifli Eaft-India company now aflifled Schah Abbas, king of
Perlia, to take the famous town and illand of Ormus from the Portu-
guefe ; for which great fervice they had half the booty, and had certain
immunities alfo granted to them, as particularly, to keep the caflle of Or-
mus, foon after broken through, and to enjoy half the cuftoms of Gom-
broon, to which the commerce of Ormus was removed, though till then
only an inconfidcrable village ; which benefits, valued at L40,ooo a-
year, lome fay, the company enjoyed for fifty years following, and re-
linquiflied upon the commencement of war between Perfia and the mo-
gul, for a certain allowance of L3000 yearly ; long fince probably in
difufe. The Portuguefe removed thereupon to Mofchat, in the Perfian
gulf, on tlie eaft coail; of Arabia, which they fortified and foon
brought to be a place of great traffic, till they were driven thence by
the princes of that country ; fo that Mofchat is now a decayed place.
King James again commanded all lords fpiritual and temporal, (privy
councellors, and the fervants of tlie king's and prince's houieholds ex-
cepted) and all gentlemen who have feats in the country, forthwith to
leave London, and to attend their fervice in the feveral counties, to ce-
lebrate the approaching feaft of Chriftmas, and keep hofpitality there ;
which, adds this arbitrary king, is now the more needful, as this is a
time of fcarcity and dearth. And in a fecond proclamation he enjoins
them not only to remain at their feats in the Chrifi:mr.s time, but al-
ways, till his farther pleafure be known: alfo that widows of diftindion
be included in this order ; and that fach lords and gentlemen as may
have law bufincfs in London do leave their families in the country, [f o:-
dera, V. xvii, pp. 417, 428, and alfo 466.J
The Englidi Ealt-India company had at this time pofi"eflion of none
of the Ipice iflands, excepting Amboyna, where they had been fettled
far about two years paft. It had been agreed between the two com-
3i8 A. D. 1622.
panics, that the Dutch fhould have two thirds, and the Englifh company
one third part of its cloves, it being almofl the only ifland producing
that fort of fpice. But at the clofe of this year our people were driven
from this ifland in a mofl tragical manner. Whether Captain Tower-
fon, and the reft of our factory there, had really formed a confpiracy,
as the Dutch allege, to feize the caftle, and to expell the Dutch from
the ifland, does not at all appear certain from the evidences produced.
And even granting that it had been plainly made out, yet their barba-
rous racking and tormenting our people to extort a conk-flion of it, was
mofl inhuman, and rather argued a fettled defign to get rid of theEng-
lifh at any rate ! It is, however, a mofl diHigreeable fnbjed to dwell
on ; let it therefor fufhce briefly to obferve, that ten of our people lofl
their lives thereby, and the refl were fent away to the next Englifh fet-
tlement. So the Dutch had now the fole poflTefTion of all the fpice
iflands. Our company made heavy and jufl complaints of that barbari-
ty, yet no violence was offered to the Dutch company on that account,
nor any reparation made to our company till the year 1654.
In an agreement between King James arid two conrradors for vidual-
ling the royal navy, we fee the kind of provifions allowed to the failors,
viz.
Every man's dayly allowance was one pound of bifcuit, one gallon of
beer, two pounds of beef with fait four days in the week ; or elfe inflead
of beef for two of thofe four days, one pound of bacon or pork, and
one pint of peafe, ' as heretofore hath been ufed and accuftomed :' and
for the other three days of the week, one quarter of a flockfifh, half a
quarter of a pound of butter, and a quarter of a pound of cheefe. Sav-
ing for the Friday, to have the quantity of fifh, butter, and cheefe, but
for one meal; or elfe, inftead of flockfifh, fuch quantity of other fifli
or herrings as the time of the year fhall afford.
The purfers to be paid by the contractors for neceflaries, as wood,
candles, difhes, cans, lanthorns, &c. viz. in fervice, at fea, 6d for every
man per month, and, in harbour, i2d; and 2/ to every fliip for lading
charges by the month.
The contradors to have the ufe of all his majefty's brew-houfes, bake-
houfes, mills, and other ftore-houfes, as well at Towerhill as at Dover,
Portfmouth, and Rochefter *, paying the fame rent as former contradlors
paid.
The allowance to the contradors was, for every man's victuals in har-
bour "^-d, and at fea 8^ per day.
Sir Allen Apfley and Sir Sampfon Darrell, the contradors, were here-
by to enjoy during life the title and ofKce of general purveyors of the
viduals of his majefty's navy. [Fcedera, V. xvii, p. 441.]
* Thefe wcie probably all the ports for viftualling the navy at that time.
A. D. 1622. 319
In this year Gerard Malynes publiflied bis book intitled, Lex vicrcato
ria, in folio. He flates the quantity of woollen goods of all ibrts, broad
and narrow, long and fhort, made yearly in all England, to be 250,000
pieces or cloths, befide the new draperies called perpetuanas, &c. Yet
he is fo incorred and fo wide from probability in other matters, that
there is no depending on him ; for inftance, he reckons the number
of people in England to be 16,800,000, and in Scotland 9,000,000;
in Ireland 5,500 pariflies ; and in France 22,000,000 of people.
At this time a controverfy arofe, in print, between Malynes (who was
a Netherlander, and had been much employed by King James in mer-
cantile and money matters, and Edward MifFelden, Efq. an eminent
merchant of London, concerning the balance of commerce running
againlt us, as before flated, and for redrefling the fcarcity of money,
then much complained of.
Malynes propofed, as the means of keeping our money at home, to
alter the courfe of exchange by authority ; a wild and injudicious fancy :
as if foreigners beyond fea would be direded, againft their own interefl,
to regard any fuch laws made in England. This was in his work inti-
tled, the Canker of England's commonwealth, dedicated to Sir Robert
Cecil fecretary of flate ; and in his treatife which he called his Little fifli
and great whale. Mr. MifTelden, in a piece intitled Free trade, or the
means to make trade flourifh, [i2mo, 1622] difplayed the folly of com-
pulfion in fuch matters; and more fully in a quarto treatife in 1623,
which he called the Circle of commerce ; wherein, and in another in-
titled Free trade, he explained the bufinefs of mercantile exchange as it
is imderftood at this day, and the weaknefs of attempting to regulate
by public authority what is governed by our imports and exports, by
the greater or lefs demand for money at home and beyond fea, by wars,
famines, peftilences, and by other accidental caufes ; all which render
it impoifible to regulate exchanges by authoritative rneans in dealings
with other nations. For though it may be true (as Malynes alleged)
that the undervaluing of our own monies, in comparifon with the mo-
nies of foreign nations, may contribute fomewhat to the overbalance,
or to the exchange going againft us, yet the principal caufe will ever be
found to be, the greater value of our importation of foreign goods than
of our own merchandize exported. This Malynes would not admit, but
obftinately mfifted that exchange abfolutely over- rules all money and mer-
chandize ; and that a royal proclamation for railing the value of our money
equal to, or rather higher tljan, foreign monies, would effectually turn
the exchange, and alio the balance of trade, in our favour. Malynes alfo
furioufly attacked Tur. MifTelden's laft treatife in one he named the
Centre of the circle of commerce. Miflelden, upon the whole, has plain-
ly the advantage of his conceited antagonift ; and judicioufly treats of
the true caufes of the general balance of trade, then fuppofed to be run-
3
320 A. D. 1622.
ning againft us, viz. the confumption of unneceflary foreign wares, for
mere luxury; the lofs of our Eaft-India ftock by the violences of the
Dutch company , piracies of the Barbary rovers ; the wars of Europe ;
the negled: of the fifhery ; the new improvements of other nations in
manufadures ; the decay of our own draperies, &c. His Free trade was
reprinted in 1651, and is well worth a perufal even at this day *. The
judicious Mr. Munn, in his treatife intitled England's treafure by foreign
trade, in 1664, (p. 103) has the following jufl: remark, viz. * in vain
' therefor has Gerard Malynes laboured fo long, and in fo many print-
* ed books, to make the world believe that the undervaluing of our
* money in exchange does exhauft our treafure, which is a mere fallacy
' of the caufe, attributing that to a fecondary means whofe efFeds are
* wrought by another principal efficient, and would alfo come to pafs
* although the faid fecondary means were not at all. As vainly alio hath
' he propounded a remedy, by keeping the price of exchange by bills
* at the pa)- pro pari, by public authority, which were a new found of-
' fice, without example in any part of the world, being not only fruit-
* lefs but alfo hurtful.' Thefe treatifes are long fince out of print, and
are become fcarce, which has made the particular mention of them the
more neceflary.
We fhall clofe this year with obferving, that, by the induftry of the
Englifh Ruflia, Eaft-India, and merchant-adventurers, companies, and
their building many flout fhips, the commerce of the Hanfe towns was
now greatly decayed, n:iore efpecially thofe ports on the fouth fhores of
the Baltic fea ; and their antient fplendour and influence much abated.
The French kings, Louis XI, Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francis I,
had beflowed great privileges on them. The Emperor Charles V had
great loans of money from them ; and King Henry III of England in-
corporated them at London as a trading gild, in acknowlegement of
their afli fiance in his naval wars, and alfo for money they had lent
him. But what availed all thefe confaderations under their now gene-
ral declenflon ?
1623 — A new proclamation by King James, in the flile of his former
ones, prohibited eating flefli in lent, and on other fifh days; 'for the
' maintenance of the navy and fnipping, a principal flrength of this
' ifland ; and for the fparing and increale of flefh viduals.' \Foedera, V.
xvii, p. 447.]
The king gave a grant to the Eall-India company, impowering their
prefidents and councils in India, or their council of defence there, to
punifli all crimes committed on land in India, either by martial or by
* Much acn'mony appeared in this difpute, and Greeks and Romans, with now and then an He-
alfo an afFcftation, in invitation of the king's pe- brew fentencc, lor tlie greater edification of iheiv
dantry, of giving quotations from Gicek and Ro- readers,
man authors upon points utterly unknown to the _ ^
A. D, T623. 321
common law, as the feveral cafes may require ; fo as every criminal be
tried by a jury of twelve men. In this grant the king recites one, of
the 13th year of his reign, which impowered this company to punifh of-
fences committed in their fliips whilll at fea. [Fadera, V. xvii,/). 450.]
The king, by a new proclamation, obliged perfons of quality and land
eflates to withdraw to their country feats, in order to promote hofpita-
lity, &c. {Feeder a, V. xvii, p. 466.]
Complaints being made by foreign princes, as well as by the merch-
ants of England, that fundry of our merchants, for their particular pro-
fit, fupplied the rovers of Algiers and Tunis with ammunition and mi-
litary weapons, and alfo with provifions, whereby they were enabled to
difturb our own commerce, as well as that of other chriftian nations.
King James flridly prohibited his fubjeds from fupplying thofe rovers
with any of the ' faid particulars.' \_Foedera, V. xvii, p. 483.]
The adventurers in the Virginia and Somer-ifles companies, by pe-
tition to the king, reprefented the mifmanagements of the faid two co-
lonies, whereby their profperity was retarded ; the king thereupon ilTu-
ed a commiflion to the lord chief-juflice Jones, and others, for taking
into their confideration all letters-patent, commilTions, orders, &c. re-
lating to thofe two colonies. They were alfo impowered to inquire in-
to all fums of money, levied either by the contributions of adventurers,
or by voluntary gifts, bequefts, lotteries, colledions, and adventures, or
in magazines, &c. for the furtherance of the laid plantations ; and how
the fame have been expended : alfo what laws and orders the faid colo-
nies have made, contrary to the royal charters ; and into any frauds and
other mifmanagements which may have caufed the hinderance of their
profperity. And, lafHy, to lay dowTi methods for redreffing fuch griev-
ances, and reftoring the profperity of the colonies. {Fcedera, V. xvii,
p. 490.]
The firfl; exclufive term of the Dutch Eaft-Tndia company expiring in
March 1623, the dates-general granted a fartlier term of twenty-one
years longer, after which, their commerce flouriflaed and increafed fo
much that they enlarged the number of their Ihips every year.
In a treaty between King James and Michael Feodorowitz, czar of
Mufcovy, the articles relating to commerce are in fubflance as follows,
viz.
If, under colour of commerce, any merchants or others fhall carry
warlike ammunition to the enemy of either party, it fliall not be im-
puted to the princes of either fide as any breach of friendfhlp ; but the
party offending (hall take the peril upon his own head.
All fuch privileges and grants for freedom of commerce, as by treaties
have been granted to the Englilh merchants by his renowned majefly of
all Ruilia, and his noble progenitors, fhall remain in full force. And,
by virtue ot this alliance, the fubjeds of both princes may, by fea and
Vol. II. S s
^22 A. D. 1623.
land, freely traffic to each others countries in all kind of merchandize ;
and may buy up, and freely tranfport away all kinds of jewels, pretious
ftones, and whatfoever elfe fitting for both the princes treafuries, as
freely as if they were the natives of the felf-fame country.
Provided, that this freedom of commerce be underflood on the part
of Great Britain for all fuch merchants only, and none other, as are al-
lowed to trade into the dominions of Ruflia, by the licence of their fo-
vereign, and according to the gracious letters and privileges granted,
and to be granted hereafter, to the Englifh merchants by his renowned
majefty of all Ruffia, and the right reverend great lord and holy patri-
arch of all Ruffia ; and on the part of the fubjeds of the czar of Ruffia,
for all fuch of his merchants as Ihall be by him allowed to trade into
Great Britain, and none other.
And fuch EngliOi fubjeds trading to Ruffia, and Ruffia fubjeds trad-
ing to England, without fuch licences from their refpedive fovereigns,
fliall be feized and delivered up to the refpedive agents of each na-
tion.
The merchants in both countries fliall be proteded from all injuries,
and have equal juftice done them as the native fubjeds have.
Perfons guilty of death ffiall not fuffer death, nor be put to the tor-
ture, till an ani'wer from their refpedive lovereigns ffiall be received
concerning them.
The merchants in either country ffiall not be diflui'bed on account of
difference in religion.
Ambafladors, melTengers, and ports, and merchants going along with
them, of both the contrading parties, ffiall freely and fately pafs and
repafs in all parts of both countries, with their attendants, goods, &c.
And if either prince ffiall have occafion to fend fuch into other coun-
tries, through the countries of the other contrading parties, viz. into
Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Netherland, or unto
and from Perfia, Turkey, and other parts of the Eaft not in open hof-
tility with either party ; they ffiall freely pafs, with all their goods and
people, and have due convoy by land and water. And in cafe of death
on their journey, their goods ffiall be fafely kept for thofe who ffiall
have a right to them.
In cafe of ffiipwreck on the coafts of either prince, the goods ffiall be
faved for the benefit of the owners. [Foedera, V. xvii, p. 504. J
King James now iffiied a proclamation, wherein he obiervcs, that in
times of dearth, the poorer fort of his people are pinched with the great
want and dear prices of corn. That the treafure of the kingdom alio, in
thofe times, is much exhaufted, in providing corn from foreign parts.
And, on the contrary, in times of plenty, the farmers, by the low pri-
ces of corn, are hardiy able to fupport their neceffary charge, and pay
their rents. And toreieeing, as well by reafon as by example of foreigii.
A. D. ^^23, 323
nations, that fuch things may not only in fome good meafure be reme-
died, but alfo the increafe of tillage may be procured, and the better
vending of our native commodities, ftrength to our fhipping, and the
breeding of many mariners, by erecting magazines of corn, which, m
times of fcarcity, may ferve to keep down the price of foreign corn, and
in times of plenty may keep up the price of our home corn, at fuch
reafonable rates as will well maintain rhe hufbandman's labour and hold
up the gentlemen's rents, — upon deliberate advice with the privy coun-
cil, he ordained,
That magazines of corn might be erected by fuch merchants and
others as fhould be willing to adventure therein, in London, Dover, Portf-
mouth, Southampton, Briftol, Exeter, Plymouth, Ipfwich, Lynn, Yar-
mouth, Hull, York, Newcaflle, Chefter, Liverpool, and Haverfordweft,
and in all the fhire towns of this realm.
And to the intent that thofe magazines might be ftored with corn, he
declared, that any of his fubje6ls might import corn for them from foreign
parts, in fuch quantities as they fliould think fit, paying only the cuf-
toms and fubfidies of the prefent book of rates. And any perfon might
buy and flore up in the magazines whatever quantity of Englifh corn
he thought proper, when the average price of Englifti wheat was under
23/ per quarter, Englifli rye under 18/, and EngUfh barley under 16/",
in the counties where the fame fhould be bought.
And for the better encouragement of fuch as fhould adventure in
the niagazines, fuch foreign corn as ihould be thither brought, might
be freely re-exported into foreign parts beyond the fea in amity with
us, fo as at the time of fuch tranfportation the ufual price of Englifh
corn in the three next adjacent counties to the magazines whence fuch
tranfportation fhould be, did not exceed 40/ the quarter for wheat,
26/B for rye, and 20/ for barley. But when the prices for Englifh corn
were higher, then all foreign corn fhould be kept in the magazines, to
be fold only within this realm, for the provifion of tiie fame.
And when Englifh corn fhould be under 32/ the quarter of wheat,
I 8/ rye, and 16/ barley, then no foreign corn ihould be fold within tiiis
realm for any other purpofe but to be llored in the magazines, or to be
tranfported beyond lea, paying the due cuftoms and fubfidies for the
Englifh corn ; that the price of Englifh corn might be held up for the
benefit of the farmer, and that fuch corn fo co be tranfported might
return a proportion of coin, for replenilhing the trealure of this king
dom.
Upon re-exportation of the foreign corn no duties were to be paid,
and the exporti-r of fuch foreign corn .vas to make oatn tnat it did iiot
grow in this realm. [Foed/ra, V. xx'ii, p. 526.]
This plaalible fchenie however did not take place.
.S s 2
•9
24 A. D. 1623.
Magazines of corn at Dantzick and Amfterdam have been found ex-
tremely ufeful and profitable to thofe two cities ; though perhaps they
might not anfwer Co well in England. At leaft fuch a Icheme as that
we have jufl been reciting mull undergo a ftrider examination, and
receive many improvements, before it could be reduced to practice in
our days.
In this year Malynes (in his Centre of the circle of commerce, writ-
ten by way of anfwer to Miflelden's Circle of commerce) gives us the
prices of Eafl-India merchandize both there and here, viz.
In India, Pepper per pound weight, 2{d. In England, 20^ or 8 to i
Cloves, - gd. - 5/^^' 6j to i
Nutmegs, - 4^. - s/ov 9 to 1
Mace, - 8^. - 6/ or 9 to i
Indigo, - 1/2. - 5/or4-ftoi
Rawfilk, - 8/. - 2c/'or 2y to I
The Dutch Weft-India company now met with fo much good luck
in taking Spanifh prizes, that they rafhly made a dividend of 25 per cent
to their proprietors. Puffendorf juftly obferves, that they ruined them-
felves by making fuch large dividends, and by being more eager for
conquefts than for commerce.
1624. — Though the great complaints againft monopolies had obliged
King James to revoke them all by proclamation in the year 1610, that
king and his minifters, ever in want of money, fuftered themfelves to
be drawn into new ones afterwards. But in the year 1624, much
louder complaints were made againft them than ever, which produced
an adt of parliament, ' whereby all monopolies, and all comrniflions,
grants, licences, and charters, formerly made or granted, or \vhich
ftiould hereafter be granted, either to perfons or corporations, for the
fole buying, felling, making, working, or ufing of any thing, were
made void. And alio the power to difpenfe with any others, or
to give leave to exercife or ufe any thing, againft the tenor or purport
of any law or ftatute ; or to compound with any others for any penal-
ty or forfeitures Umited by any ftatute : alfo, all proclamations, inhibi-
tions, reftraints, warrants of afliftance, or other matters whatever, any
way tending to inftitute, further, or countenance the fame, were de-
clared to be altogether contrary to the laws of this realm, void and
of none efFtct. All fuch monopolies were henceforth to be tried and
determined by the comnion law of this realm, and not otherwife. And
all perlons were difabled to ufe any monopoly ; and perfons aggrieved
thereby might recover triple damages and double cofts. Excepting
however patents wh/ch the king might ftill grant for 14 years and no
more, for new invented manufactures or arts, never praftifed before,
and not being mifchievous to the ftate, by raifmg the prices of com-
A. D. 1624. 325
modlties at home, or the hurt of trade. Saving alfo to the city of
London, and other cities and towns corporate, their charters concern-
ing any cuftoms ufed within them, or to any corporations, companies,
or fellowships of any art, or of any company of merchants ere6ted for
the maintenance and enlargement of commerce. Nor did this ad: ex-
tend to charters for printing ; or for making faltpetre, gunpowder, can-
non, cannon-bullets, or alum ; nor to Sir Robert Maunfell's patent for
making glafs ; nor to a patent for making fmalt ; nor to another for
fmelting iron with pit-coal, granted to Edward Lord Digby.' [21 Jac. 7,
c- 3 ]
By another ftatute, it was enaded, that whereas the price of the value
of lands and of other commodities of England was much abated ; and
that notwithftanding the intereft on the loan of money continued at fo
high a rate as ten pounds in the hundred pounds for a year, no perfon
after the 24th of June 1625, {hould diredly or indiredly take for the
loan of any monies, wares, or merchandize, &c. above the value of L8
for the forbearance of Lioo for a year. And all bonds, contracts, and
aflurances, made after the time aforefaid, for any ufury above the rates
of L8 per cent, were declared void. And whoever fhould take more,
by means of any corrupt bargain, loan, exchange, chevifance, fhift, or
interefl of any wares, merchandize, &c. or by any covin, engine, or
deceitful conveyance, for the forbearing of money, or other thing what-
foever, than eight per cent, fhould forfeit triple the value of the mo-
ney, &c. fo lent. Scriveners, brokers, folicitors, and drivers of bar-
gains tor contracl:s and loans, who fhould diredly or indirectly take for
negociating any fuch loan, over and above the rate of five fliillings for
ever Lioo, or above twelvepence for making the bond, fhall forfeit
L20, and be imprifoned for fix months. This a£t to continue for feven
years. (Now follows what is fhameful to appear in any ftatute-book,
after what has been juft enatted.) Provided, that no words in this law
contained fhall be conftrued or expounded to allow the pradice of ufury
in point of religion or conlcience ! [21 'Jac. /, c. 17.]
Sir Thomas Culpcper, a member of parliament, was greatly inftru-
mental in obtaining this redudion : he laid before the houfe of com-
mons a treatife, which he publifhed in the year 1623, againft the high
rate of interefl, which his Ion Sir Thomas reprinted in 1668, with in-
tent to get interefl brought lower, after being reduced to 6 per cent.
The later obferves that this ad patfed with all oppoiition imaginable ;
it being an untrodden path, and therefor to be hewn out by dint of
reafon. At its pafling, a zealous oppofer of it defired it might be remem-
bered that he had foretold the inconveniencies that would enfue. In
anfwer to which, Sir Thomas Culpeper alio defired it might be remem-
bered that he had prophefied many happy effeds from it ; to the king,
in the improvement of his cufloms ; to the landlord, in the advance uf
326 A. D. 1624.
his rents, and value of his inhei'itance ; to the merchant, in the quick-
nefs of his trade and benefit of his returns ; to the borrower, in the
eafe of his condition, &c. Hereupon Sir J-^-fiah Child, in his Difcourfe
on trade (publiflied in 1670), remarks, that in the year 1639, which
was but ten years after pafTing this law, there were more merchants to
be found on the exchange, worth Liooo and upwards, than were be-
fore the year 1600 to be found worih Lioo. That before this reduc-
tion of interefl:, the current price of lands was 12 years pure hafe, which
foon after rofe confiderably higher. That the lowering of interefl en-
ables the landlord to improve his eflate, and thereby raife his rents :
that it enables merchants to increafe foreign trade, whereby home
manufacturers and artificers will be increafed, as alfo our flock of other
ufeful people ; and the poor will be employed *.
In the book, intitled. Cabala, or Myfteries of ilate, we find a letter
from Sir Walter Aflon, then the Englifh ambafTador in Spain, to Lord
Conway, fecretary of flate, giving advice that three Scottifh fhips with
their cargoes, were confifcatedat Malaga, for bringing thither certainDutch
commodities. Which we here take notice of, as fuch a precedent may
poffibly be of ufe hereafter, in difputes concerning contraband mer-
chandize ; and to fhow that the Scots had fome commerce in the Medi-
terranean.
As the making of rivers navigable is of great benefit to commerce,
we mufl note, that an a.& of parliament was now pafTed for mak-
ing the Thames navigable for barges, lighters, and boats, from the
village of Bercot, feven miles below Oxford, up to that city, for the
conveyance of Oxford freeflone by water to London, and of coals and
other necefHuies from London to Oxford, now coming at a dear rate,
only by land-carriage ; whereby the roads were become exceeding bad.
[21 j^ac. I, c. 32.] It is fomewhat remarkable, that the preamble of
this adl takes notice, that the river Thames, for many miles beyond the
city of Oxford, was already navigable for fuch barges, lighters, &c. and
alfo from Bercot to London. So here was only feven miles of that
river to be made navigable. And that whereas a former acl [3 'Jac. /,
c. 20] did not anfwer the end, viz. for clearing the paifage by water
from London to Oxford, and beyond, it was therefor hereby repealed.
By an ad of parliament for granting the king three entire fublidies,
and three fifteenths, and three tenths, for making war againfl Spain,
there was a referve of Li 8,000 out of this grant for the relief of decay-
ed cities and towns. [21 Jiic. I, c. 34.]
This old way of graathig fupplies to the crown by fifteenths and
tenths, has puzzled our modern antiquaries, who feera utterly at a lofs
* 111 this a<fl the word iutcrcjl is for the firft time ufed for the forbearance of money, though th,»
word ujury is alfo therein retained as a fyiionymous term.
A. D. 1624. 327
at this day to alcertain the exac^ manner of levying them, though fo
late as this year. And this is the laft time that we find mention of that
way of granting aids to the crown. This we alfo conceive to be the
laft time that money was in this manner beftowed on decayed cities and
towns.
Cardinal Richlieu entered this year upon his miniftry in France, and
fucceeded but too well in his great projeds of depreiling the grandees
and the proteftants at home ; of reducing the fuperiority of the two
branches of the houfe of Auftria, and of advancing the commerce, ma-
nufaftures, and maritime ftrength of France ; whilft he lulled afleep
the only two potentates of Europe who had it in their power to put a
check to fuch towering and dangerous fchemes.
It was now that the Dutch firft invaded Brazil, of which we fliall fee
they held a confiderable part for 30 years after.
It was now enaded [21 ^ac. /, c. 28] tliat when wheat is not above
Li : 12 per quarter, rye zoj, peafe, beans, barley, and malt, iCy, at the
port whither they are brought to be exported, they may then be ex-
ported.
The Englifli Eaft-India company having loaded four fhips and two
pinnaces for India, the duke of Buckingham, lord high admiral, know-
ing that they muft lofe their voyage unlefs they failed by a certain
time, extorted from the company Li 0,000 for liberty to fail for India.
This was one of the articles of his impeachment, in the year 1626.
The duke, in his defence, alleged, that as the company had taken many
rich prizes from the Portuguefe in India, and particularly at Ormus, a
large part thereof was legally due to the king, and alfo to himfelf as
lord-admiral; and that the faid Li 0,000 was the company's compofi-
tion and agreement, inftead of Li 5,000, which the law would have
given againft them : and that, moreover, the whole fum, excepting only
L200, was applied by the king for the fervice of the navy.
It was in the reign of King James I, that the Dutch began the ma-
nufidure of fine woollen cloths, and thereby interfered with the Eng-
lifli cloth trade in the Netherlands and elfewhere, infomuch, that in
the laft year of this king's reign, a certificate was given into the parlia-
ment of 25,000 cloths having in that year been manufadured in Hol-
land. Whereupon the houfe of commons refolved, that the merchant-
adventurers company's fetting impofts upon our cloths was a grievance,
and ought not to be continued ; and that all other merchants, as well
as that company, might tranfport every where northern and weftern
dozens, kerfies, and new draperies : alio that other merchants, befide
the merchant-adventurers company, might freely trade with dyed and
drefi^ed cloths, and all forts of coloured cloths, into Germany and the
Low countries.
328 A. D. 1624.
The king renewed his prohibition of the manufadure of gold and
filver thread, gold and filver foliate (leaf), purtes, oes fpangles, &c. as
tending to the confumption of the coin and bullion of this king-
do-'. And having granted a charter of incorporation to the governors,
alliflants, and commonalty of gold-wire drawers of London, he had
hoped, by reducing thofe trades under order and government, to avoid
the unnecellltry wafle of coin and bullion. But having now fully un-
derftood, as well by the complaint of his commons in the late feffion of
parliament, as upon examination by the lords of the council, that not
only the faid corporation (which was thereupon revoked and declared
to be void), but alfo the faid manufadures, are unfit to be continued,
&c. [Foedera, V. xvii, p. 605.]
King James, by proclamation, once more confirmed all his former
injundions againfl; ereding buildings on new foundations in London
and its fuburbs. \Yo£dera, F! xvii, />. 608.]
We have a pretty diftind: view of the condition of the colony of
Virginia, in a commiflion from King James to many lords and gentle-
men, as follows, viz. we having, by letters-patent, of the fourth year
of our reign, granted power to divers knights, gentlemen, and others,
for the more fpeedy accomplifliment of the plantation of Virginia, that
they fliould divide themfelves into two colonies : the one to confifl of
Londoners, called the firfl colony ; and the other of thofe of Brifi:ol,
Exeter, and Plymouth, called the fecond colony. And we did, by fe-
veral letters under our privy-feal, prefcribe orders and conftitutions for
direding the affairs of the faid colony.
And whereas, afterward, upon the petition of divers adventurers and
planters of the London colony, we, by letters-patent, in the 7th year
of our reign, incorporated divers noblemen, knights, &c. by the name
of the treafurer and company of adventurers and planters of the city
of London, for the firfl colony in Virginia; granting them divers lands,
territories, &c. to be conveyed by them to the adventurers and plant-
ers ; with power to have a council there refident for the affairs of the
colony ; and alfo to place and difplace officers.
And afterward, in the pih year of our reign, we, by letters-patent,
did farther mention to give that company divers ifles on that coafl.
And whereas, we, finding the couries taken for fettling the colony
have not taken the good effcd we intended, did, by a late commiffion
to fundry perfons of quality and trull, cauie the ftate of it to be ex-
amined into ; who, after much pains taken, reported, that mofl: of our
people fent thither had died by licknefs and famine, and by maffacres
by the natives ; and that fuch as are fiill living were in lamentable ne-
ceility and want ; though they (the commiffioners) conceived the coun-
try to be both fiuitful and healthful, and that, if induftry were ufed,
it would produce many good flaple commodities. But, by negled of
A. D. 1624. 029
the governors and managers here, it had as yet produced few or none.
That the faid plantations are of great importance ; and would, as they
hoped, remain a lafting monument of our moft gracious and happy go-
vernment to all pofterity, if the fame were profecuted to thofe ends for
which they were firft undertaken. Whereupon we, entering into ma-
ture confideration of the premifes, did, by advice of our privy-council,
refolve to alter the charters of the faid company as to points of go-
vernment : but the faid trealurer and company not fubmitting thereto,
the faid charters are now avoided by a quo warranto. Wherefor, we
dired you to confider the ftate of the faid colony, and what points arc
fitting to be inferted in the intended new charter, and to report to us.
And, in the mean time, to take care to fupply the planters there with
neceffaries, and to do all other ads needful for maintaining the colony.
The king foon after appointed Sir Francis Wyatt governor of Virginia,
with eleven counfellors, refiding in the colony. {Fcedera, V. xvii, pp. 609,
616.]
King James once more difplayed his averfion to tobacco, by the fol-
lowing proclamation, viz.
' Whereas our commons, in their lafl feffion of parliament, became
' humble petitioners unto us, that, for many weighty reafons, much
' concerning the interefl: of our kingdom, and the trade thereof, we
' would, by our royal power, utterly prohibit the ufe of all foreign to-
' bacco, which is not of the growth of our own dominions : and
' whereas we have upon all occafions made known our diflike we have
' ever had of the ufe of tobacco in general, as tending to the corrup-
* tion both of the health and manners of our people : neverthelefs,-
*' becaufewe have been often and earneflly importuned by many of our
* loving fubjects, planters and adventurers in Virginia and the Somes*-
'■ ides, that as thofe colonies are yet but in their infancy, and cannot be ■
* brought to maturity, unlefs we will be pleafed for a time to tolerate
' the planting and vending the tobacco of their growth, we have con-
* defcended to their defires : and do therefor hereby flridly prohibit
* the importation of any tobacco from beyond fea, or from Scotland,.
' into England or Ireland, other than from our colonies before named .':
' Moreover, we llridly prohibit the planting of any tobacco either in
*" England or Ireland.' The reft of this proclamation relates to fearch-
ing for and burning foreign tobacco, and marking and fealing the legal-
tobacco of our colonies. On the 2d of March 1624-5 he ii^ued another
proclamation to the fame effed. {Ycxdera, V. xvii, pp. 621, 668.]
1625 In February 1624-5, King James ilTued a frefh proclamation
againft eating flefh in lent, &c. \F(xdera, V. w\\,p. 661.]
In that fame month he ifTued his warrant to the duke of Bucking-
ham, as high-admiral, that whereas many of his fubjeds had fuftered
great wrongs and damages, as well at fea as otherwife ; not only by the-
Vol. II. Tt
230 A. D. 1625.
fubje6i:s of our brother the king of Spain, and of the Low countries,
but alfo by thofe under the ftates of the United Netherlands ; and all
fair courfes and due proceedings have been in vain ufed, in demanding
reftitution or reparation thereof; and that thereupon our faid fubjedts
have made humble fuit unto us for letters of reprifal : we therefor
will, require, and authorize you to grant your commiffion for appre-
hending and taking the goods, fhips, and merchandize of the king of
Spain's fubjeds of the Low countries, as alfo thofe of the fubjedts of
the United Netherlands, for the fatisfadion of our loving fubjeds fo
damnified ; and in fuch manner and form as {hall be agreed on by our
privy-council, or any fix of them, in writing under their hands. [Fcedera,
V. xvii, p. 667 *.]
King James died 27th March 1625. His lofty ideas of his preroga-
tive are difplayed in numerous proclamations and injundions, com-
manding and prohibiting fuch things as in later times would not be
fubmitted to under any other authority than that of parliament. His
getting his attorney-general. Sir John Davis, to write, and dedicate to
him, a treatife in favour of his prerogative of levying the tonnage and
poundage-duty by his fole authority, encouraged his fon and fuccefl^or
to levy fiiip-money in the fame manner ; which proved his ruin. Such
dodrines, which Davis endeavoured to fiapport by quoting precedents,
did virtually deftroy all the efl'ential rights of parliament ; and parti-
cularly that of giving money for the public fervice. Davis's book (the
title whereof was, the Quefi:ion concerning impofitions, tonnage,
poundage, prizage, cuftoms, &c. fully ftated and argued from reafon,
law, and policy) was reprinted in the year 1656, probably by conniv-
ance of the government, for expofing the arbitrary tempers of both fa-
ther and Ton. Its conclufion runs thus: ' that by virtue of an antient
' prerogative inherent to his crown, the king of England may jufi;ly
' and lawfully fet impofitions upon merchandize, and may limit and
' rate the quantity and proportioia ther«of, by his own wifdom and dif-
' cretion, without an ad of parliament.'
On the 30th of March 1625, Charles I king of England ratified the
contrad, which his father King James had made jufl: before his death,
for his marriage with the princefs Henrietta Maria, fifter of Louis XIII
king of France. Her portion was 800,000 crowns of 3 livres each (or
L240,ooo fi:erling) ; half to be paid down, the other half in one year
after. She was to have Li 8,000 flerling (or 60,000 French crowns)
yearly, for her feparate ufe. So that 3-^ French crowns, or i o livres,
* We fee a like warrant for veprifiils a few in neither of thofe warrants are the particular da-
months after by his fon King Charles I againft mages complained of at all fpecified. {Taidcra,
both the faid nations, exaftly in the flile and form V. xviii,//. 12, l88.]
hereof; and another again in the fame year. Yet,
A. D. 1625. 3^1
were then equal to one pound flerling. She was alfo to have the vahie
of 50,000 crowns in rings. [Fcedera, V. xvii, p. 673.]
The author of an hiftory of the Caribbee ifles (pubUfhed at Paris in
1658, and at London, in EngUih, in 1666), relates, that the EngHlTi and
French colonies in thofe ifles had their beginning in the tame year
(1625) : that Monf. Defnambuc, a fea captain in the fervice of France,
and Sir Thomas Warner, an Englifh gentleman, jointly took poiTelhon of
the ifle of St. Chriftophers on the very fame day, with about 300 per-
fons of each nation, in behalf of their refpedive kings ; in order that
they might have a place of fafe retreat for the reception of the fliips of
both nations at any time bound for America. In thofe firfl: times, the
Englifli, it feems, were wifer than the French, in building good houfes
there, and having wives and children ; whereas the French contented
themfelves with fuch huts as the Caribbean natives had, i^vj of them
being married. The firfl Enghfh planters employed themfelves in raifing
tobacco; but afterward, in imitation of Barbadoes, they fell into fugar,
indigo, cotton, and ginger, whereby they foon became rich. That ifland
had been difcovered long before by Columbus, though never planted
till this year by any nation. It was, however, found to poflefs feveral
natural advantages, which induced the Spaniards frequently to fl;op at it
in their American voyages. But this French author frankly owns, that,
for preventing any fecret intelligence between the native Caribs of the
ifland and the Spaniards, (who were at this time the common enemy of
both nations in America) the Englifti and French, in one night, dif-
patched all the moll factious of the Caribs; and, not long after, forced
all the refl; to quit the ifland. In the following year the French king
incorporated a number of gentlemen for planting the American ifles.
This, therefor, according to this author, was the firfl: of all the Wefl:-
India ifles planted by either England or France * ; the bold claims of
Spain to the fole property of all thofe iflands having deterred other na-
tions till now from fettling thereon : but, as the power of Spain was
now vifibly declining, thofe nations juftly thought they had a good right
to take pofl'eflion of fuch ifles as Spaui had never yet planted on ; as we
fliall fee they gradually did on many others of them.
Our hifl:oriographers of the city of London relate, that it was in this
year that hackney coaches firfl; began to ply in London (Ireets, or rather
at the inns, to be called for as they were wanted ; and they were at this
time only twenty in number. In ten years time they were increafed fo
much in number that King Charles then thought it worth his while to
iflue an order of council for reftraining their increafe.
Kii'g Charles now renewed his father's commifllon to twelve commif-
fioners of the navy. Thefe feem to have been moftly flationed, as at
* The Englidi t-olony of Barbadoes was fettled in the year 1614.
T t 2.
332 A. D. 1625.
prefent, in diflindl branches ; fuch as a comptroller, a furveyor, a clerk
of the navy, &c. The firfl of that number was Sir Richard Wefton, chan-
cellor of the exchequer, and another of them was Sir William Ruffell,
who was alfo treafurer of the navy. They were, as at prefent, fubordi-
nate to the lord high admiral, or the admiralty-board, from whom they
were to receive diredions in maritime affairs.
The proteftant boors of Auftria now took up arms, to recover the
free exercife of their religion, and they became mafters of fome places ;
but, not being fupported by any foreign potentate, they were reduced
to fubjedion in the following year, and feverely punifhed. Hereupon
the emperor Ferdinand II compelled all the proteftant gentry, clergy,
and fchoolmafters, to leave Auflria ; many of whom were kindly and
wifely received by the Swedes and other proteftant ftates, to the increafe
of their wealth and people.
King Charles by proclamation, prohibited the importation of any to-
bacco not of the growth of Virginia, or of the Somer ifles. [Fcedera,
V. xviii, p. 19.]
King Charles ifliied a proclamation fetting forth, ' that whereas the
' making of alum was difcovered not many years fince in Yorkftiire,
' and brought to fuch perfedion, as there is no doubt but fufficient
' quantities may be made, as well for home ufe as for exportation :
* which being a work of io great honour to this kingdom, and of fuch
' ufe and confequence ; whereby many families are kept at work, much
' treafure faved at home, which heretofore was exported for alum, and
' fome increafe alfo to the revenue ; he therefor ftridly commanded,
* that no foreign alum fhould be imported, and that no Englilh alum,
' once exported, ftiould be re-imported, or ufed in England.' [Fcedera,
V. xviii, p. 21.]
It was upon the farm of this alum duty, jointly with that on fugar,
and other branches of the revenue, that the famous merchant Sir Paul
Pindar advanced to this king fo large a fum as Li 30,000, on account of
which he and his creditors were great fufferers, by reafon of the civil
wars which enfued.
Another of King Charles's proclamations this year was, for main-
taining and increafmg the laltpetre mines of England, for the neceffary
and important manufadure of gunpowder. The king obferves, ' that
' our realm naturally yields fufficient mines of faltpetre, without de-
* pending on foreign parts : wherefor, for the future, no dove-houfe
' fliall be paved with ftone, bricks, nor boards, lime, fand, nor gravel,
' nor any other thing whereby the growth and increafe of the mine of
' faltpetre may be hindered or impaired ; but the proprietors fliall fuf-
' fer the floors or ground thereof, as alio all ftables where horfes fland,
' to lie open with good and mellow earth, apt to breed increafe of the
■'- faid mine of faltpetre. And that none hinder or deny any laltpetre-
A. D. 1625. ^^^
* man, lawfully deputed thereto, from digging, taking, or working any
' ground which by commiffion may be taken and wrought for faltpetre.
* Neither fhall any conftable, or other officer, negledl to furnifh any fuch
' faltpetre-men with convenient carriages, that the king's fervice fufFer
' not. None fhall bribe any faltpetre-man for the fparing or forbearing
* of any ground fit to be wrought for faltpetre. That all dovehoufes,
' and other places digged for faltpetre, be, when the earth thereof is
* wrought over, laid fmooth and flat again as before. That no faltpetre
' be exported, neither fold at home to any but the king's powder-maker,
' who (hall not receive for any gunpowder fold by him to any of the
* king's fubjedls above 10^ the pound weight.' The proclamation pro-
ceeds to diredl the trial of the goodnefs of gunpowder before it is fold.
[Foedera, V. xviii, p. 23.] The faltpetre and gunpowder bufinefs was
•one of that king's greatefl monopoly-projeds ; and his manner of di-
reding it was far from fuiting the genius of a free people.
Charles was fo much a tranfcript of his father that we are not to
wonder at their proclamations having fo great a refemblance. His pro-
<;lamation againfl new foundations in and near London, and for re-
building the houfes either with brick or flone, is exactly in the flile and
form of his father's. He alio therein gives directions for the dimenfions,
true making, and price of bricks, viz. that the fizc of them be, in length
-9 inches, in breadth 4|, and in thicknefs 2^ ; and that the price of one
thoufand fuch bricks at the kiln fhall not exceed 8/ No bricks fhall be
made within one mile of any of the gates of London, or of the palace
of Weflminfter. Cottages, fheds, and other nuifances, to be removed
from the city and fuburbs : with other commendable regulations for its
beauty and uniformity. A fecond alfo, of the very fame tenor, came
out in this fame year. ^Fcedera, V. xviii, pp. 2,3, 97-]
King Charles granted to Sir Francis Crane L2000 yearly, for ten
years : the one half of which fum was what he had formerly engaged
to allow him for that term, for the fupport of the tapeflry manufadure
at Mortlake in Surry : the other half was in lieu of paying him L6000
due to him for three fuits of gold tapeflries, delivered for the king's
ufe. {Foedera, V. xviii, p. 60.]
Another proclamation grants a commiffion to many lords and gentle-
inen, for certain regulations in fearching for mines of gold, lilver, or
copper, or of lead holdmg filver, as alfo for quickfi'ver in Cardigan-
fhire ; of which mines the king had granted a leafe for 31 years to Sir
Hugh Middleton. \Foedera, V. xviii, p. 66.]
After the Virginia company had, at iundry times, raifed by fubfcrip-
tions from their adventurers a capital of no lefs than L200,ooo, flill, ni
vain, hopiiig for gold and filver mines, and other very rich produdions,
many of them at length became weary of the charge, as not findaig the
profit by any means to anlwer expedtution, and fold out their Ihares ; and
334 ^' ^' 1625.
fuch as continued in it had perpetual wranglings. So valuable a country
and colony was, however, by no means to be abandoned ; more efpe-
cially as the planters there were now well able to fubfift independently
of their mother country. Several gentlemen, therefor, about this time,
with their effects and with many fervants, went thither on a feparate
bottom. Whereupon the king iflued the following proclamation, which
firft eftablifhed the prudent form of government, in which this and the
other regal colonies have remained till now (1762), viz. that whereas,
in his father's time, the charter of the Virginia company was, by a quo
warranto, annulled ; and whereas his father was, and he himiclf alfo is,
of opinion, that the government of that colony by a company incor-
porated, confining of a multitude of per ions, of various difpofitions,
amongfl whom affairs of the greateft moment are ruled by a majority
of votes, was not fo proper for carrying on the affairs of the colony :
wherefor, to reduce the government thereof to fuch a courfe as might
bell agree with that form which was held in our royal monarchy ; and
confidering alfo, that we hold thofe territories of Virginia and the
Somer ifles, as alfo that of New-England, (lately planted) with the li-
mits thereof, to be a part of our royal empire ; we ordain, that the go-
vernment of the colony of Virginia fhall immediately depend on our-
felf, and not be committed to any company or corporation, to whom it
may be proper to trufl matters of trade and commerce, but not the or-
dering of ftate affliirs. Wherefor our commiffionzrs for thofe affairs
fhall proceed as direded, till we eflablifh a council here for that colony,
to be iubordinate to our privy-council. And we will alfo eflablifh an-
other council, to be refident m. Virginia, who fhall be fubordinate to
our council here for that colony. And at our own charge we will main-
tain thofe public officers and miniflers, and fuch flrength of men, mu-
nition, and fortification, as fhall be necefTary for the defence of that
plantation. And we will alfo fettle and affure the particular rights and
iiiterefts of every planter and adventurer. Laftly, whereas the tobacco
of thofe plantations (the only prefent means of their fublifling) cannot
be managed for the good of the plantations, unlefs it be brought into
one hand, whereby the foreign tobacco may be carefully kept out, and
the tobacco of thofe plantations may yield a certain and ready price to
the owners thereof; to avoid all differences between the planters and
adventurers themielves, we refolve to take the fame into our own hands,
and to give fuch prices for the fame as may give reafonable fatisfadlion i
whereof we will determine at better leifure. [Foedera, V. xviii,/». 72.]
Had tobacco been then as much in ufe as at prefent, this monopoly
of it, fo early begun by King Charles, would have enabled him to raife
much money, without depending on parliament. And it was certainly
a good fcheme to enhance the price of it at his pleafure ! From this
time forward, aflemblies of the reprefentatives of the planters in Vir-
A. D. 1625. 335
ginia regularly met by authority of the crown, to enad laws, with the
confent of the king's governor and council, the laft having ever fince
aded feparately as an upper houfe : but the dernier refort in all law
proceedings is in the aflembly. A patent-office was now alfo eftablifh-
ed, not only for offices in Virginia, but for difpofing of vacated grants
of new lands, on the eafy terms of 2/flerling per annum quit-rent to
the crown for ever, for each hundred acres to be granted. And this
encouraged many perfons of fubftance to go from England and fettle
there, whereby the country foon became populous ; and the Indians
decreafing even faller than the Englifh increafed, thereby the later have
enjoyed peace and tranquillity.
King Charles appointed commiffioners for inquiring into and remov-
ing the caufes of the low price of wool, and of the exportation there-
of; as alfo for regulating the making of cloth, fluffs, &,c. ; concerning
the fifhery alfo ; and the hemp, flax, and corn trade of Eaftland ; the
Eafl-India trade ; the bringing in of bullion ; the linen cloth trade,
8cc. exadly in the form of the late king's proclamations for thofe ends,
as already noted. [Fcedera, V. xviii, p. 81. J
We find now the firft authentic record of copper coins being ufed in
England by royal authority ; the king reciting, that whereas his late
royal father took order, that inftead of unwarranted farthing tokens,
till then ufed by vintners, chandlers, tapflers, and other retailers, to the
lofs of his loving fubjeds, there fliould be others made by his own war-
rant *, under his own royal name and infcription, and a conftant re-
change fettled, whereby the fubjed might have the lawful ufe of them,
with much eafe and without lofs. Which copper money having fince
had general circulation through our kingdoms of England and Ireland,
has brought a general benefit. We do therefor hereby command, that
no ftrthing or other tokens fhall be made or ufed but thofe of our royal
father, by his letters-patent, and of us, by like letters-patent, granted
this fame year to the duchefs dowager of Richmond and Lenox, and
Sir Francis Crane, for which they are to pay us one hundred marks per
annum for feventeen years. The faid copper farthings (or farthing
tokens) to have thereon, on one fide, two fceptres crofling under a
crown ; on the other fide, a harp crowned, with the king's name and
* This warrant does not appear (See above un- mann't prufatio ad Anderfoni Dlplomata, p. 66,
der the year l6cg). It was probably foon after not.f.'\
the time that King James was fo earned for an Ruddiman, immediately after the paffage now
union of the two kingdoms; for Ruddiman (quot- quoted, fays, that James I -coined copper moiiey
ing a manufcript work of Thomas Craig upon the in England. So it may be confidered as cer-
propofed union) obferves, that one of the objec- tain, that there was copper money in England
tions made by the Scots to the uuion was, that, as before the reign of Charles, as the accuracy and
the Englidi had no copper money, if the money integrity of Ruddiman are fufficient to eflablifli the
of Scotland was thenceforth to be regulated en- truth of it j and he may have fsca the copper
tirely by the Engllih (landard, the poor muft fuffer pieces of James's coio, though not to be found
greatly by the want of copper inoney. \_Ruddl- novT. M.
t.
33^ A. D. 1625.
titles. The patentees were thereby bound to deliver out 2ifin tale of'
farthings for every 20/" of filver, and to pay back 20/ in filver for every
21/ by tale in copper farthings, whenever demanded. [Foedera, V. xviii,
pp. 108, 143.]
King Charles, like his father, was generally much indebted to the
merchants, goldfmiths, &c. of London, who advanced money from time
to time to the crown, by way of anticipation on the public revenues.
The king acknowleges his debt of L27,ooo of this fort to the famous
merchant Sir William Courten ; the half of which fum had been lent
to King James, the other half to himfelf. For which loan intereft was
allowed at the rate of L8 per cent. [Fcedera, V. xviii, p. 1 56.]
King Charles granted an exclufive patent for fourteen years to a gold-
fmith of London, for the fole making and praftice of certain compound
fluffs and waters, extraded out of certain minerals, &c. of this realm,
called by the name of cement, or drefling for fhips, to prevent them
from burning in fights at fea ; and alfo to preferve them from the fea-
worm or bernacle : for which grant this projedor was to pay forty (hil-
lings per annum into the exchequer. This feemed to be but a trifling
matter ; yet, as we fhall fee a great number of fuch from time to time
authorized by this king, it feems to have been from the beginning, his
intention thereby to accumulate a new revenue, without depending on
parliamentary grants.
King Charles made a grant of one of his pinnaces to his high admiral'
the duke of Buckingham, in confideration of his undertaking to adven-
ture for a difcovery of the north-wefl: paflage to China, &c. An a6lion
(fiiys this grant) of great importance to trade and navigation, and in'
fundry refpeds of fingular benefit to all our realms and dominions.
\F(Xdera, V. xviii, p. 166.]
The king appointed his lord high admiral, the duke of Buckingham,
to command in chief, both by fea and land, on an intended expedition
againft Spain. His inftrudions were, to annoy that crown by all ways
poflible, either by plundering the towns, or by taking the plate fleet,
or other fliipping, &c. He was alfo to detach fome of his fhips to the
port ot Sallee, in Barbary, to treat for redeeming the Englilh captives
there, and for fecuring trade from the piracies ; as alfo for procuring
provifions for his fleet, which had 10,000 land forces on board. \Yoedera,
l^. win, p. 171.] But, mifling the plate fleet, Sir John Burroughs land-
ed in the bay of Cadiz, burnt a few villages in that neighbourhood,
and then returned home, without having done any effeftual fervice with
fo great an armament.
A league offenfive and defenfive was concluded at the Hague, on the
2d of Augufl, between King Charles and the fl:ates of the United Nether-
lands, again fl: Spain. The fl:ates-general were to join twenty of their
fhips of war to the Enghfli fleet, which is faid to have confifled of eighty-
A. D. 1625. 337
two ftiips of war, for a joint attack upon Cadiz : the Dutch to have one
fifth part of the fpoil : which defign, however, was never put in exe-
cution ; any more than another, of the fame year, and againft Spain too,
dated Southampton, 17th September 1625, confiding of forty articles.
[CoUecliofi of treaties, V. \\, ed. 1732.]
We muft here do King Charles the juftice to remark, that in this
year we find three different applications from him to his brother-in-law
Louis XIII of France, for fending back the fliips he had lent him ;
and infift.ing on their not being employed againfl his proteftant fubjeds,
(meaning the Rochellers.)
Queen Henrietta Maria's marriage portion of 800,000 French crowns,
was in this fame year brought into England, all in filver money, intend-
ed to be recoined at the tower; but a plague raging in London, which
had infeded fome of the coiners, the king poftponed the recoinage ; and
for the more eafily paying the foldiers and failors wages of the fleet then
fitting out, he declared the French coin to be current for a time. It
was all of one fort, called a quart d'ecu, (i. e. a quarter crown) worth
ip-i. Yet, by an inundation of bafe and light ones, the king was
quickly obliged to annull the currency of that coin.
King Charles being in great difficulties for money to carry on his
war againft Spain, employed the duke of Buckingham to borrow
L30o,coo fiierling of the ftates-general of the United Netherlands, or
their fubjecls, upon the pledge of a great number of incomparably rich
and noble crown jewels and veilels of gold, adorned with pretious flones,
which were delivered to that duke out of the king's jewel houfe. {Foedcra,
V. xviii, p. 246,]
King Charles ifilied a proclamation prohibiting all commerce witl
Spain and the Spanifh Netherlands ; and commanding that no fliip 0/
60 tons or upwards be fet to fea, unlefs flie be furnifhed with muikets
and bandeliers, becaufe of the danger of his fubjeds venturing tc fea
in thefe perilous times, ill furnifhed with arms and weakly manned.
\F(xdera, V. xviii,/). 251.]
He again ilTued a proclamation, exactly in the ufual form, againfl: eat-
ing flefli in lent, or on other fifh days ; and for the fame reafons. \Foe~
dera, V. xviii,/). 268.]
This king being to be crowned on Candlemas day, ilfued out writs to
the fheriffs, to oblige all who held lands of the crown of the value of
L40 yearly, or upward, who were not already knights, to come and
take that order upon them. {Feeder a, V. xviii, p. 2 78.]
The reader needs not be acquainted, that this was an ufual practice
of our kings in elder tinies to raife money on urgent occafions.
1626. — The author of the Golden fleece, [410, 1626] a judicious trea-
tife on commerce, gives a fuccindt view of the Eaft-India commerce,
&c. as it then flood wiih refpect to Europe, viz.
Vol. II. U u
338 A. D. 1626.
' Before the Londoners and Hollanders failed thither, the Turks ufed
^ to fhare with the Portuguefe in tliofe commodities which now the pro-
' teftants trade for. Heretofore they paid at Lifton, Aleppo, or Alexan-
* dria,
' For every lb. weight of pepper, if; now it cofls us in India but 3^
* mace, 4/5 9^
* cloves, 4/5 -■ \od
*■ nutmegs, 2/ . 4^
» indigo, 4/ ^ i/"
* Perfian raw iilk, per pound 12/. now from the Perfian gulf under 8/
* And if we tranfport none of our corn, but only that of foreign na-
* tions, carrying alfo fome of our tin, lead, and woollen cloths, to the
* Perfian gulf, where they are beft vendible, there is no queflion but this
' kingdom will be much enriched: for the Sound of Denmark, the Hanfe
' towns, and France, will return us more money than we need to fend
* into India.'
King Charles by proclamation ordered that the medium allowance
for every failor fhould be 2q/'per month, which till now was but 14/)
by which means there will accrue to every ordinary failor 1 4/" (net
money) per month, befides an allowance out of it of a^d to a preacher,
2d to a barber, and dd per month to the cheft at Chatham : whereas
the ordinary men have now but c)/4 (net) per month, and no allowance
at all given to a preacher. Out of the furplufage of which (addition)
all officers wages were likewife refpedlively raifed ; and an allowance alfo
for a lieutenant and a corporal.
' And whereas Qtieen Elizabeth for the encouragement of Ihip-build-
' ing, gave a premium of 5/per ton for every fhip built above the bur-
* den of one hundred tons, which was revived by King James ; King
* Charles now allowed 5/ per ton for every iliip that ftiould be built of
* 200 tons and upwards.' {Fcedera^ V. xviii, p. 679.]
The author of the Golden fleece gives us a fketch of the fifhery on
the banks of Newfoundland, in which he fays, the ports of Devonfhire
annually employed 150 fliips, and carried (as at this day) their fi(h to
Spain and Italy. It feems in thofe days, that fifhery was grievoufly dif-
turbed by pirates, who had, in a few years before, pillaged them to the
damage of L40,coo, befides the lofs of 100 pieces of ordnance, and of
above 1500 mariners, to the great hinderance of navigation. In another
place he fays, that this fifliery maintained 8000 perfons for fix months
in Newfoundland, and fupported many thoufands of families at home,
as well their own families as thole employed in preparing nets, calks>
viduals, &.C. and in repairing the (hips for that voyage *.
* The judicious Mr. Wood, the prefent fecre- (i. e. about 1618) England had above 200 fail of
iary of the board of cuftoms, in his FJfay on trade fliips employed in this iilhtry, and furniflted all
^1718) thinks, that one hundred years before Europe with fifli.
A. D. 1626. 339
In this fame year, the famous Sir Thomas Herbert failed with fix
fhips for Eaft-India, of which, and of Perfia, Japan, and the Moluccos,
he gives a judicious account, for the time he Hved in. At Calhin, in
Periia, Sir Robert Shirley and Sir Dudmore Cotton, the two Englifh
ambafladors (with whom he had travelled) both died ; and he returned
home over land through Perfia.
Howell, in his life of King Louis XIII of France, publifhed in the
year 1646, gives us an edidl of that king, in this year, which prohibits
all commerce with England ; and that no kind of grain, wines, or pulfe,
fhould be exported to England ; nor from England to France ; nor any
cloths, ferges, wools, lead, tin, fi:uffs, filk fl;ockings, &c. By this (fays
Howell) one may obferve the advantage that England hath of France,
in variety and fubftance of merchandize. This we here take notice of
the rather, becaufe, were we ever fo much at peace with that nation in
our days, the cafe is fo widely different from what it was then, that they
would take none of thofe particulars from us but lead and tobacco ; and
they now know better than to prohibit the importation of our wool.
So fluctuating is the courfe of trade in this and many more inflances
which might be produced. For Cardinal Richlieu, after reducing the
power of the great nobility of France, earneftly promoted manufactures
and maritime commerce, for the enriching of that kingdom ; which
Morifot (in his Orbis maritimus) juftly calls the fplendour of kingdoms
whilfi: in peace, and their main fupport in wars. To this end he incor-
porated a fociety of one hundred merchants for traffic, both to the eaft
and weft, by fea and land, with a capital of 600,000 livres ; who alio
engaged to lay out as much more in building ftout ftiips at vlorbihan,
near Vannes, in Bretagne, where they ered:ed warehoufes, offices, and
docks, and fo many dwelling houfes as made a good town. To that
company alio he committed the fole trade to Canada, which they very
foon greatly improved. That cardinal, indeed, highly merited the dig-
nity conferred on him ot fuperintendant-general of the co.nmerce and
navigation, and high-admiral of France. He perfuaded Louis XIll to
lay out a vaft fum in the purchafe of fliips in Holland, Denmark, aad
the Hanfe towns, for the protection of the coalls, the rovers of Bar-
bary having taken or deftroyed above one hundred Frenca fliips, and
made flaves of fo-ne thoufands of their people, whereby many families
were undone : wh:ch improvements, though not effeded fo early as tliis
year, we judged might come in properly enough in this place.
The king having fuddenly diflolved the parliament, becaufe they re-
fufed to fettle the duty of tonnage and poundage on him, till their
grievances fiinuld be redrefiTed, by his own authority directed the
cuffoms, fubfidies, and impofls on merchandize, exported and imported,
to be collected as ufual in the manner they were collected at his father's
death. lFa;cIera, V. xviii, p. 737-]
2 U u 2
340
A. D. 1626.
The king directed a commifTion to the officers of his mint, for his
money to be coined of the fame finenefs as before, viz. filver, of 1 1 oz.
2 pv/t. fine ; crown gold of 22 carats fine ; and angel gold to be, as
already it is, of 23 carats 3^ grains fine : alfo that a pound weight of
filver fhall make in current money L3 : 10 : 6. And that the pound
wei'iht of crown gold fhall make in current money L44 by tale, ot luch
pieces of gold as are now ufually coined of that finenefs. [Feeder a, V.
xviii, p. 741.] This was an unaccountable direcftion, to have two fets
of gold coins of different finenefs and* purity, (in which he imitated
his father) and alfo to coin his filver money lighter than before j of which
we fhall prefently treat more fully.
King Charles being determined to raife what money he wanted, with-
our being beholden for it to a parliauient, granted a commiffion to the
lord-treafurer and other great officers of flate, to fell or grant in fee-
farm, or for term of lives or years, in pofleffion or in reverfion, all or
any of his honours, manors, old cafi:les, forefls, chaces, parks, lands,
tenements, w^oods, &c. both in the furvey of the exchequer, and in the
duchy of Lancafi:er ; as well fuch as were held by copy as by leafe, cuftody,
&c. \Fcedera, V. xviii, />. 771.] The king had run himfelf deeply inarrear,
for fitting out his late fleets with land forces, &c. againft Spain : there
was alfo a confiderable debt at his father's death ; and he had already
mortgaged to the city of London, in its corporate capacity, divers ma-
nors, lands, tenements, &c. Thus did this king moft improvidently
for himfelf, and his fuccefiors, though perhaps not inaufpicioufly for
the liberties of the people, divefl himfelf of a moft royal eftate and
revenue in lands : an eftate which had ever been the principal inde-
pendent fupport of the yearly expenfe of his predeceffors, and their
houfehold in times of peace.
The king, in two feparate commiilions, appointed an envoy to the
piratical flates of Barbary, and to the town of Sallee, to treat of the re-
demption of Englifli captives, and alfo of peace and commerce with
them ; for which purpofes the envoy carried with him all the Moors
who had been made prifoners by the Englifli, as alfo four brafs and two
iron cannons, with ammunition, &c. as prefents : a method early prac-
tifed by all other chrifliari flates in treating with thole people, to fupply
them with weapons for their own deflruction ! {Fcedera, V. xviii, pp.
79.3, 807.]
It being near Chrifimas, King Charles again enjoined the nobility,
&c. to withdraw from London, to exercife hofpitality at their feats in
the country. 'iFa:dera, V. xviii, p. 798.]
The French having this year feized on the Englifli merchant fliips in
divers ports of France, by way of reprifal for three French fhips lately
taken by the Englifli fliips of war, and likewife on account of certain
elder pretended claims on England, amounting in all to L25,oco fter-
A. D. 1626. 241
ling, Kng Charles granted a'commilTion for felzing on all the French
effe(fl^s in the Engliili ports, by way of counter-reprifal. [Fa^dera, V.
xviii, p. 802.]
1627. — A proclamation of King Charles came out, importing, that
the pradtice of making faltpetre in England, by digging up the floors
of dwelling-houfes, dove-houfes, ftables, &c, tended too much to the
grievance of his fubjeds : and that, notwithftanding all the trouble
and charge attending this method, the undertakers could never yet fur-
nifh this realm with one third part of the faltpetre requifite, efpecially
in time of war, when mofl: wanted ; the earth of itfelf not being able
to engender the matter whereof laltpetre is made, in many years, with-
out the aid of artificial means for enriching the earth : and yet the ne-
ceflity of the prefent times requires fo much to be made, as would fo
impoverifh the earth, that in a fliort time we fliould be utterly deftitute,
of that ineftimable treafure. Whereupon Sir John Brooke, and Tho-
mas Ruffell, Efq. have propofed to us, to make fuch quantities of falt-
petre as our realms fhall want, and alfo to fupply foreign nations there-
with, by a new invention of their own, of which they have given de-
monftrative proof, and for which we had already granted them an ex-
clufive patent : and as thofe patentees now want nothing but leave to
collect a fufficient quantity of urine for their manufacture of faltpetre,
at their own charge ; the king therefor commands all his fubjeds of
London, Weflminfter, &c. near to the place where the fliid patentees
have already ereded a work for the making of faltpetre, that, after no-
tice given to them refpedively, they carefully keep in proper veflels all
human urine, throughout the whole year, and alio as much of that of
beads as can be faved, for the patentees to carry away from time to
time. [^Fipdera, V. xviii. p. 813.]
Another proclamation came out againfc eating flefli in lent, and on
other filli days. [Fo'c/crd, V. xviii, p. 822.]
The king alio now iifued a comuiiflion of inquiry into nuifances in
and near London ; fuch as ftalls, flaughter-houi'es, brew-houfes, fmiths-
forges, brick kiins, coach-houfes, tallow-chandlers, links, vaults, dung-
hills, layftalls, garbage, broken pavements, inmates in houfes crowding
the fame, &c. and for redreffing of all fuch like diibrders. [Fcvdera, V.
xviii, p. 827.]
He alfo commiflToned certain aldermen, &c. of London to feize all
foreign tobacco, not of tlie growth of Virginia or Bermudas, for his
benefit, agreeable to a former commiflion : alfo to buy up, for his ufe,
all the tobacco coming from thofe plantations, and to fell the fame •
again for his benefit. \Fcedcra, V. xviii, p. 831.]
The king, notwithftanding this order, in the fame month publifhed
a permiffion to import 50,000 pounds of Spanifli tobacco ; but then it
was to be ail bought by himfelf, and again fold out to his fubjecls. He:.
342 A. D. 1627.
direded that the Spanlfh tobacco, and alfo all the Virginia ^nd Somer-
ifles tobacco, fliould be imported into London only, and marked like-
wife with three different feals or ftamps. Moreover, as great quantities
•of tobacco were ftill fown in England, contrary to law, he now renew-
ed the former prohibition of planting it in England. [Fadera, l^. xviii,
p. 818.]
King Charles granted a commiflion to captain John Hall, to com-
mand four fhips and a pinnace for next year's voyage to Eaft-India, un-
der the direction of the Englifli company of merchants of London trad-
ing to the Eaft-Indies, This was only a piece of form : but he farther
earneftly prohibits all his other fubjeds, excepting the company, from
reforting to India, under the penalty of forfeiting fhips and cargoes ;
half to the king, the other half to the company, purfuant to King
James's charter to them, dated the 31 ft of May, in the 7th year of his
reign.
And King James having, in the year 1617, granted letters-patent to
the Englifh Eafl-India company, to export to India all fuch foreign coin
and bullion as they fhould firfl: import from beyond fea, fo as the fame
fliouId not exceed the fum of Li 00,000 in any one year. King Charles
nov/ licenced them, in confideration of the prohibition of commerce
with Spain, whereby they were difabled from procuring the quantity of
iilver they yearly wanted, to export, in their next voyage only, L^OjOco
xp. foreign gold, in lieu of fo much filver. [Foedera, V. xviii, />. 853.]
The king ilTued a proclamation againft furnifhing Spain with provi-
iions, ammunition, or materials for fhipping of any kind ; the king of
Spain and the archduke (fays he) having previoufly ifTued like orders on
their part with refpeft to our dominions.
King Charles granted frefh letters of reprifal in behalf of fuch of his
fubjeds as have had their fhips and merchandize taken by the French :
no redrefs having been obtained, though often demanded ; and the like
reprifals were again granted on the 20th of April following. \Ftxdera,
V. xviii, pp. 861, 887]
King Charles appointed Sir Peter Wyche to be his ambaflador to the
g-rand fignior Sultan Moratt, with the cuflomary powers of appoint-
ing confuls in the feveral ports of Turkey, &c. \Fadera, V. xviii,
f. 862.]
To what we have this year exhibited from the Fcedera concerning
King Charles's quarrel %yith his brother-in-law King Louis XIII, we fhall
here add, that Louis's not only detaining the feven Englifh fliips lent
to him, but alfo employing them againfl his proteflant fubjecls, raifed
a great clamour in England : thereupon King Charles feized on feveral
French fliips in Enpjifh ports ; and Louis, on the other fide, feized on
no fewer than i 20 Englifh fhips in his ports. King Charles alfo now
fent home all his queen's French fervants ; and, in fine, publifhed a de-
A. D. 1627, 242
claration of war againft France, wherein he accufed Louis of breach of
articles with his proteftant fubjeds, and of blocking up their towns and
ports ; for whofe relief at Rochelle he, this fame year, had fent out the
Earl of Denbigh with thirty fhips of war ; but, being too late in the
year, he was driven back by ftormy weather.
We have before noted, that King Charles was fo ill advifed, as, for
his private gain, to raife the nominal value of his coin above its intrinfic
Value, by coining the pound weight of filver into L3 : 10 : 6 by tale,
whereby he was to gain 8/5 on every pound weight of filver. His privy-
council, however, were fomewhat doubtful of the prudence of this
meafure : whereupon the famous Sir Robert Cotton, being excellently
well /killed in fuch matters, and the precedents of former reigns, V7as
ordered to lay his opinion before the board ; which was greatly to his
reputation. For, in a fet fpeech at that board, (afterward printed with
his other pofthumous pieces in 1651) he moft judicioufly difplayed the
great difcredit as well as real lofs which would thereby redound to the
king himfelf, as well as to the whole realm. He Ihewed, that the Ro-
man empire kept up the purity of the flandard of the coin until the
loofe times of Commodus, when excefs of expenfe introduced neceflity,
and that brought on an alteration of the flandard : and that the majefty
of that empire gradually declined with the gradual alteration of their
coin. So that there is no furer lymptom of a confumption in any ftate
than the corruption of their money.
Coming, in the next place, to fpeak of our own princes, he fliews
the difreputation which fell on King Henry VI, by not only abating the
quantity of bullion in his coins, (though ftill preierving the nominal
value) but likewife debafing them, by directing the pradlice of alchymy
(as they term it) in his mint ! That King Henry VIII fell into the lame
bad meafures. And that his daughter Qiieen Elizabeth was mod wifely
advifed by her treafurer Burleigh, and by Sir Thomas Smith, that it
would be for the honour of the crown and the true wealth of herfelf
and people, to bring back the flandard of the coins to the antient parity
and purity of her great-grandfather King Edward IV. Next, he judi-
cioufly fhews, that as coin or money was deviled as a rate and meafure
of merchandize and manufadure, if that meafure be rendered mutable,
no man can tell what he hath or what he oweth ; and no contrad can
be certain. That princes are guarantees to their people for the juflnefs
of their coin, and muft not fufter their faces to warrant falfehood.
That this propofal now on the anvil would take away the tenth part of
every man's due debt in rent. That, by coining the fnilling with k-fs
filver in it than before, a proportionably lefs quantity of any goods or
merchandize will be fold for it. That the Netherlanders will, with our
prefent good coins, recoin with the king's flamp, and import on us the
newly enhanced coin. That if men (liall receive in the propofed no-
V
344 ^' ^' 1627.
minal fliillings and pounds a lefs proportion of filver and gold than they
did before this projeded alteration, and, at the fame time, pay for what
they buy at a rate enhanced, it mufl caft npon all a double lofs. What
the king will fuffer by it in the rents of his lands is demonftrated by
the alterations fnice the 1 8 th year of King Edward III, (anno 1344)
when all the revenue came into the receipt, pondere et numero, at the
rate of five groats per ounce ; which, fince that time, by the feveral
changes of the fiandard, is come to five fhillings, whereby the king hath
lofl two thirds of his revenue ; and the like in his cufloms and other re-
ceipts. And, as the king will lofe a fourteenth part in all the filver,
and a twenty-fifth part in all the gold he fhall receive, fo likewife will
the nobility and gentry in all their former fettled rents, annuities, pen-
fions, and loans. The like alfo will fall upon the labourers and work-
men in their ftatute wages : and as their receipts will hereby be leflened,
fo their ifllies will be increafed by raifing the prices of all things. It
will lay the lofs upon ourfelves and the profit on our enemies : fince all
our prefent good money will hereby be exported for bullion, our own
goldfmiths beipg their brokers. This enfeebling of the coin is but a
fliort-lived fliift, like drink to one in a dropfy, to make him fwell the
more. But the ftate was never thoroughly cured, as we favv b;y King
Henry the Vlllth's time, and the late queen's, until the coin was made
lip again. This mofi: judicious and feafonable remonfi;rance was fo well
approved of, that the projed was entirely fet afide. We fhall, never-
thelefs, feventy years later than this time, fee fo pernicious a propofal
again ftarted to King William's minifters ; and had it not been for the
remonfirance of another gi-eat man, the famous John Locke, (who pof-
fibly was indebted for the fame jufi; notions to this fpeech of Sir Robert
Cotton's) feemed in a fair way to be accepted of.
In this fecond year, therefor, of King Charles T, a pound weight of gold,
of the old ftandard of 23 carats 3-^ grains, fine, and half a grain allay,
was coined into L44 : i o by tale, viz. into rofe-rials of thirty fliillings,
fpur-rials of fifteen fliillings, and angels of ten fliillings: and a pound
weight of another ftandard, viz. of 22 carats fine, and 2 carats allay,
(called crown gold) into L41 by tale, viz. into units of twenty fliillings,
double crowns, ten fliillings, and Britifli crowns, five fliillings. And a
pcuiid weight of filver, of the old ftandard of 1 1 ounces, 2 pennyweight,
fine, into 62 fliillings, by tale ; namely, into crowns, half crowns, fl:;il-
lings, fixpences, twopences, pence, and halfpence.
We find the following catalogue of exclufive patents for new projecls
in this year, all for fourteen years.
I) ' A patent to Lord D'Acre, and two others, for the fole making
* of fteel, according to the invention of Thomas Letfome, one of the
' faid patentees.'
3
A. D. 1627. 345
II) ' To Sii- John Hacket and Odavius de Strada, tor rendering fea-
' coal and pit-coal as ufeful as charcoal, for burning in houfes, without
' offence by the fmell or fnioke, according to their invention.'
III) ' To Thomas Roufe and Abraham CuUyn, for the fole making
' of ftone pots, jugs, and bottles, according to their new invention.'
Alfo IV and V) ' One for draining water out of mines, &c. and an-
' other for making guns, great and fmall.' [Fcedera, V. xviii, p. 870.]
About this time, (according to the ingenious author * of Carib-
beana, 2 V. 4to, 1741) the fugar trade of England had its rife in the
firll fettlement of the ifland of Barbados f , the mother oF all the fugar
colonies. Yet, till feveral years after this time, the Portuguefe fupplied
moft parts of Europe with Brazil fugars.
At this time, according to a French pamphlet on the Eaft-India trade,
Guftavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, iflued his letters-patent, inviting
his people to form a Swedifli Eaft-India company : but the war in Ger-
many and that great king's death a few years after prevented the ac-
complifliment of that defign.
The following proclamation from King Charles I will partly fhew the
nature of the London goldfmiths bufinefs, and the flate of the Englifh
filver and gold coins at the time.
' Whereas the exchange of all manner of gold and iilver, current in
monies, or otherwife, as the buying, felling, and exchanging of all man-
ner of bullion in fpecies of foreign coins, billets, ingots, &c. fine, re-
fined, or allayed, howfoever, being fit for our mint, hath ever been,
and ought to be, our fole right, as part of our prerogative royal, and
antient revenue; wherein none of our fubjeds, of what trade or qua-
lity foever, ought at all, without our fpecial licence, to intermeddle,
the fame being prohibited by divers ads of parliament and proclama-
tions, both antient and modern : and whereas ourfelf and divers of
our royal predecefibrs have for fome time pafl tolerated a promifcu-
ous kind of liberty to all, but efpecially to fome of the myftery and
trade of goldfmiths in London and elfewhere, not only to make the
faid exchang.es, but to buy and fell all manner of bullion : and from
thence fome of them have grown to that licentioufiiefs, that they have
for divers years prefumed, for their private gain, to fort and weigh all
forts of money current within our realm, to the end to cull out the old
and new monies, which, either by not wearing, or by any other acci-
dent, are weightier than the reft ; which weighteft monies have not only
been molten down for the making of plate, &c. but even traded in and
fold to merchant ftrangers, &c. who have exported the fame ; whereby
* Late attorney general of Barbados. g>^n> the author of the Hiftoiy of Biirhados, has
f Others, as we have ah-eady feen, dated the iirft left a blank for the dale of the difco\-ery of the
.'ettlement of Barbados twelve years earlier. Li- ifland by Sir William Courten.
Vol. IL X x
346
A. D. 1627.
the confumption of our coins has been greatly occafioned, as alfo the
railing of the lilver even of our own monies to a rate above what they
are truly current for ; by reafon whereof no lilver can be brought to our
mint, but to the lofs of the bringers, &c. For the reforming of all
which abufes, we have, by the advice of our privy-council, determined
to relume our faid right, for our own profit and the good of the realm :
and for this end we do now appoint Henry earl of Holland and his
deputies to have the office of our changes, exchanges, and out-changes
whatfoever, in England, Wales, and Ireland. And we do hereby
flridly charge and command that no goldfmith nor other perfon what-
foever, other than the laid earl of Holland, do prefume to change, &c.
(as above) and as the following articles do more fully diredl in fub^
fiance, viz.
' I and II) ' None (without our fpecial licence) {hall tranfport to fo-
reign parts any gold or filver, in coin, plate, or bullion, as by ftatute,
9 Edw. HI, and 2 Hen. IV.
III) ' None (liall prefume to melt down the current coins of our king-
doms, nor to cull and fort from the reft any of the weightier mo-
nies.
IV) ' None but our faid changer, and his deputies, fhall receive or take,
by way of payment, or exchange, diredlly or indirectly, for any fpecies
of foreign coin, or other gold or filver, more than the rates which now
are or hereafter may be given or allowed for the fame at our mint or
exchange.
V) ' To prevent the frauds of goldfmiths againft the fl:atute of the
1 8th of Queen Elizabeth, every goldfmith, on the fale of any plate,
fliall deliver a ticket, with his name or mark, to the buyer, exprefling
the day of fale, the weight of fuch plate, and the value or rate of the
gold or filver apart, and alfo the value and rate of the fafhion apart,
by which may appear at what rate the one or the other was valued,'
&c.
VI) ' In every piece of gold current for 30/", 20/) 15/, lof, 5/, and
' 2/6, the abatement fliall not exceed four grains and an half for 30/
' pieces, three grains, two grains and a half, two grains, one grain, and
' half a grain, for the other refpedlive pieces; v/hich feveral gold coins
' wanting no more fliall pafs current, as if of fuil weight and value : but
' if they want refpedively more in weight than the faid feveral refpeft-
' ive abatements, then they fliall not be current ; but fhall be brought
' to our exchanges or mint, to be melted down and made into new
' coin.
VII) ' No falle or deceitful ftuff or manufacture of gold or filver,
* lefs in finenefs than our money of gold or filver, fhall be made, fold,
' or imported. Yet this order fhall not reftrain any fubjed: from im-
' porting of bullion from beyond fea, to be carried to our mint to be
A. D. 1627. ■547
* coined. Goldfmiths, however, may continue, agreeable to the fran-
' chifes, &c. granted to them by charters from us and our predecefTors,
' to buy any gold or filver in plate or other manufacture, as heretofore, fo
' as the fame may be bought or exchanged only to make plate or other
' manufacture ; and they do not give a higher rate for the fame than
' the rate of our mint ; and that, under colour thereof, they do not buy,
* exchange, or intermeddle with any foreign fpecics of money or other
' bullion, either foreign or of our own produce ; all which ought to be
* carried to, and coined at, our mint.' {^Fcedera, V. xviii, ^, 896.]
In the fame year King Charles directed a fpecial commiflion of lords
and gentlemen, ' for ^\y^ fhips of war to be fitted out, viz. three of 300
' tons each, and three of 200 tons burden, for the guard of the northern
' fea coafls of England from foreign enemies, whereby trade was much
' interrupted, and the city of London and other parts of the kingdom
' much damaged for want of coals and other commodities, ufually tran-
' fported from Newcaflle upon Tine and Sunderland, both to London
' and parts adjacent, and to mofl other parts of our dommions. And,
' for bearing the expenfe of this armament, the king (befide the for-
' feitures of recufants convidt) hereby appropriates a voluntary offer
' made by the owners of coal-pits and the fellers of coals, to be carried
* from thofe two towns, either by fea or land, of lixpence on every chal-
* der of coals.'
Here we may obferve, ifl, what a poor armament this was for the
king to appoint a fpecial commiflion of lords and gentlemen to get it
ready ; 2dly, there is no other place therein named but Newcaftle and
Sunderland for the coal-trade ; 3dly, that this new town of Sundei-land
was by this time grown up to be fom.ewhat, although in Camden's Bri-
tannia, written but twenty years before, it was not deemed worthy of a
bare mention ; 4thly, that by this time the coal-trade from thofe parts
to London and other fouthern parts was become very confiderable ;
iaftly, that though the king had many good fhips of his own (for thofe
times) yet they were all laid up at Chatham and Portfmouth ; he having
no funds for employing them againfl: his foreign enemies, who were
probably privateers from the Spanifh Netherlands.
Notwithflanding the patent of the preceding year for the new wav of
making faltpetre from urine, for which an office had been ereded in
Southwark ; and notwirhllanding King Charles's declaration that the
former way of keeping floors digged up, &c. was lb troublefome to his
fubjecls, yet fo unftable was he, that we find him now renewing his for-
mer orders and diredions of the year 1625 for keeping the floors of
dove-houfes, ftables, &c. free from fand, gravel, &c. for the growth of
the mine or material of filtpetrc, as before. And he gives a commif-
Jion to the duke of Buckingham, &c. that, by reafon of the extraordi-
nary need there then was of faltpetre for gunpowder, they caufe enter,
XX2
348 ; A. D. 1627,
break open, and work for faltpetre, as well within houfes, lands, &c. ot
us, as of our fubjeds •, and to ufe all fuch ground, earth, walls, and wa-
ter, as {hall be requifite for that purpofe. And alfo to take carriages
and carts for the fame, at the price of fourpence per mile per cart ; the
empty vefTel to be recarried gratis, as formerly. Alfo to take fea-coal
and wood-aflies, at reafonable prices ; as alfo work-houfes, barns, yards,
8cc. for working the mine of faltpetre at reafonable rates, &c. [Fa^dera^
V. \\n\,pp. 915, 918.]
The king iffued a new proclamation concerning tobacco, much in
the llile of his own and his father's former ones, and for the fole mono-
poly thereof.
I) He enjoins the plucking up of all tobacco growing- in England and
Ireland, and ftridly forbids the planting any more.
II) None fhall hereafter import any Spanilh or other foreign tobacco
without the king's fpecial commiflion.
III) And becaufe fuch foreign tobacco fhould not be uttered under pre-
tence of being the tobacco of Virginia and the Somer ifles, and other
Englifli colonies ; and that the planters in his faid colonies may not give
themfelves over to the planting of tobacco only, and negled; to apply
themfelves to folid commodities fit for the eftabliihing of colonies (which
will utterly deftroy thefe and all other plantations) ; from henceforth
no tobacco, even of our own colonies, fhall be imported, without our
own fpecial licence : and what fhall be fo imported fhall be delivered to
our ufe, upon fuch reafonable price as fhall be agreed on.
IV) No perlbn fliall henceforth buy any tobacco here, but from our
commiihoners : which tobacco fhall be fealed or flamped ; and when
fold again, a note fhall be made, exprefhng the time when bought, and
the quantity and quality thereof. [F^de/a, V. xviii, p. 920.J
King Charles iffued the following declaration, viz.
' Whereas the kingdom of Ireland, by reafon of the peace and plenty
' it hath of late enjoyed, is fo flored with profitable commodities and
' merchandizes, that they have not only enough for their own ufe, but
' alfo for exportation :
' And whereas the faid Irifh exported commodities are fuch as are
' ufually or moftly carried to countries not in league or friendihip
' with us, (meaning Spain and Portugal) for the increafe therefor of
' our revenue we have thought tit to raife a higher and greater im-
* pofition or increafe of fubfidy on the goods therein fpecified ; whereby
' our faid enemies, or thofe not in lta<!,ue with us, who fland in need of
' thofe commodities^, muft pay higher rates for the fame than hereto-
' fore.
' The commodities herein fpecified were pilchards, herrings, falmon,
' butter, faked flefh of nil kinds, fheep and calves Ikins, ox hides, tallow
' candles, iron, wool, yarn, rtiggs, blankets, wax, goat and deer fkms,
A. D. 1627. ^49
' live bulls, oxen, cows, horfes, pipe-ftaves, corn and pulle of all kinds :
' but the additional duties thereon fhall not take place for any import-
' ations into England. No pipe-ftaves, or wool, or fheep-fkins with the
' wool, (hall be exported from Ireland without a fpecial licence : and
' merchants-llrangers fliall pay one fourth part more than natives at
' fiich exportations.' [Fo'/kra, V. xviii, p. 932.]
The king again ifliied the ufual proclamations enjoining the nobility
and gentry to withdraw to their country feats for the keeping of hofpi-
tality, and againft eating flefh in lent and on other fifli days ; for the
feemingly idle reafons already fo often afligned. \^F<^dera, V. xviii, pp..
950,961.]
The king renewed his commifllon for the better execution of his for-
mer proclamation touching the ofBce of his changer and re-changer of
gold and filver, and for reftraining goldfmiths from culling and melting
down of the coin. \Fcedera, V. xviii, p. 970.]
In a long lift of dignities and offices created in this year, there is one
' for the fole making and regiftering of all manner of alTurances, inti-
' mations, and renunciations, made upon any fhip or fhips, goods, or
' merchandize, in the royal exchange, or other places within the city of
* London, for thirty-one years.' \Fcedera, V. xviii,/). 987.]
Other projedled monopolies of this year for the term of fourteen years,
were,
1) ' A charter to three perfons for the fole pradice of their new in-
' vention for melting iron ore, and making the fame into caft works and
' bars, with fea-coal and pit-coal only.
* II) ' A device for plowing of land without either horfes or oxen.
' III) * For the fole ufe of a new-invented engine to make all kinds
' of mills to grind and perform their wonted labour without the help
' either of horfes, wind, or water, under the yearly rent of Lioo to the:
* exchequer.'
In the fame year King Charles is faid to have made a grant to James
Hay earl of Carlifle of the tine ifland of Barbados, and alfo of all the
other Englifh Caribbee iflands. Yet the earl of Clarendon, in one of his
trads, teltifies that James Ley, earl of Marlborough and lord treafurer,
had a prior grant thereof in this fame year, and that he afterwards in
1629, (as fhall be ftievv-n from the Foedera) confented to have thofe
iflands granted to the earl of Carlifle, upon payment of L300 per annum:
although the planters themfelves then infilled on the king's taking them
under his own immediate protedion, and on the revocation of the char-
ter to Lord Carlifle ; and with good reafon, as they alone had been at
the expenfe of planting the fame. Sir William Courten, who firft planted
Barbados in the reign of King James I, is faid by his fon to have been
three years in quiet pofTeffion of it, and to have expended L3c,ooo in
forts, buildings, and plantations there. How he came now to lofe ir.
350 A. D. 1627.
or wherher he fold it in parcels to the planters, or if his right was dif-
putable, does not clearly appear. In a printed account of his great
lolTes fuftained in his trade to the Eaft-Indies, his fon pofitively affirms
that his father firfl difcovered, planted, and fortified, the ifland of Bar-
bados, and afterward had a grant of it from King Charles I, in the third
year of his reign, by a patent ; and that the earl of Carlifle, in virtue
of his grant the following year, intruded, and took forcible poffellion
thereof; for which injury Sir William's reprefentatives never had any
compenfation. Thefe Weft-India iflands, before they fell into the
planting of fugar canes, were in thofe early times thought of very
little worth, otherwife the grant above-named would not have been fo
readily made. The planters, however, went on in improving them
during all the civil war and the ufurpation ; but at the reftoration of
King Charles II it was determined by the king and council that out of
the revenue of Barbados, then greatly improved, the L300 per annum
fhould be allowed to the earl of Marlborough for his life ; and that, once
for all, Li 000 fhould be paid to the earl of Kinnoul, who claimed under
the earl of Carlifle's grant, fo as he furrendered Lord Carlifle's charter :
and thus Barbados and all the other Caribbee ifles (Barbuda excepted *)
thenceforward came under the immediate government of the crown, as
they have ever fince remained.
This year a iblemn agreement was executed between the Englifh and
French planters for dividing the ifland- of St. Chriftcphers between
them, and proper boundaries were fixed, which (fays our French author)
remain to this day (viz. anno 1658): but there was a fpecial provifo
that filhing, hunting, the fait ponds, the moft pretious kind of wood for
dyers and joiners work, and the havens and mines, ihould all be com-
mon to both nations : they alfo made a mutual covenant for their de-
fence againft the common enemy (meaning Spain.) The fame author
adds, that a company in London fupplied the Englifli there with every
;thing very well ; and that the Englifli, being better acquainted with
the fea and with colonizing, improved their moiety of the ifland much
better and quicker than the French did theirs: fo that the Englifli were
enabled in the following year, 1628, to go over to the ifle of Nevis, and
to plant thereon ; it being but about half a league diftant.
The two nations lived well enough together till the revolution in
England in 1689, when the French, by furprife, and before war was
declared in Europe, fell upon the Englifli, at the infligation of the Irifli
papifts fettled with them, and maftered them, obliging them to retire to
Nevis. And the year following the Englifli, headed by Colonel Cod-
drington, ferved the French in the fame manner : yet they were reftor-
,ed by tlie peace of Ryfwick. On the breaking out of the war in 1702^
* See below in the year 1628.
A, D. 1627. 351
Colonel Coddrington again difpofTefTed the French ; and by the peace
of Utrecht we have it entire. It is a noble and fruitful ifle, making
10,000 hogfheads of fugar yearly, and has plenty of other excellent pro-
ductions, as cotton, ginger, &c. and is well watered.
The ifland of Dominica,^ lying between Martinico and Guadaloupe,
has been claimed both by England and France ; and for that reafon has
never yet been planted by either nation ; and has ftill many Carib na-
tives on it, who were much increafed by the Caribs retiring to it, who
had been driven out of the other neighbouring iflands by the Europeans.
This ifland is ftill included in the commiflion of the governor of Bar-
bados, though the French would not permit our fettling it. The Ca-
ri^"' natives were faid to favour the French more than the Englilh, and
to fell their poultry, hogs, &c. to thofe of Martinico : yet we, as well as
other European nations, did fometimes wood and water on it, although
it has neither ports nor good bays for {heker.
Defeada is partly planted by the French ; though the time when is
not well known : and it is generally faid to be of very fmall import-
ance.
1628. — At this time the Hollanders did infinite damage to the Spa-
niards in the Weft-Indies, by taking their plate fleet, and plundering
the coafts of the ifland of Cuba. It would be almoft endlefs to enume-
rate the damages they at different times did to Spain, till the year 1648,
when the peace of Munfter put a perid to all their differences.
We may in a great meafure underftand the true ftate of the Englifli
Eaft-India company's affairs at this time from their petition and remon-
ftrance to the houfe of commons, printed in the year 1628; being in
fubftance, that the company having exifted twenty-eight years, by char-
ters from Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles, they traded
with great fuccefs to India, until fundry ill accidents from ftorms and
enemies, but more elpecially from profefTed friends and allies, (meaning
the Dutch company) have infinitely damaged ir. Which misfortunes,
together with our annual exportation of foreign coin to India, having
begot fuch caufelefs complaints as thereby have much difcouraged the
adventurers from any longer trading under the general cenfure of all
ranks in the nation. They therefor humbly pray that honourable houfe
to take the under-mentioned articles or queries into their confidera-
tion : and if upon their examination the faid trade fliall be found to be
unprofitable to the kingdom, that it may be fupprefl^d ; but if other-
wife, they pray that it may be fupported and countenanced by forne
public declaration, for the fatisfadion of all his majefty's fubjeds, and
the better encouragement of the prefent adventurers.
Article •) The company's trade much increafeth the ftrength of Eng-
land with mariners, warlike ftiipping, ammunition, and all ufeful ar-
tificers relating thereto; as alio the general traffic of England, not only
;^^2 A. D. 1628.
by its own trade to India, but by its large magazine of many rich In-
dian wares to be exported to foreign countries, as Turkey, Italy, the
Eaft country, &c — Here they expatiate on their former benefits to the
public, when fome few years before they employed 15,000 tons of fhip-
ping all at one time, either going to, coming from, or trading in, India,
from port to port : and that at prefent they employ 10,000 tons and 2500
mariners : that laft year they imported pepper to the value of L2o8,ooo
fterling, whereof the value of Li 80,000 was re-exported to foreign parts
in a few weeks, and much the like of indigo, calicoes, and divers other
rich wares ; by which re-exportations they employ 2000 inore tons of
fhipping and 500 mariners: that at leaft loco perfons are fupported
by the building and repair of their fliips, the making their artillery,
naval ftores, provifions, &c. befide the tonnage employed by the com-
pany to fetch timber and pipe-ftaves out of Ireland *, and hemp out of
Eaftland ; and for importing wines, elephants teeth, wrought filks, co-
ral, quicklilver, &c. to furnifh out thofe voyages : that the great ma-
gazines of naval ftores and ammunition, which the company has always
ready, are often helpful to others, as being no where elfe to be had for
money at home ; and they at this time make 30 barrels of gunpowder
weekly, at their own powder-mills, of the faltpetre they import from
India.
II) It increafes the general wealth of the nation ; it faves much money
yearly to our nation in the expenfe of Indian wares, by fupplying them
fo much cheaper than they could have them from other European na-
tions ; it increafes very confiderably the king's cuftoms ; improves the
price of land, and of wool, tin, lead, iron, &c. : wherefor, though in the
company's late unfortunate years they have themfelves been lofers, yet
the crown and nation have all the while been gainers by this trade.
That the vent of our cloth, lead, tin, &c. in India continually increafes.
That it is by reafon of the company's having for three years paft been
expelled the fpice iflands by the Dutch that thofe fpices are twice as
dear as when the company imported them from India. That the raif-
ing the price of lands being of the greatefi: confequence to gentlemen,
this can only be done by our exporting more in value of our own na-
tive commodities than we import to thofe of other nations, the balance
whereof will come to us in treafure; and an increafe of treafure will
ever enhance the price of lands. And that the treafure fo received by
the balance of our foreign commerce is the only money which can re-
main permanently with us, and by which we are enriched. That this
increafe of money will alfo naturally increafe the price of wool, tin,
lead, &c. which alfo will contribute to increafe the price of lands, as
does alfo the increafe of the merchants riches gotten by traffic. That it
I
'* Iielaud, then capable of fupplying fliip timber, is now quite deftitute of it.
A. D. 1628.
^53
well merits confideration that there are three different fpecies of profit
in foreign commerce : ift, the merchant may be a lofer when the na-
tion may be a gainer by this traffic : for inftance, the company Ihall
fend out goods or money to the value of Lico,ooo and bring home
L300,ooo value in return ; yet though this return trebles the public
ftock, the company may neverthelefs be lofers, if the goods in return be
fo bulky as to occafion fo much freight of fhipping, infurance, cufloms,
and other charges, as amount to L200,ooo, which added to the princi-
pal of Li 00,000 will make the company lofers, although the nation may
be gainers by the additional L2CO,ooo ; 2dly, the merchant may be a
gainer by a lofing trade to the nation, if our imports exceed our exports
in the general balance ; and laflly, the king may be a gainer in his
cuftoms, when both the merchant and the nation may be lofers by feme
trades.
III) The next two articles, viz. the company being a means to weaken
the king of Spain and his fubjeds, and to exhaull: their treafure ; and their
counterpoinng the fwelling greatnefs of the Dutch, and keeping them
from being abfolute lords of the feas, if they could drive us out of this rich
traffic, as they have long endeavoured to do, both by policy and force,
were confiderations fuitable to that age alone, and therefor not nov/ to
be regarded.
IV) To the common objedion that the Eaft-India trade exhaufls our
treafure (which objection was made fo early in Spain as the reign of the
emperor Charles V) the company replies that this trade is fo far from
doing it, that, with refpeft to their carrying it on, it is the beft means
to increafe the treafure of this kingdom : for they receive a greater
balance in ca(h by the vafl; quantity of Eaft-India merchandize re-ex-
ported to other countries than the fums fent out to India; befide em-
ploying mucli ihipping and many iailors therein, &c.: all which the
company fubmirted to that honourable houfe. But the fudden diflblu-
tion of the parliament prevented their taking this remonflrance into
their confideration ; and the company contmued to carry on their trade
to India, though with various fucceis.
This piece being one of the moft authentic and judicious vindica-
tions of our Eafl-lndia trade, we have made the larger extract from it,
as it may hereafter fave the trouble of exhibiting the fame fort of an-
Iwers to future objections concerning it. It Vvas fo well efleemed as to
be afterward reprinted in the year 1641 : yet we muft here in point of
juftice remark, that in that whole piece there is not the leaft mention of
the company's being a monopoly, although that vvas then one of the
objedions againfl: it. The company's filence on that tender point was
probably the effed of their great prudence, as not being able in that cri-
tical time to fansfy the houfe of commons concerning what they were
then loudly complaining of in general, both within :uid without doors.
Vol. II.' " ^ Y y
354
A. D. 1628.
Notwithftanding the fomer difappointments in the planting in, or
trading to, Guiana, it was now again attempted by a company ; and a
patent was granted to Captain North, &c. who had been with Sir Wal-
ter Raleigh in the lafl: unfortunate adventure thither. They even went
fo far as to make a fettlement on the river of Amazons, and began to
ere6l buildings, fortifications, &c. But this came afterwards to nothing,
though not immediately : for in Sir William Monfon's Naval trads,
publifhed in the year 1635, he reports ' that there was then adually an
' Englifli colony in Guiana, which yielded the beft tobacco ; and that
* the natives were the mofl tradable of any of our fettlements.' How
this came to be dropped, we apprehend, does nowhere appear ; unlefs
poflibly this author meant the colony of Surinam, which was firfl; fet-
tled by England fomewhat near this time.
King Charles iffued a proclamation againfl carrying provifions or am-
munition to France, Louis XIII having, in the preceding year, publifh-
ed two feveral edids, ' full of acrimony,' againft fupp lying England
with the fame. {^Fa^dera, V. xix, p. i .]
King Charles having in the preceding year mifcarried in his expedi-
tion againfl: the ifle of Rhee, fent out this year a fleet under the earl of
Lindfay for the relief of Rochelle (then cloiely belieged by Louis XIII,
Cardinal Richlieu being at that fiege in perfon). Our king this year
concluded a treaty with the Rochellers, wherein he promifed never to
abandon them, nor to make peace with their king without compre-
hending them therein*. {General colkR'ion of treaties, V. ii, p. 259, ed.
1732.] Yet that fleet was obliged to return home without being able
to effed it. King Charles in the fame year fent out another fleet for its
relief under the earl of Danby, which alfo returned unfuccefsful, the
boom placed before the entrance into its harbour being too ftrong to be
forced. Whereupon the poor Rochellers were forced to furrender to
the French king, to the unfpeakable lofs of the French proteftant church,
as well as of England, which, by fupportiiig Rochelle and other French
proteftants in general, might not only have been much better able to
bridle the growing power of the French monarchy, but likewile to keep
the balance of trade with that kingdom much more in our favour : for
after the furrender of Rochelle and demolifliing the fortifications, firft
* King Charles's firft letter to the mayor, (he- ' been mi;ch troubled to hear that my fleet was
nffs, peers, and burgeffes of Rochelle, was of the ' upon the point of returning home without obey-
igtii of May, 1628. ' Gentlemen, be not difcou- ' iHg my orders in fupplying you with provifions :
* raged though my fleet be retained ; hold out to ' coll what it will, I have commanded them to rc-
' the laft, for I am refolved my whole fleet fhall ' turn to your road, and not to come away till you
* peritb rather than you be not relieved. For this ♦ are fupplied. Alfure yourfelvcs that I lliall ne-
* effedl I have ordered it to return back to your ' ver abandon you ; and that I fhall employ the
' coafts, and am fending feveral fhips to reinforce ' whole power of my kingdom for your delivei-
* it : with the help of God the fuccefs ftiall be ' ance, until God affill me to obtain for you an
* happy for you.' His fecund letter to them was « alFured peace. — Your good friend
of the 27th of May, O. S. ' Geutlemen, I have 'Charles Rex.'
A. D. 1628.
S55
of Montauban, and afterwards of Nifmes and Montpelier, tlie proteftants
were never able to uiake head againlt the catholics. PutVendorf relaies
that feme have thought thofe civil wars had, firfl: and lafl, devoured
above 1,000,000 of people, deflroyed 9 cities. 400 villages, 20,000
churches, and 2000 nionafteries ; and that 100,0^.^0 houfes were either
burnt or demolifhed thereby.
In this year the Dutch Weft-India company are faid to have divided
fifty per cent to their proprietors, chiefly by means of the capture of
the Spaniih plate fleet, as already mentioned, valued by fome at twelve
millions of guilders. They alfo got much treafure by driving a Spanifli
fquadron of fliips on fliore on the coaft of Peru, and plundering them.
By fuch prodigious lofl^es on the fide of Spain it was as impofllble for
that monarchy not to decline very much as for the Dutch republic not
to increafe greatly in wealth and power.
King Charles again appointed commiflioners to treat with the piratical
ports of Barbary for the redemption of Englifti captives there, and for
eftablifliing peace and commerce with them ; for which end he fent
them 6 iron cannon and 700 camion bullets as a prefent.
So great was the power and wealth of the city of Dantzick at this
time, being now in her meridian glory, that the great king Guftavus
Adolphus of Sweden being now at war with Poland, and fending a fqua-
dron of eight ftiips of war to block up the port of that city, the Dant-
zickers fent out ten fliips of war againft the Swedifli fleet, which they
vanquiflied ; having killed the Swedifti adimral, taken the admiral fliip,
and obliged the reft to fly. This is by Puffendorf 's own confeflion in
his Hiftory of Sweden. {Enghyb tranjlation, p. 506.]
Sir David Kirk and his aflbciates, during a war between England and
France, now poflefled themfelves of Canada (which then confifted only
of the country on the north fide of the great river St. Lavirence) toge-
ther with the caftle of Quebec ; of which Sir David's fon was appointed
governor : and in the fame year they conquered Nova-Scotia, which Sir
William Alexander again poflefled ; when the French agreed to recog-
nize our king's property of all Nova-Scotia : and it is faid they agreed
to pay Sir David Kirk L50,ooo for quitiing the forts which he had pof-
fefled himfelf of in Canada ; which fum however was never paid.
This year the Englifli, under Sir Thomas Warner, from St. Chifto-
phers, again planted the neighbouring fmall ifland ot Nevis (formerly
called Mevis) being about eighteen miles in circuit. It has plenty of
frefli water fprings, and has now fcarcely any other ftaple produce but
fugar and melafles, though it formerly yielded tobacco, ginger, and cot-
ton. It is faid they have at this time about 3000 whites and 8000 ne-
gro flav.es. From this ifland St. Chriftophers, Euftatia, Saba, Antigua,
Montferrat, St. Bartholcrhew, and Guadaloupe, may be plainly feen ia
a clear day.
Yy2
35'
A. D. 1628.
The ifle of Barbuda was alfo fettled on by the Englifti, conduc-
ed from St. Chriflophers by Sir Thomas Warner, &c. At firfl they
were fo harafled by the the Caribs from Dominica as to be obliged to
defert it : yet the Carib natives being afterward greatly diminiflied, the
Englifh again planted on it. It is about fifteen miles in length, and is
:he only proprietary government of all the Englifh Caribbee ifles, its go-
vernor being in the nomination of the heirs of Chriftopher Coddring-
ton, Efq. who was governor of Barbados in the reign of Queen Anne,
and who fettled this ifle and a good eflate in Barbados for the fupport of
his college in the lafl named ifle, for the inflruftion of negro children.
The breeding of cattle for the other EngUfli ifles is the principal em-
ployment of the inhabitants ; and they alfo raife plenty of corn and
other provifions for the ufe of thofe iflands, but no fugar.
It was about this time that the Dutch Eaft-India company's fhips dif-
covered the fouthern continent, firfl: named Carpentaria, from its dif-
coverer, and afterwards New Holland, lying to the fouth of the ifland
of Java; other parts of this country had the names of their difcoverers
given them, viz. De Witt's land and Nuyt's land. Neverthelefs, after fo
many years difcovery, neither the Dutch nor any other nation have as
yet made any kind of advantage or improvement from it ; nor has any
fettlement been hitherto made on that country in all this time. An-
other generation may poflibly difcover whether it be only a huge ifland,
feparated from the continent next the fouth pole, and may poflibly
make fettlements thereon. Some pretend that there is fome myftery in
the Dutch company's not making a fettlement on this terra aujlralis or
fouth pole lands ; the mofl: probable account of this matter feems to be
no more than that the Dutch Company have already as much territory
as they can well manage ; and that thofe new lands are thought fo very
barren that it is not likely they would anfwer the charge and trouble
of forming colonies thereon *.
We have feen that King Charles revived the office of the king's ex-
changer of gold and filver, which had been long in difufe ; and a pamph-
let was this jear publiflied by his authority, intitled, ' Ccnnbium regis^
' or the office of his majefty's exchange royal; declaring and juftifying
' his majefty's right thereto, and the conveniency thereof;' wherein it
was fhown, that the prerogative of exchange of bullion for coin has
always been a flower of the crown, of which inftances are quoted from
the time of King Henry I downward : that King John farmed out that
office for no fmaller a fum than 5000 marks: that the place or office
where the exchange was made in his reign, was near St. Paul's cathedral
in London, and gave name to the flreet flill called the Old change ; that,
* It t8 fcarcely neceffary to inform the reader that the country here mentioned U that on wliich the
Britilh government has fettled a colony of convifts. M.
A. D. 1628. ^^7-
in fuccceding reigns, there were feveral other places for ihefe exchange
befides London : that this method continued till the time of King Henry
VIII, who fuflfered his coin to be fo far debafed that no regular ex-
changes could be made : that that confufion made way for the London
goldfmiths to leave off their proper trade of goldfmithrie, and to turn
exchangers of plate and foreign coins for Englifh coins; thoigh they
had no right to buy any gold or filver for any other purpofe than for
their manufacture; neither had any other perfon, but thofe fubftitured.
by the crown, a right to buy the fame. The king, therefor, has now
refumed this office, not merely to keep up his right fo to do, but like-
wife to prevent thofe trafficking goldfmiths from culling and forting all
the heavy coin, and felling the fame to the mint of Holland, which
gained greatly thereby, or melting thofe heavy coins down for making
of plate ; witnefs the pieces of 134-^, old fhillings of Queen Elizabeth,
gd, and ^.^d pieces ; which being wieghty monies, none of them are
now to be met with ; whereby they have raifed the price of filver to
2d per ounce above the value of the mint ; which thereby has flood Hill
ever fince the i ith of King James. That for above thirty years paft it
has been the ufual pradlice of thofe exchanging goldfmiths to make their
fervants run every morning from (hop to fhop, to buy up all weighty
coins for the mints of Holland and the eaft countries, whereby the king's
mint has flood ftill. The former allowances in the old cambium regis
were id, and fometimes i^^^ exchange upon the value of every noble,
{i. e. 6/B.) Thofe offices were vifually fold by the crown for a good
fum of money, and the king's exchanger had alfo the fole right of ex-
changing plate and any other manufacture of gold and lilver at home
for the king's coin, taking the like allowance, and alfo vhe coinage
duty.
Againft the revival of this royal exchange, the goldfmiths company of
London earneftly petitioned the king and council, as did afterwards the
lord mayor, court of aldermen, and common coui:icil, in behalf of the
goldfmiths company, who called themfelves no fewer than 900 families,
whereas the royal pamphlet afferts that not above ten goldfmiths were
concerned in this exchanging trade. In brief, upon a fecond petition
of the goldfmiths, the king told them to trouble him no farther, fince
his right to the office was undoubtedly clear.
1629. — On the 2d of March 1628-9 ^^^^S Charles diflblved his par-
liament, with many fharp expreflions of refentment againft thofe mem-
bers of the houfe of commons who oppofed his meafures ; {^Fcedera, V.
xix, p. 29] by which the differences between him and his people grew
dayly wider. Yet, rather than have any more parliaments, he went
deeper into arbitrary and illegal methods for railing money by his fole
prerogative. So from this time till the year 1640 there was no par-
liament fummoned.
358 A. D. 1629.
An attempt feems to have been now made to produce filk in Eng-
land ; as may be inferred from a grant to Walter lord Afton, &c.
of the cuftody of the garden, mulberry-trees, and filk-worms near St.
James's, in the county of Middlefex. Or, poilibly, this was only the
continuation of King James's projedl in 1608. There is a place a little
way without the fouth-wefl gate of St. James's park, towards ( ;heiiea,
whch flill bears the name of the Mulberry garden, and anfwers to the
defcription of the above.
1 his year the king gave exclufive grants of fourteen years for the fol-
lowmg inventions, viz.
' i) For an engine for the more eafy cutting of timber, under the
* yearly rent of 40/ to be paid into the exchequer.
' 2) For engines for draining marfli lands.
* 3) For a medicine for picferving {heep from the rot.
' 4) An engine for the Jate tranfportation of hories and other cattle
* from Ireland into England, and from Eiigland into IrelauU.' [Fce-
dera. V. xix, p. 40.]
By an ad: of parliament [3 Car. I, c. 4] corn was permitted to be ex-
ported to the king's allies, when at the following (which muft therefor
have been then efleemed moderate) prices, viz. wheat per quarter 32/)
rye loj, beans 16/^ and barley or malt at 16/, per quarter.
King Charles, in the fourth year of his reign, incorporated the popu-
lous province of New-England, called MafTachulTet's-bay, of which Bof-
ton is the capital. King Charles II, in the year 1684, having, for his
arbitrary ends, compelled the city of London, by a quo ■warranto, to fur-
render their charters, this province likewife was obliged to fubmit to it,
as was alfo the colony of New-Plymouth and the province of Main ; but
that province was, in the year 1691, again incorporated by King Wil-
liam and Queen Mary, by its old name ; but the crown thereby relerv-
ed the appomting ot us governor, deputy-governor, iLcretary, and judge-
admiral : the other officers, civil and military, are in the nomination of
their houfe of reprefentatives, who alio eled: the council. This pro-
vince, together wiih Connedicut, Rhode-lfland, and Providence plant-
ation, conftitute what is commonly called New-England. New-fJamp-
fliire, alfo generally eflee ed a part of New-England, was made a fe-
parate province, immediately dejiending on the crown, as is now alfo
Georgia and Nova-Scotia ; all whole governors, councils, and niagiflrates,
are in the king's appomtment. Thus Maryland and Penfyh ania are a
kind ot monarchical tributary govcrnmciits ; Connedicut and Rhode-
ifland may be called tributary popular governments ; and Malfachufet's-
bay is a mixture of regal and popular conitiiutions. In our days the two
Carolinas and New-J> rfey are become re^^al government. , as Virginia
and New- York were long before ; as are alio all our illand-. in ihe Ame-
rican feas, but Barbuaa. Hitherto thele diffcreuL forms oi: government
A. D. 1629.
359
have not very materially or generally afFeded the commerce of the Bri-
tifli empire, though mod men are under apprehenfions that fooner or
later they may.
The filk manufadlure at London had now become fo confiderable,
that the filk-throwers of that city and within four miles of it were in-
corporated under the name of the mafter, wardens, affiflants, and com-
monalty of filk-throwers.
Peace was proclaimed with France, and the intercourfe of commerce-
between the two nations, on the footing of antient treaties, was renew-
ed. [Fa^dera, F. xix, p. 66.]
Upon this peace Cardinal Richlicu, who was fuperintendant-general
of the commerce and navigation of France, refolved to maintain three
fquadrons of fliips conftantly in pay ; two for the guard of the French
coafts on the Ocean and on the Mediterranean, and the third to remain
ready in the ports of Gafcoigne, for convoying the French merchant
fliips trading to Canada. This was doubtlefs a very wife refolution in
that able minifter, France being till now utterly deftitute of maritime
ftrength.
We find that, upon King Charles's difbanding his army, which had
been employed beyond fea, fwarms of Irifh beggars were every where
feen, to the great annoyance of the country. The kmg thereupon if-
fued his proclamation, commanding tliem forthwith to return to Ireland,
to be conveyed from conflable to conftable to the ports of Brifloi, Mine-
head, Barnftable, Chefter, Liverpool, Milford, or Workington ; diredl-
ing them to be punifhed as rogues or vagabonds, wherever found beg-
ging afterwards. They were to be fhipped at the charge of the refpedl-
ive counties. And it was thereby farther direcfted, that no ftiip fhould
bring over any beggars from Ireland * ; and that Engliihmea begging
c-.s difbanded foldiers or mariners fhould be puniflied as vagabonds, \^Fce-
dera, V. xix, ;>. 72.]
Many were the ihifts and devices which King Charles was put upon,
in the long interval of parliament, for procuring monty. We find him
commiflioning Sir Sackville Crow to get 610 pieces of iron cannon cafl
' in our forge, within our foreft of Dean, in Glocefterfliire, or elfe-
' where, as to you it fliall feem fit.' And he employed Philip Burla-
mach, an eminent merchiuit, to fell thofe cannon (viz, 4000 ton weight
thereof) to the fiates general of the United Netherlands, for redeeming
from them his crown jewels, pawned in the year 1625, for L300,ooo..
Thus England was ItiU eminent for its manufadure of iron artillery be-
yond any other country in Europe. \Foeikra^ V. xix, ^/>. 89, 99.]
* It were to be vvillied that tlie fame regulation were now in force, unlefs (which would be much;
better) means were found to fet all the Iriih poor to fome utcful employment im.mediatcly upon their
arrival in Britain : for the ftreets of London ate. (hamefully crowded with them.
3-
^fki A. IX 1629.
He confirmed the ftarchmakcrs company's monopoly, eftablifhed by
his father ; and he prohibited the importation of French wines for a
limited time, on pretence of a complaint of the merchants and vintners,
that the quantity thereof remaining unfold was fo large that they could
not carry on their bufmefs without fuch a temporary prohibition. [Fce-
dera, V. xix, pp. 92, 94.] This too was probably a monopoUzing job !
The king alfo prohibited the fale of any vefTels, whether Englifh or
foreign built, to foreigners. [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 95.]
The coafls of England and Ireland were now much infefted by pirates
-of various nations. King Charles therefor connniflioned his lord trea-
liirer Wefton and others, ' to fend forthwith to fea fuch fhips as they
fliould judge needful for fupprefUng of thofe pirates, who committed
all manner of hoililities and Ipoils, to the utter overthrow of all mutual
trade between our own fubjeds and all other mtrchant-ftrangers, fub-
jeds of our friends and allies.' [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 102.]
The king's neceffities obliged him to retrench the expenfe of his
houiliold, by abolifhing the greateft part of the dayly tables in his
palace, being till then, it is faid, eighty in number, for the entertain-
ment of his officers and fervants ; and allowing them, in lieu of thofe
tables, a certain annual fum by the name of board-wages : whereby both
the crown and the houfehold fervants are in the illiie coniiderable gainers.
This was probably by Sir Robert Cotton's advice, who, in a fpeech at
the council-table, told the king that there was never a back-door of
his palace into Weftminfter but what cofl him L2000 yearly.
This we conceive was the original of the board-wages, which, in all
the lifts of the houfehold of our monarchs, we fee to be ever fince al-
lowed to the king's menial officers and fervants. Some farther reduc-
tions of the fame fort have been fmce made in the king's houfehold ; in
lieu of which an addition has been made to their falaries.
This year the Spanifh admiral had orders, in his way to New Spain,
to drive the Englifti and French from the ifland of St. Chriftophers,
v/here he feized on fome Englifh fhips; and landing, drove the French
from their forts, and obliged them to embark, as he alfo did as many
of the Englifh as their own fhips could hold. But when the Spanifli
fle-jt was gone, the Englifli left in that ifland let alfiduoufly to improv-
ing it : the French alfo returned to their old plantations ; and both na-
tions-were well fu^pplied and fupported from their mother countries.
The Englifh planters becoming foon too numerous for their moiety of
that ifland, emigrants from it fettled in Barbuda, MontlVrrat, Antigua,
,and Barbados ; as the French alfo did in GuacJaloupe, &c. in the fame
neighbourhood.
King Charles confirmed his grant to James Hay earl of Carlifle, and
to his heirs for ever, of all the Caribbeeiflands, lituated between the loth
and 2Cth degrees of north latitude, and between the 315th and 327th
A. D. 1629. 361
degrees of lon9:itude, herein named by the king the province of Car He,
and the Carhfle iflands, And in December following, the earl appoint-
ed Hugh Lamy, a French proteflant of Normandy, to receive, during
life, all the rents and revenues of the iflands, upon his undertaking to
carry colonies of his countrymen thither, and to fortify and improve
the iflands, allowing him the twentieth part of the revenues. All which
was confirmed by Kuig Charles, in the fime manner as they had been
granted two years before to the earl of Marlborough, as we have noted
under the year 1627. [Foedera, V. xvs., pp. 127, 128.]
King Charles confirmed the appointment made by Sir Robert Heath,
his attorney-general, to the above mentioned Hugh Lamy, of the of-
fice of receiver-general of the revenues of the province of Carolana, and
the adjacent ifles of Bahama, lying between the 31ft and 36th degrcvjs
of north latitude, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean,
Carolana, with the Bahama ifles, had been graiited, on the 30th of Odo-
ber 1629, by King Charles to Sir Robert Heath, and to his heirs, and
was the fame country (exclufive of the ifles) now named North and
South Carolina, and Georgia, together with the ufurped French colony
behind them, called Miffifippi or Louifiana. Sir Robert afterwards con-
veyed his province of Carolana to the earl of Arundel, who was at the
expenfe of planting fundry parts of it : but the war which broke out in
Scotland, (in which that lord was the king's general) and the fubfequent
civil war in England, prevented his farther progrefs therein. The five
Indian nations of the Iroquois, who have been fo long the voluntary
vafllils of the Englifli crown, and who had lately conquered all the lands
from their own original country behind New-York as far as the Millifippi
and beyond it, made a furrender and fale of all thofe conquefts to the
governor of New-York, in King James IPs reign. [^Feeder a, V. xix, p.
128 Cox's Defcriptlon of Carolina, pp. 109, 113, 116, Sifr.]
It is commonly laid, that about this fame year the Englifii began to
plant on the ifland of Providence, the chief of the the Bahama ifles, till
then quite uninhabited. King Charles I, after the conclufion of peace
with Spain, confirmed his grant of thofe ifles ; and England has con-
tinued to keep up her right to them as the firfl occupiers, although they
have fcarcely planted in any of them, excepting this of Providence ;
and even it is planted to very little purpoi'e, any firrher than for a re-
treat in cafe of ftorms, and to prevent pirates and foreign nations from
poQefruig it. Tortuga alfo is juftly claimed by Great Britain, becaul'e
of our having early reforted thither for fait, though not as yet properly
planted by us.
King Charles iffued the following proclamation, in behalf of the Eafl-
land company, viz.
' Whereas the Eaftland company have, by the fpace of fifty years at
' leaft, had a fettled and confi:ant poiTeffion of trade in the laid Eaflland
Vol. II. Z z
362 A. D. 1629.
parts in the Baltic feas ; and have had the fole carrying thither of our
En^lifh commodities, and alfo the fole bringing in of all the commo-
dities of thofe countries, namely, hemp-yarn, cable-yarn, flax, pot-
afhes, foap-afhes, Polonia wool, cordage, Eaftland linen cloth, pitch,
tar, and wood ; whereby our kingdom hath been much enriched, our
fhips and mariners fet on work, and the honour and fame of our na-
tion fpread and enlarged in thofe parts *.
' And whereas, for their farther encouragement, the faid company have
had and enjoyed, by letters-patents from Queen Elizabeth, the exclu-
five privileges above named, with general prohibitions and reftraints
of all others not licenced by the faid letters-patents : we minding the
upholding of the faid trade, and not to fuffer the faid fociety to fuftain
any violation or diminution of their liberties and privileges, have
thought good to ratify the fame.
' And we do hereby flridly charge and command all our cuflomers,
comptrollers, &c. that they fuffer not any broad cloth, dozens, ker-
feys, bays, fkins, or fuch like Englifh commodities, to be fliipped for
exportation to thofe parts, nor any hemp, &c. as before named, or
any other commodities whatfoever, of thofe foreign countries wherein
the faid company have ufed to trade, to be imported by any but fuch
as are free of that company.
* Provided always, that the importation of corn and grain be left free
and without reftraint. We alfo ftridly command, that the ftatutes
of the 5th of King Richard II, the 4th of King Henry VIT, and the
32 d of King Henry VIII, made againft the (hipping of merchandize
in ftrangers bottoms, either inward or outward, be duely put in ex-
ecution ; and that neither the faid company, nor any other whatfo-
ever, be permitted to export or import any of the above named com-
modities in any but Englifh bottoms, under the penalties in the faid
ftatutes contained.' [Fcedera, K xix, p. 129.]
The great increafe of the commerce of England having of late years
very much increafed the inland carriage of goods, whereby the roads
were more broken than heretofore. King Charles ilfued his procla-
mation, confirming one of his father's, in the 20th year of his reign,
for the prefervation of the public roads of England, commanding
that no common carrier, or other perfon whatfoever, fhall travel with
any waine, cart, or carriage, with more than two wheels, nor with
above the weight of twenty hundred ; nor fhall draw any waine, cart, or
other carriage, with above five horfes at once. [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 1 30.]
How great is the alteration fmce this time, that waggons, permitted to
carry above thrice that weight, have come into fuch univerfal ufe.
* The company was ereftcd in the year 1579.
A. D. 1629. 363
In the catalogue of the grants of offices by King Charles during this
year, we have one called, ' an office for the regifter of fales and pawns
' made to retailing brokers.' [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 132.] Which re-
tailing brokers feem to have:- been much the fame we now call pawn-
brokers. This was probably one of that king's lucrative monopoly
grants.
London at this time abounded in wealth and grandeur, compared to
its condition in former ages. The gay appearance of goldtmiths (hops
fhining with plate on the fouth fide of the flreet called Cheapfide, thence
named Goldfmiths-row, was then thought very grand, extending from
Bucklerfbury to the Old change, (four fliops only excepted of other
trades) which fmall exception made the privy council think it worth
while to direcl the judges to confider what laws there might be in force
to oblige the goldfmiths to plant themfelves in Cheapfide and Lombard
ftreet, for the ufe of their trade.
1630. — In the year 1630, Guftavus Adolphus king of Sweden, having
entered into Germany with an army, occafioned much damage to the com-
merce of the Hanfe towns, by the devaftations committed by his troops.
In that king's manitefto he accufes the Imperialifts of forbidding his mer-
-chants all freedom of commerce, feizing on their merchandize, and confif-
catingtheir fhips, under the pretence of eftablilhing a general commerce
at Lubeck for the Hanfe towns ; which, in effect, was driving the Swedes
from the whole commerce of the Baltic, and ereding a naval force at
the expenfe of his merchants, in order freely to ravage and pirate in
that fea ; havhig newly created an unheard of dignity of a general of
the feas for that purpofe, and pofiefled themfelves of the ports and for-
tified places of Mecklenburg and Pomerania, fortifying the port of the
free Hanfeatic city of Straelfund, for a receptacle and retreat to their
pirates. \ColleBion of treaties, V. ii, pp. 292, 304.] Had the houfe of Auf-
tria fucceeded in their defign of rendering themfelves abfoltite in the
empire, there v/ould foon have been an end of all freedom of commerce
in the ports of Germany ; and this gave a fine handle to Guftavus to
take the city of Straelfund under his protedion, whereby the Swedes
have ever fince held a port fo very commodious for introducing their
armies into Germany ; though Staelfund is far from being bettered,
fince from a free city it is become fubjed to Sweden. For the aid of
the king of Sv.-eden, and the i'upport of the liberty of comm.erce, King
Charles, underhand, encouraged James marquis of Hamilton to fign a
treaty this year with Guftavus, for raifing and conveying 6000 Scottifti
troops to Germany ; though King CViarles would not ap}:iear in it for
fear of offending the emperor, who gave him hopes of reftoring the
palatinate to the king of Bohemia, his brother-in-law.
King Charles confirmed his father's proclamation againft the export-
ation of wool, woolfells, woollen-yarn, Cornifli hair, fullers-earth, and
wood-aflies, and alfo hides, either raw or tanned, upon pain of coiififca-
Z z 2
364 A. D» 1630.
tion, Sec. for die encouragement of the EngUfh woollen manufa6lures ;
and ordering that, for the better utterance of cloth within this king-
dom, all black cloths and mourning flufFs at funerals fliould be only of
the wools of this kingdom. And the falie dying of cloth and fluffs be-
ing a great hinderance to their vent, none fhould therein ufe any log-
wood or blockwood. [Foedera, V. xix, p. 155.]
In another proclamation King Charles obferves, ' that iron-wire is a
' manufadure long pra(ftifed in the realm, whereby many thoufands
' of our fubjecfs have long been employed; and that Englifh wire is
' made of the toughefl and befl Ofmond iron, a native commodity of
' this kingdom, and is much better than what comes from foreign parts,
* efpecially for making wool cards ; without which no good cloth can
' be made. And whereas complaints have been made by the wire-
' drawers of this kingdom, that, by reafon of the great quantities of
' foreign iron-wire lately imported, our laid fubjeds cannot be fet on
' work, therefor we prohibit the importation of foreign iron-wire, and
* wool-cards made thereof, as alfo hooks and eyes, and other manu-
' failures made of foreign wire. Neither fhall any tranflate and trim
' up any old wool cards, nor fell the fame either at home or abroad.'
\_Fcedera, V. \ik, p. 163.]
The king ifllied another proclamation againfl eredling houfes on new
foundations in London, Weflminfler, or within three miles of any of
the gates of London, or of the palace of Weflminfler. Alfo againfl: en-
tertaining inmates in houfes there, 'which would multiply the inhabi-
' tants to fuch an excefTive number that they could neither be govern-
' ed nor fed.' He alfo enjoins the rebuilding of old houfes with brick
or Hone ; and forbids cellars for vidualling houfes, and fheds and other
annoyances in the flreets : renewing alfo his former regulations for
making bricks and tiles. And that all thefe regulations may be etfed-
ual, he appoints Sir James Campbell lord mayor of London, jointly
with many lords and gentlemen therein named, or any four of them,
to be his commiflioners for thefe ends. [Fadera, V. x'lx, pp. 177, i8x.]
The following proclamation by King Charles, partly fliews the flate
of the filk manufadure of England, viz. ' that the trade of iilk within
' this realm, by the importation thereof raw from foreign parts, and
' throwing, dying, and working the fame into manufadures here at
* home, is much increafed within a few years paft. But a fraud in the
' dying thereof being lately difcovered, by adding to the weight of filk
* in the dye beyond a jufl proportion, by a falfe and deceitful mixture
* in the ingredients ufed in dying, whereby alfo the filk is weakened
* and corrupted, and the colour made worfe ; wherefor we flridly cora-
* mand, that no filk-dyer do hereafter ufe any flip, alder-bark, filings
* of iron, or other deceitful matter, in dying filk either black or co-
* loured. That no filk fhall be dyed of any other black but Spanilli
* black,, and not of tlie dye called London black, or light weight. Nei-
A. D. 1630. 2^^
' dier fhall they die any lilk before the gum be fair boiled off from the
' filk, being raw.' — With many other regulations relating to filk-dyeing,
and the proportional weight before and after dying, too tedious to be
now particularized. [Focdera, V. xix, p. 187.]
King Charles gave an exclufive patent to four perfons for a pretended
new invention for melting, forging, or fining iron, lead, tin, and fait ;
and for burning bricks, tiles, lime, &c. with the fuel of peat or turf re-
duced into a coal, without the ufe either of fea-coal, pit-coal, or wood.
[Foedtra, V. xix, /». 189.]
One would naturally imagine that the condition of England, in re-
fpedl of flefh-meat and other provifions, mull in thofe times have been
very different from what it is in our days, otherwife we fhould not fure-
ly have 'i&tn fo many laws and proclamations in this and the two pre-
ceding reigns againft the ufe of flefh in lent, and other fi(h-days ; but in
this year there was a flill more extraordinary proclamation on this fubjeft,
wherein the king takes notice of the abufes committed by ingroffers, bad-
gers, broggers, and buyers of corn, it being then a year of fcarcity. And
the more to fave the provifions of the nation, he enjoins the general prac-
tice of the antient laudable cuftom, that no fuppers were wont to be kept
on Fridays, nor on the eves of feafls commanded to be fifl:ed, nor on
Wednefdays and Saturdays in the ember weeks, and in lent ; the fame
courfe being ftill obferved in the king's houfehold, and in the families
of moft of the nobility, and of many gentlemen, as alfo in the inns of
court and chancery, and the colleges of univerfities. He alio ordains,
that the feafis at halls of the city companies be forborn, and that half
the expenfe thereof be given to the neceflitous poor. And whereas fo-
reign fiiips frequently come empty into the ports of England, to vidual
for long voyages, which, in a time of fcarcity, is by no means to be iuf-
fered ; fuch fliips, therefor, fliall hereafter only take in fuch a quantity
of provifions as the magiftrates of the refpedtive ports fliall judge conve-
nient, being only for their neceffary fubfifi;ance till their return into
their own country. [^Foedera, V. xix, p. 195.]
There was this year a monopoly project, for the practice of a new in-
vention for extrading gold and filver from copper, tin, and lead, granted
for fourteen years, on paying one third of the net profits thereof to the king..
In the fame year King Charles mofl: laudably commiflioned a number
of his great officers of ftate to inquire into the fifliery on the Britilli
coafts, how the fame may be rendered more beneficial to the nation,,
by framing a general fifliery company, compofed of fome of each of
his three kingdoms. For which end he promiied to iffue like commif-
fions to Scotland and Ireland *. [Foedera, V. xix, p. 21 1.]
King Charles iffued a commiflion, wherein he takes notice, that
the merchant-adventurers company have frequently many confiderable:
* See more of this under the year 1633.
^66 A. D. 1630.
fums of money deduded from them, by perfons they deal with beyond
fea, on account of defeds in our white cloths, in point of length, breath,
and weight ; whereby our cloths, in general, are depreciated in foreign
parts. Therefor he appoints commiffioners for the counties of Somerfet,
Wilts, Glocefler, and Oxon, to fee the ftatutes for the right making of
-white cloth put in execution, and that the fearchers and overfeers do
their duty. \Fcedera, V. xix, p. 219.]
A t renty of peace and commerce was concluded between King Charles I
■of England, and King Philip IV of Spain, at Madrid, wherein what
relates to commerce is to the following effecft, viz.
Articles VII and XVIII) The fame articles or conditions of com-
merce are hereby renewed that exifted before the war broke out be-
tween Queen Elizabeth and King Philip II, and as ftipulated in the IXth
and XXlId articles of the treaty in the year 1604.
VIII) The merchant (hips, and fhips of war of both kings, fo as the
later do not exceed eight in number, may freely refort to the ports ot
both countries, and may there take in provifions, refit, and trade, as
by antient treaties. But fhips of war fhall remain no longer than till
they have refitted and revidualled. Neither fhall a greater number of
-them come into any port of the other party, without fpecial leave ob-
tained from the fovereign of that port : nor fhall they, under colour
of lawful commerce, fupply the enemy of either party with provifions,
or with naval or \\arlike flores.
XI) No new impofitions fhall be laid in Spain on the merchandize of
that country brought away by the Englifh in their own fhips.
XIX) No difturbance Ihall be given in Spain to the Enghfli trading
thither, on account of confcience, where no fcandal fliall be given.
XX. Where any prohibited goods are exported, none but the delin-
quent fhall be punifhed for the fame ; nor fhall any thing more be for-
feited but the faid goods.
XXI) The effeds of perfons dying in either country fhall be fecured
for the benefit of their heirs, &c.
XXIII) In cafe of a rupture hereafter between the two nations, fix
months fiiall be allowed both parties to remove their effeds.
XXiV) The fhips of neither party fhall be detained in the ports of
-the other party, nor fhall be employed for warlike or other purpofes,
without the content of their own fovereign. ^Foedera, V. xix, p. 219]
King Charles iffued another proclamation againfl: the cultivation of
tobacco in England and Ireland ; where, it feems, great quantities were
ftill raifed. And, after inveighing againfl the inordinate ufe of tobacco,
which he here terms an ufelcfs weed, he again forbids the importation of
all foreign tobacco without his licence, and even orders that the quan-
tity of tobacco from Virginia, the Somer ifles, and Caribbee iftes, be
A. D. 1^30. 2i^'j
Annually limited by himfelf, and that none be imported but into the-
port of London only. [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 235.]
In Munn's judicious book, intitled, England's treafure by foreign
trade, treating of the advantage of permitting the free exportation of
our own coin as well as of foreign bullion, he obferves, ' that Ferdi-
' nand T, the grand duke of Tufcany, was very rich in treafure, and en-
' larged his trade by lending to merchants great fums of money at a
* low intereft : that myfelf had 40,000 crowns of him, gratis, for a
' whole year ; although he knew that I would prefently fend it away in
* fpecie to Turkey, to be employed in wares for his country ; he being
' well afTured, that in this courfe of trade it would return again, ac-
* cording to the old faying, with a duck in the mouth. By his thus en-
' couraging of commerce, within thefe thirty years the trade of his port
' of Leghorn is fo much encreafed, that of a poor little town, as I my-
' felf knew it, it is now become a fair and ftrong city *.'
This year the Dutch Weft-India company again invaded Brazil, with
better fuccefs than before, and reduced the city of Olinda, with the en-
tire province of Fernambuque ; and afterward they gradually extended
their conquers much farther into that country.
The king gave excluiive grants or charters to David Ramfay, a great
projedor in thofe days, for the following pretended new inventions.
I) To multiply and make faltpetre in anv open field of only four
acres of ground, fufficient to ferve all our dominions.
II) To raife water from low pits by fire.
III) To make any fort of mills to go on fianding waters, by conuuuai
motion, without the help of wind, weight, or horfe.
IV) To make all forts of tapeftry without any weaving loom, or other
way ever yet in ufe in this kingdom.
V) To make boats, fhips, and barges to go againft fl;rorig wind and
tide.
VI) To make the earth more fertile than ufual.
VII) To raife water from low niines and coal-pits, by a way never
yet in ufe.
VIII) To make hard iron foft, and likewife copper tough and foft ;
which is not in ufe in this kingdom.
IX) To make yellow wax white very fpeedily f .
Another proje6t in this year was, for conveying certain fprings of water
into London and Weftminfter from within a mile and an half of Hodf-
don in Hertfordfhire, by the undertakers Sir Edward Stradling and John
Lyde, the projedor being one Michael Parker, for defraying the ex-
penfe whereof King Charles granted them a fpecial licence to ered and
* Probably Mr. Miinn was in Legliorn about this time, and may have written his book :iboiit 1660.
It was pubHiiied after his death by his fon in the year 1664.
-J- Ramfay feems to have had as fertile a brain as any of the famous year I730.
368 A. D. 1630.
publidi a lottery or lotteries ; according (fays this record") to th-" courfe
of other lotteries heretofore ufed or pradifed *. And for the fole pri-
vilege of bringing the faid waters in aqueduds to London, they were
to pay L4000 per annum into the king's exchequer ; and the better to
enable them to make the faid large annual payment, the king granted
them leave to bring their aqueduds through any of his parks, chafes,
lands, &c. and to dig up the fame gratis. [Fcedera, V. xix, p. 242.]
We fliould alfo note, that, in this fame year 1630, a fpecial licence
was granted by King Charles, for importing horfes, and another for ex-
porting dogs.
1631. — A projedl was now authorifed by King Charles for the fole
ufe of an invention for defending marfla-lands from inundations of the
fea ; the projector to pay 20/" annually into the exchequer. \_F(xdera, V.
xix, /). 251.]
We now meet with the fu-fl eflay for coining milled money in Eng-
land, by mills and prefTes, in the beautiful method practifed in our days,
in a commiflion from King Charles to Sir William Balfour, then lieu-
tenant of the tower of London, Inigo Jones, Efq. furveyor of the king's
works, and five others, who were thereby direded to examine the prac-
tice thereof by the undertaker, Nicholas Bryitt, a Lorainer, who for
that purpofe had gold and filver bullion delivered to him by Sir Ro-
bert Harley mafter of the mint. \Foedera, V. xix, p. 287.]
Quebec in Canada having been again feized on by Captain Kirk in
the year 1629, before he knew of the conclufion of peace between Eng-
land and France that fame year, the king promifed, under his fign-
manual, to his brother-in-law, Louis XIII of France, that, as foon as
commiffioners from him fliould arrive at Canada, his people fliould de-
liver up to France the fortrefs and town of Quebec ; and that whatever
had been embezzled therein (hould be reftored to the French. \^Foede-
ra, V. xix, />. 303.]
King James having, in the 20th year of his reign, granted letters-
patent (which we have not before met with) for the fole ufe of a new
method of making hard foap, with a material called berilia, without the
ufe of any fire ; as alfo for burning and preparing bean and peafe flraw,
kelp, fern, and other vegetables found in his dominions, into pot-afhes
for making foap. King Charles granted a frefh patent, for fourteen years,
to the old patentees Roger Jones and Andrew Palmer, jointly with Sir
William RufTell, &c. for farther improving thofe inventions, and for their
fole ufe thereof. This monopoly brought L 10,000 into the exchequer.
\_Fcedera, V. xix, p. ^2;^.}
* Thih IS, however, the earhed mention of lot- early as the year 1612, the profits of which were
teries, either in the Ftedera or the llatute-book. allotted to carry on tlit fettlement of Virginia.
Tiic words quoted prove that lotteries had already [_Chalmcrs's Annals, V. i, J>. 32.] M.
been ufed or practifed. There was one at leaft fo
A. D. 1631. 369
In a proclamation for i-eftraining the excefs of the private or clandef-
tine trade carried on to and fri>m the Eaft-Indies, by the officers and
failors in the company's own fliips, there is a catalogue of the wares and
merchandize licenced to be exported to India, and alfo of thofe licenced,
to be imported from thence, viz.
Goods allowed to be exported to India: perpetuanas and drapery,
pewter, fatfron, woollen ftockings, filk (lockings and garters, riband-
rofes edged with gold lace, beaver hats with gold and filver bands, felt-
hats, flrong waters, knives, Spanifh leather ihoes, iron, and looking-
glalfes.
Goods which might be imported from India : long pepper, white pep-
per, white powder fugar prelerved, nutmegs and ginger prelerved, mirabo-
lans,befoar-fT;ones, drugs of all forts, agate-heads, blood- fl;ones,mufk, aloes-
focatrina, ambergris, rich carpets of Perfm, and of Cambaya, quilts of
fatin, taffaty, painted calicoes, benjamin, damalks, fatins, and taffaties,
of China, quilts of China embroidered with gold, quilts of Pitania em-
broidered with filk, galls, worm -feeds, fugar-candy, China difhes, and
pullanes (i. e. porcelain) of all forts. \_F(£dera, V. xix, p. ^^sl ^^^ ^
word of tea as yet.
King Charles confirmed a grant made by King James for incorpo-
rating the ftarch-makers of London, who were to pay to him 1500
the firft year, 2500 the fecond year, and for every fucceedmg year
L3500. As for the monopoly of playing cards, the king bought them
all of the company, and fold them out again at a much higher price.
[Fa?drra, V. xix. p. 338.]
This year a large Spanifii fleet, attempting to cut off the communi-
cation between Holland and Zeeland, were utterl\ overthrown by the
Dutch admiral Hollar, who took the whole fleet and near 5 00 failors.
Wihiam Frizell and others got a grant of the office of poltmafter for
foreign parts, in reverfion. It appears that this office had been firft
erected by King James, and that before that firft appointment, and even
fometimes fince, private undertakers only conveyed letters to and from
fo eign parts. Knig Charles, therefor, now ftridly enjoined that none
but his foreign poftmafters fhould hereafter prefume to exercife any part
of that office. {Foedera, V, x\\,pp. 34.6, 385.]
King Charles erected a fecond company for a trade to Africa, by a
charter granted to Sir Richard Young, Sir Kenelm Digby, and fundry
merchants ; to enjoy the fole trade to the coaft of Guinea, Binny (i. e.
Benin) and Angola ; between Cape Blanco, in twenty degrees of nor.h
latitude, and the Cape of Good Hope, at about thirty-four degrees of
fouth latitude, together with the ifles adjacent, for thirty-one years.
The charter prohibits, not only all his own fubjecls, the patente s
excepted, but likevvife the fubjedts of every other prince and ftate whac-
VoL. II. 3 A
37° A. D. 1631.
ever, to trade or rciort to or within the faid limits, on any pretence
whatfoever *. Neither were any but thofe patentees to import any red-
wood, ficins, wax, gums, dyers-grains, (grana tindoria) nor any other
merchandize, upon forfeiture of (liip and cargo. And the patentees
were impowered to feize all fliips and merchandize they fliould find
within their bounds contrary to this charter, and might alio explore
the interior parts of Africa. [F^de?-a, V. xix. p. 370.] The patentees
erected forts and warehoufes on that coaft, at a great expenle : yet the
feparate traders (then called by the Dutch term interlopers) again broke
in upon this company, as they had done on that of the year 1618, and
almoft forced the trade open again : and fo it remained, till after the
reftoration of King Charles II ; yet in the year 1651, the rump par-
liament granted a charter for five years to the Eaft-India company, who
made ufe of the caftles and trade of the gold coaft, as lying in their
way to India ; and it feems found their account in this trade for fome
time : for there they landed their goods brought from England, and
carried the gold which they there received into India : although it feems
their capital ftock for this trade never exceeded 1^17,400 ; therewith,
however, they ere61ed two new forts. This third temporary company
likewife licenced iliips to trade to Guinea, for ten per cent of their car-
goes, or three pounds per ton on the fhips. A fine trade truely for this
company, if it could have held long.
Two attempts were this year made for difcovering a north-weft paf-
fage through Hudfon's bay to China, viz. one at the king's command,
by Captain Luke Fox, who arrived at Port-Nelfon, where he found the
crofs and ini'cription formerly ereded by Sir Thomas Button, which he
renewed for the king ; concerning which voyage he afterwards publifli-
ed a fmall quarto treatife called the North-weft fox : and Captain Tho-
mas jaines was lent out by the merchants of Briftol, and wintered in
Hudl'on's bay, in latitude fifty-two, naming the country New South
Wales, giving names alio to fundry other bays, capes, &c. as Cape Hen-
rietta Maria, &c. His account was alfo printed in the year 1633, by
King Charles's order. The former author thinks there is a palfage,
though he miffed it ; the later thinks there is no great probability of
any fuch paflage, although he made much more difcovery in that bay
than either Hudlon, Button, or Baffin, had done.
King Charles gave up the caftle of Briftol, with all its precindls and
inhabitants, to the city, to be for the future in all refpeds a part of it,
for the confideration of L959 paid to the king ; and of a fee farm of
L40 yearly : by which conliderable addition, the boundary, or pome-
rium, of the city of Briftol, was now above feven miles in circumference.
* The king fiirely muft have known tbnt the on the coaft of Angola, &c. and that lie was grar.t-
Portugucfe were long before now ftrongly fettled ing privikges which he could not fugport.
A. D. 1632. 371
1632. — The port of Sallee, on the Barbary coaft, being in rebellion
againfl the emperor of Morocco, and being a mere neft of pirates, that
prince, defirous to reduce them to his obedience, but not having fuffi-
cient fliipping of his own for that purpofe, requefted the afliftance of
the king of Great Britain. Accordingly an EngUfh fquadron having
blocked up the town, w'hile their own monarch befieged them on the
land fide, they were forced to yield; the fortifications were difmantled,
the pirates executed, and 300 captive chriflians delivered into our king's
hands ; whereby (fays Dr. Heylin, p. 955) both he and the nation reap-
ed great honour.
The king about that fame time built and newly repaired his naval
arfenals, docks, ftore-houfes, &c. fo effeftually, that Leigh, in his Choice
obfervations of all the kings of England (8vo, 1 66 1 ), fpeaking thereof,
fays, ' that thofe naval edifices, &c. ereded by him, are fo magnificent
' and univerfally ufeful, that they are become a principal pillar of the
* nation's fupport, fo far as they relate to the naval defence of it ; af-
'■ fording variety of employment by the manufadure of cordage, as alfo
* by the careening and building of fliips.' What more could he have
faid, had he viewed Portfmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, Sheernefs, Wool-
wich, and Deptford, in our days fo vaftly improved, enlarged, and
beautified ?
A treaty of peace with France was concluded by King Charles, which
was in fubftance as follows.
I and II) King Louis XIII engages to pay into the hands of Sir Ifaac
Wake, King Charles's ambafiiidor at Paris, the value of the charges of
three Englilh fliips ; and to deliver up thofe fliips now in his ports of
Diep and Calais.
Ill) King Charles reflores to France all the places pofl"efl"ed by the
Englilh in New France, La Cadie, and Canada, particularly Port-Royal,
(fince named Annapolis-Royal) Quebec, and Cape Breton.
VIII, IX, X, XI) The Turn of 82,700 livres was to be paid to France
for flvins, knives, &c. found in Quebec. And alfo the value of the car-
goes of feveral fliips taken by the Englifli, as herein fpecified. Alfo
60,600 livres for five fliips and their cargoes, taken by the Englifli.
\Fccdera, V. xix, p. 361 General collcBion of treaties, V. ii, art. 11]
Moreover, in a treaty of commerce, concluded on the fame day be-
tween the two nionarchs, it was ftipulated, in fubflance, viz.
Article III) To prevent damages to merchants, by detaining their
fliips at fea, by the fliips of war of either party, under pretence of
fearching for contraband goods, there fliould not above three perfoiis,
at any one time, enter any fucli merchant fliips, Irom any fliip of war,
to view or fearch their papers for contraband goods. After which they
fliould not lUp the faid merchant fliips, nor turn them out of their
way,
3 A 2
272 A. D. 1632.
IV) The fhips of both contracting parties fhould give 1 0,000 livres
fecurity, before failing out of the refpedfive ports of France and England,
not to injure, nor attempt to injure, the ihips and merchandize of either
contrading party.
. The other articles relate to the manner of treating prize-fhips and
their men.
To this fatal treaty may be truely afcribed all the difputes we have
had ever fince with France concerning North America ; our king and
his minifters being fadly outwitted by Richlieu's fuperior dexterity. The
three places now delivered up to France were not, it is true, thought of
the fame importance then, as they are fmce found to be ; yet it was very
obvious, even then, to any conliderate obferver, that as thofe French
colonies fhould increafe in people and commerce, thofe places would be
of the utmoft importance to France, and very dangerous to England :
but more efpecially, our parting with Port-Royal and Cape Ereton is
never to be excufed ; as the poiTellion of them by the French gave them
a fair pretext for fettling on the fouth fide of the river St. Laurence,
and thereby gradually claiming the reft of Nova-Scotia, bordering on
New-England ; whereas, had the French been flriclly confined to their
original fettlements on the north fide of that river, the countiy is lb
bad, and the trade thereof fo indifferent, that before now they would
probably have quite abandoned them.
Though ever fmce the Dutch had commenced hoflilities againft Spain,
upon the expiration of their twelve years truce in the year 1621, their
trade and wealth were greatly increafed, and individuals were greatly
enriched, in the lafl eleven years of war ; yet the province of Holland,
which bore the main burden of that war, was, in its coUecfhve capacity,
found to be in this year no lefs than fifty-five millions of guilders in
debt, that province alone bearing (by the original union of Utrecht)
fifty-eight per cent of the whole annual charge of the war.
King Charles granted a patent for fourteen years, for the fole ufe and
profit of an engine for diving in the fea and other deep waters for loft
goods and treafure. [F^dera, V. xix, p. 365.]
A patent was given to a phyfician, pretending to have, by long fludy
and great expenfe, found out the following fix whimfical iecrets, viz.
1 ) An inltrument, which may be called the wind-mate, vei'y profit-
able when common winds fail, for a more fpeedy paffage of veflels be-
calmed on feas and rivers.
2) The fifli-call, or a looking glafs for fiflies in the fea, very ufeful
for fifliermen to call all kinds of fifhes to their nets, fears, or hooks : as
ieveral calls are needful for fowlers to call feveral kinds of fowls or birds.
io their nets or fnares *.
* Naturalifls are agreed that fifh have no organs of hearing..
A. D. 1632. 373
3) A water-bowe, for the more fpeedy prefervation of houfes on
land, and fliips at fea, from fire.
4) A building-mould, or ftone-prefs, very requifite for building
churches or great houfes, by which ftone windows, door-cafes, chimney-
pieces, &c. are made more fpeedily, without hewing, cutting, fawing,,
carving, or engraving. As alfo for making bricks and tiles more beau-
tiful to the eye, and more durable againfl foul weather, being as fmooth
as glafs on the one fide or end, with divers colours and works, as if
carved by curious workmen.
5) A moveable hydraulic, or chamber weather-call, like a cabinet,
which, being placed in a room, or by a bed fide, caufeth fweet fleep to
thofe, who either by hot fevers, or otherwife, cannot take reft : and it
withal alters the dry hot air into a more moiftening and cooling temper,
either with mufical founds or without.
6) The correded-crane, by which wine, oil, or any other liquor, may
be transfufed from one veflx;!, which cannot well be removed to another
remote : as alfo water may be drawn from one place to another, with-
out any fucking or forcing by the mouth, as vintners and others ufe to
do.
. All thefe were exclufive for fourteen years, paying the yearly rent of
Li :6: 8 into the exchequer. {F^dera, V. xix, p. 371.]
Thefe are fuch fingular projeds as are worth the recordings purely for.
their novelty : and were they any v,'here elfe, but in fo authentic a col-
lection of our records, w^ould probably be regarded in no other fenfe
than as a burlefque on many other projeds of this age, and the famous
year 1720.
King Charles once more iffued a proclamation again ft the conftant
refidence of the nobility and gentry with their ftmilies in London,
wherein, befide the vifual topics in former ones, he remarks, that, by
refiding in London with their families, a great part of their money and
fubftance is drawn from the feveral counties whence it arifeth, and fpent
in the city on excefs of apparel, provided from foreign parts, to the
enriching of other nations, and the unneceflai-y confumption of a great
part of the treafure of this realm ; and in other vain delights and ex-^
penfes, even to the wafting of their eftates : that this alfo draws great
numbers of loofe and idle people to London and Weftminfter, which
thereby are not fo eafy governed as formerly, the poors rates increafed, .
and provilions enhanced. For all which reafons, they are now limited
to forty days from the date hereof, to depart with their families from
London, Weftminfter, and their fuburbs, and to refide on their eftates,
{F<xdera, V. xix, p. 374.]
After reading this, and other fuch proclamations, can any one wonder
at this king's being termed arbitrary, and his getting fo many enemies
amongft his fubjeds ? fince men of the greateft fortunes were hereby
^74 ^« ^' ^^32»
pofitivly debarred a liberty, which, being innocent in irfelf, the meanefl
free fubjed would never patiently part with, of remaining where he
likes beft. Even this command was not without a view to the king's
emolument, fince thofe who did not obey pundually, were condemned
in grievous fines by the flar-chamber for the king's ufe.
King Charles this year licenced the Eafl-lndia company to export
1.40,000 in foreign goid bullion to Perfia and India in lieu of fo much
of the Li 00.000, which by King James's charter they were impowered.
annually to export thither in foreign filver bullion. [Fa^dera, V. xix,
/>. 386.]
A dearth of provifions continuing, the king prohibited the exporta-
tion of corn for one year. And by the fame proclamation, he renewed
a former one, againft the exportation of wool, fuUer's-earth, and leather.
\Fadcra, V. xix, p. 387.]
King Charles by a fpecial v.'arrant to his treafury declared, that not-
withftanding the laws and cufloms of England forbid the exportation of
any gold and filver to foreign parts, either in coin or bullion, yet he,
being defirous to cultivate the friendfliip of his moft dear brother King
Philip IV of Spain, and of the merchants of the Spanifli Net^ierlands,
grants a licence for the laid merchants to export gold aiid filver, either
in our coin or othcrwife, being the produce of the merchandize they
fhall import into England, as far as the amount of L2000 fterling, in
eveiy fliip returning home; fo as the faid money be exported within
the fpace of one hundred days from their unlading the merchandize
they import, until we fhall otherwife ordain, any ftatute or cuflom to
the contrary notwithftanding. \Fcedera, V. xix, p. 396.]
In the iEnglifh Eafl-lndia company's vindication before the privy
council, in anfwer to the allegations of the Turkey company in the year
1 68 1, amongfl; other points for fhewing the great difl[icuhies attending
an Eaft-India trade, it is afferted, that although formerly they had a
(lock of Li, 500, coo, yet in fifteen years time, viz. from 1617 to ihis
year, their whole profit was no more than 12-V per cent.
This year gave birth to the prosperous colony of Maryland. Sir
George Calvert, fecretary of ftate, having, in the years 1621 and 1622,
obtained of King James a grant of part of Newfoundland, he fome time
after removed thither with his family, but he loon found it to be one of
the worft countries in the habitable world. Whereupon he returned
back to England ; and he, being a confcientious Roman Catholic, (lays
Sir William Kciih, in his hiftory of Virginia) v.^as inclined to retire
with his family to lonie part of Virginia, there quietly to enjoy the free
exercife of his religion ; for which purpofe he went thither himlelf,
about the year 1631 : but being difcouraged by the univerfal diflike
which he perceived the people of Virginia had to the very name of a
papift, he left Virginia, and went farther up the bay of Chefapeak j and
A. D. 1632. ^>j^
finding there a very large tracit of land, comniodiouily uatered with
many fine rivers, and not yet inhabited by any chrifi;!ans, he returned
to England, and reprefented to the king that the colony of Virginia
had not as yet occupied any lands beyond the fouth bank of Potomack
river ; whereupon he obtained a promile of a grant of that unplanted
country. But he dying before the grant was made out, his fon CcCcil,
lord Balilmore, took it out in his own name on the 20th of June
1632 ; the king himfelf namhig it Maryland, in honour of his (^leen
Henrietta IMaria. It is held by the lords Baltimore of the crown, in
free and common foccage, as of the king's honour of Windfor, on paying-
yearly for ever, at Windfor caftle, (if demanded) two Indian arrows :
by which charter this lord-proprietor has as plenary or fovereign a power
as any in America ; having the fole right to all quit-rents of land therein,
which he fliall grant out to his landholders, who however, are em-
powered by the crown to lay on all proper taxes, &c. in their general
courts, compofed of their reprefentatives, duely elected, and of the coun-
cil ; and the governor is always to be appointed by the proprietor with
the king's approbation. In other refpeds, the king has no concern
with the government of Maryland, any farther than relates to com-
merce, and to his cuftoms on merchandize, as alfo to the admiralty
jurifdiclion, which our kings have w^ifely retained in all our colonies in
America ; and with refpeci to thefe points, the governors of this and
uU other charter, as well as regal, colonies, are obliged to obey the
diredions of the king and council, as alio fuch orders as fhall from time
to time be fent to them from the lords commiihoners for trade and
plantations, fince the eredfion of that mofi: ufeful board.
The ifland of Montferrat w\as now planted by Sir Thomas Warner,
governor of the neighbouring ifland of St. Chriftophers, who brought
a colony thither from Ireland, and was alfo appointed its firfi; governor.
At firfi: the planters thereof fent great quantities of indigo to England,
though of late years they have run almoft entirely into fugar, with fome
little cotton and ginger. It is about three leagues in length, and nearly
the fame in breadth. It has thriven extremely w^ell, and may probably
be inhabited by about 4500 white people, and about io,coo negro flaves.
It is better fuppUed with frefli water than Antigua, but has no good
harbours, and is fomevvhat dangerous of approach, by reafon of the
many rocks on its fiiores.
This year (according to the French hiftorian of the Caribbee ifles,
publifiied in 1658) the Dutch Wefi;-India company firfi planted the fmall
ifiand of St. Eufiatia. It is the ftrongefi by nature of all thofe iflands,
having but one good landing place, where a few ijien may keep oft" a
great army ; it produces fugar, but is chiefiy ufeful to the Dutch by its
commodious fituation for contraband or fmuggling trade with all the
European colonies in its neighbourhood, being always well ftocked witli.
376 A. D. 1632.
European merchandize for thofe ends. Some have made its white in-
habitants to amount to 5 or 6000, and its negroes to 15,000.
While Sir Thomas Warner was goverxaor of St. Chriftophers fome
Englifli famihes in or about this year ventured to fettle on the ifland of
Antigua, in that neighbourhood, though it was for fome time reckoned
uninhabitable, becaufe it has no frefh water brooks, or fcarce any other
but rain water preferved in ponds or cirterns. And, for that reafon, it
was foon after deferted by them, and remained in a deferted condition
(as we (hall fee) till after the reftoration of King Charles IT.
1633. — In 1633, Lord Baltimore carried two hundred perfons to his
new colony of Maryland, moftly papifts. This colony had in the beginning
a verv great advantage in being in the neighbourhood of that of Virgi-
nia already planted, from whence they fupplied themfelves at firft with
flefh-meat, poultry, &c. infomuch that Maryland, being quickly and
t^afily fettled, became in a few years flouridiing and populous. It has
therefor at length became a large and noble eftate to Lord Baltimore.
In this province, as well as in that of Virginia, the j^aniers live moflly
in feparate lltuations and not in towns, for the conveniency of the great
number of rivers, and of creeks and inlets ot the great bay of Chefa-
peak, whereby they fo eafily convey their tobacco to the flnps ; fo that
in neither of thofe colonies are there as yet any towns of confiderable
bulk or importance. For the greater planters have generally florehoufes
within themfelves, for all kinds of neceflaries brought from Great Bri-
tain, not only for their own confumption, but likewife for fupplying the
lefTer planters and their fervants, &c. And, whilft that kind of eco-
nomy continues, there can be no profpe6l of towns becoming confider-
able in either province, v/hich is fo far a benefit to their mother country,
as without towns (wherein home manufadures and handicrafts are
generally firft propagated) they muff continue to be fupplied from Bri-
tain with clothing, furniiure, tools, delicacies, &c.
The tobacco of Maryland, called oroonoko, being flronger than that
of Virginia, is not fo generally agreeable to the Britifli tafte as the fweet
fcented tobacco of the later colony ; but the northern nations of Eu-
rope are faid to like it better, and they are thought to raife about as
much tobacco, and to emply near as many fhips as Virginia does. Its
foil is in general extremely good, being moflly a level coimtry.
This year the parliament of Scotland reduced the intereft of money
froiTi I o to § per cent, being nine years after it had been lb reduced in
England.
by the management of cardinal Richlieu, prime miniffer to the French
king Louis XIII, a fubfidy treaty was concluded between France and
Sweden, whereby Louis agreed to pay Queen Chrifliana of Sweden o.ic
million of livres annually, for the d'fence of their common friends, for
fecuring the Ocean and Baltic fea, and for obtaining lafting peace in the
3
A. D. 1633, 377
empire *. This was-, probably, the firft proper fubfidy treaty between
France and Sweden, fince then frequently repeated.
The king ifTued a long proclamation for preventing frauds in the
weaving,, dying, milling, ftretching, fealing, meafuring, fearching, &c.
of woollen cloths.; many or mofl of which being fince then repealed ov
altered, we (hall not enlarge on it. [^F^deya, V. xix, p. 445.]
The king granted a fpecial commiflion for one Young to go out witli
what fhips, ..merchandize, and people, he fhould judge proper, for the
difcovery of the unplanted parts of Virginia, or any where elfe in
America, not poflefled by any European power, and to fettle the fame
as an Englifh colony, &c. [Fadera, V. xix, p. 472.]
In the fame year he iflued his proclamation for regulating the retail-
ers of tobacco in cities and towns; wherein none but reputable and fub-
ftantial traders fhould retail the fame ; of whom a catalogue fliould be
made for each city and town : and he exprefsly prohibits all keepers of
taverns, ale-houfes, inns, vidualling-houfes, flrong-water-fellers, &c^
from retailing tobacco. How little feemed he in this, as in many other
refpecls, to underfland his true intereft.
This year a Dutchman erected a wind faw-mill or engine for fawing
timber, on the river Thames oppofite Durham-yard in the Strand,.
London : whereby with the attendance of one man and one boy, as-
much work was done as twenty men can perform in the ufual way. But
this method was afterward put down, lefl our labouring people fhould
want employment. How juft fuch reafoning is, is fubmitted to the
public ; fince, by a parity of reafoning, all wheel-carriages, Sec. fliould'.
be fupprefled. There is fuch a faw-mill at Leith, near Edinburgh,
which alfo goes by wind l and-, as there is no legal reflraint again fl fa
ufeful an engine, it is fomewhat flrange, that in times when ufeful
hands were fo much wanted elfewhere, it has never fince been attempt-
ed. Poffibly the danger of popular clamour may have deterred mea
from purfuing it.
The author of the Prefent flate of England, [/>«;*/ iii,/». 93, f^a^, 1683.].
acquaints us,, that lacquer varnifli, which, imitating the gold colour,.,
has faved much coft formerly beftowed on the gilding of coaches, &c.
was now firfl brought into ufe in England by the ingenious Mr. Evelyn
of Says-court near Deptford.
This year alio, a new a.nd great afTociation or company was formed^
in England for carrying on the fifliery, in which the earl of Pembroke,
Sir William Courten,.Sir John Harrifon, Sir Paul Pindar, &c. were con-
cerned: and King Charles, to encourage that laudable purpofe, enjoined
lent to be more ftridlly obferved, prohibited fifh caught by foreigners
* So fays the author of Ridilieu's life, though it was well known to be principallyp intended for ;h<^
depreffion of the houfe of Auilria.
Vol. II. 3B
..378 A. D.I 633.
to be imported, and agreed to purchafe of that eompany his naval ftorcs,
and the fifli for his royal navy. This was in confequence of his com-
miflion three years before, as mentioned under the year 1630. Yet all
this, in a few years after, came to nothing, for want of judgement as
well as honefly in the managers of it ; but as we have on many other
occafions prefumed freely to cenfure this king's conduft, we ought to
do him the juftice to acknowlege, that he did every thing in his power
to promote this truely national defign.
1634. — The king being bent on fitting out a formidable fleet, command-
ed the city of London to fend to Portfmouth, at their fole charge, the
following quota of fliips, with ordnance, tackle, &c. for twenty-fix
weeks, for the enluing year 1635 ; and the like commands were fent to
the other fea-port towns for proportionable quotas, viz.
One fliip of 900 tons, and 350 men;
One of 800 tons, and 260 men ;
Four, of each 500 tons, and 200 men ;
And one of 300 tons, and 150 men.
This is properly the firfi: year of that king's fhip-money projed, which
fo much contributed to his ruin.
At this time, according to Howel's Life of King Louis XIII of France,
that kingdom being in perfed tranquillity, many wholefome laws were
made for fupprefling luxury and finery of apparel. A new company of
merchants was eftabliflied for New-France, and Paris was enlarged, the
Tuilleries and part of St. Germain being brought into it.
King Charles by his own authority, laid a duty of \f per chaldron
on all fea-coal, fi:one-coal, or pit-coal, exported from England to foreign
parts. \Fa;dcra, V. xix, p. 547.]
He iflued a proclamation ordering that tobacco fhould be landed no-
where in England but at the cufi:omhoufe quay of London, to prevent
defrauding his majefty of the duty thereon. Alfo againfi; planting to-
bacco in England and Ireland, ftill much pradifed, and againft the im-
portation of tobacco-feed. \Fcedera, V. xix, p. 554.]
At the fame time he granted an exclufive patent for fourteen years,
for the art and myfi:ery of affixing wool, filk, and other materials of
iiivers colours, upon linen cloth, filk, cotton, leather, and other fub-
ftances, with oil, fize, and other cements, to make them ufeful and fer-
viceable for hangings, &c. the patentee paying Lio yearly into the ex-
chequer for the fame. {F^dera, V. xix, p. 554.]
The tobacco planters in Virginia, &c. being kept poor by the ex-
orbitant prices which merchants made them pay for their neceilaries
■from England, King Charles, for keeping up of the price of tobacco,
and for preventing the planters from fending any of it diredly to foreign
•parts, whereby he might be deprived of his cufi:om thereon, ifliied a
declaration, that he now refolved to take the fole pre-emption of all to-
4
A. D. I 634* nyn
bacco into his own hands, at a reafonable price. He therefor granted
a fpecial commifllon to a number of gentlemen and merchants to tranf-
a6l this affair for him. The king was now more fparing of his reflec-
tions on the maUgnity of tobacco than formerly, beginning to find the
benefit arifing from his cuflom thereon : he therefor now obferves, * that
* in the colonies of Virginia, the Somer-ifles, and Caribbees, being but
' in their infancy, the chiefefl commodity that mufl fupport them, and
* enable them to raife more ample commodities, is this of tobacco.'
[F^dera, V. xix, p. 560.] :
In this year, 1634, the Dutch Greenland company made an experi-
ment of the pofTibility of the human fpecies living ihrough a whole
winter at Spitzbergen, till now believed to be impofllble. They lefe
feven of their failors to winter there; and one of them kept a diary
thereof from the i ith of September to the 26th of February followingj
when they were fpent with the fcurvy, and their limbs quite benumbed
with cold, till they could no way help themfelves. They were all feven
found dead, in the houfe they had built for themfelves, at the return
of the Dutch fliips in 1635. Had any of thofe men lived till the next
fliips arrived, a Dutch fort would doubtlefs have been ered;ed there.
As for the claims of fandry different European nations to a monopoly
of the filhery of whales at Spitzbergen, they flood thus for fome years
after this time, viz. i) the Englifh alleged their having been the firft
difcoverers, by Sir Hugh Willoughby, in the year 1553: 2) but the
Dutch denied his haying been fo far north as Spitzbergen, and alleged
their having firft difcovered it in 1596 : 3) the Danes laid claim to it
as a fuppofed part of Old Greenland, early poffelTed by them : but if
prior difcovery gave any juft exclufive right at all to a country uninha-
bited and uninhabitable, it is moft probable that the Bifcayners, who
were the firft, whale-fifhers of later ages, had the beft right to it. Since
thofe times all nations have wifely dropped their exclufive pretenfions,
and that part of the icy world remains now alike free to all nations for
this filhery.
A patent, granted by King Charles in the preceding year, was this
year confirmed, for the fole pradice of an invention for laving much
fuel, and for preventing much of the offence of fmoke, to the great be-
nefit of all people, and more efpecially of brewers, dyers, foapboilers,
faltmakers, &c. Alio a patent for the fole invention of cleanfing and
grinding indigo : for which monopoly forty marks were to be paid an-
nually into the exchequer. [Fo'dera, V. xix, pp. 561, 564.]
The next record is a proclamation for regulating the manufacflure of
foft foap, and for preventing the importation of fi[h-oil foap, and all
other foreign foaps : and that the faid foft foap made by the Wefi-
minfler foap company fhould not be fold for more than ^d per pound,
[Fcedera, V. xix, p. 566.]
3B 2
380 A, D. 1634.
Patents were given for iwo exclufive projeds, viz. ift, * anew in-
* vented engine for ploughing of land without horfes or oxen, for
* which L20 was to be paid yearly into the exchequer ;' and, 2dly, ' for
* an engine for getting up ihips and goods funk in the fea.' [Fo'dera,
F. xix, /». 569, 571.]
King Charles gave a grant to Sir Sanders Duncomb, fetting forth,
* that whereas the flreets of our cities of London and Weftminfter,
* and their fuburbs, are of late fo much encumbered with the unne-
' ceilary multitude of coaches, that many of our fubjedls are thereby
* expofed to great danger, and the necellliry ufe of carts and carriages
' for provifions tiiereby much hifidered ; and Sir Sanders Duncomb's
' petition reprefenting, that in many parts beyond fea, people are much
* carried in chairs that are covered, whereby few coaches are ufed
'' amongfl: them : wherefor, we have granted to him the fole privilege
' to ufe, let, and hire a number of the faid covered chairs for fourteen
' years.' F^dera, V. xix, p. 572.] This is the origin of fedan chairs
in London *.
John Day, citizen and fworn-broker of London, had, for three years
paft, printed and publifhed weekly bills of the prices of all comm.odi-
ties in the principal cities of Chriftendom, ' which (fays the king's
* grant this year to him) has never yet been brought here to that per-
' fedion anfwerable to other parts beyond fea ; by which negled with-
' in our city of London, being one of the mother cities for trade in all
* Chriftendom, our faid city is much difgraced, and our merchants hin-
' dered in their commerce and correfpondence : wherefor, we grant
* unto the faid John Day the fole privilege of vending the faid weekly
' bills for fourteen years/
We mufl here do this king and his privy council the juflice to re-
mark, that in this patent, and alfo in fome few former ones, there is a
provifo, that if at any time, during the faid term of fourteen years, it
ihall appear that fuch grant is contrary to law, or mifchievous to the
ftate, or generally inconvenient, then, upon fignification made by us
under our fignet or privy feal, or by fix or more of our privy council
under their hands, of fuch prejudice, &c. this our prefent grant IhaU
be void. This precaution was probably owing to many of this king's
exclufive grants having been declared by trials at common law to be il-
legal monopolies, which the king was therefor obliged to revoke and
make void.
The Dutch took the fmall ifland of Curacoa from Spain, by which
means, being but eight leagues from the coafi: of Terra Firma, they
have ever fince driven a great illicit trade with the Spaniards there :
and though it be not fertile, that diligent people, however, have culti-
* Accordinjr to Wilfon, the biographer of Kinf; James, fedan chairs were intro^Iuced in Britain by
Cjat duke of Buckingham, l^rnot's Hiji. of EJ'miur^i, p. 598]. M. 3
A. D. 1634. 381
vated fine fugar and tobacco plantations in it. Tiiey have plenty of
logwood and cattle ; and its town, of the fame name, is well fortified,
and inhabited by rich merchants. The Dutch alfo poflefs Bonaire and
Aruba, iflands near it, and fubjed to its governor. They alfo pofTels
Saba and Euftatia, and part of St. Martins, all inconfiderable iflands near
St. Chriflophers.
King James having in the year 1605 incorporated the gardeners of
London and within fix miles of it, King Charles now confirmed that
charter. \Fcedrra, V. xix, p. 582.]
We find that the company of merchant-advennirers of England had
in this finne year interefi; enough, probably by the aid of their com-
mon purfe, to get the king to iflue a proclamation, flridly prohibiting
all perfons from exporting any white cloths, coloured cloths, cloths
drefled and dyed out of the whites, Spanifli cloths, bayes, kerfies, per-
petuanos, ftockings, or any other Englifh woollen commodities, to anv
part either of Germany or of the feventeen provinces of the Nether-
lands, fave only to the mart and fi:aple towns of the faid fellowfiiip of
merchant-adventurers for the time being. This proclamation farther
fubjoins : ' and to the end that the faid trade may be hereafter redii-
* ced and continued in an orderly and well governed courfe, we do
' hereby declare our royal pleafure to be, that the faid fellowfliip of
' merchant-adventurers fliall admit to the freedom of their faid trade
* all fuch of our iubjeds dwelling in our city of London, and exercifed
* in the profellion of merchandize, and no fliopkeepers (except they
' give over their fliops), as fhall defire the fame, for a fine of L50
' apiece, and thofe of the outports for L25 apiece ; and that the fons
' and fervants of fuch as ftiall be fo admitted fliall pay at their admif-
' fion twenty nobles (i. e. L6 : 13 : 4) apiece. Lafi:ly, that none fi^all
* trade to the faid countries of Germany and the Netherlands in any of
* the fpecies of woollen goods above named, but only fuch as are free
* of the faid fellowfhip.' [Fasdera, V. xix, p. 583.]
And in a fmall treatife, intitled. Free trade, publiflied by J. Parker
in 1648, a provifo is added (not in the Fcederd), viz. provided the Lon-
don merchants make themfelves free by midfummer 1635, and thofe
of the outports by Michaelmas 1635 ; but if they fuffered thofe times to
lapfe, they were to pay double the refpective fums. Parker and others,
who were opponents of this company, allege, that in this and preceding
reigns, the company conftantly made handfome prefents of annual new
year's gifts to the minifl;ers of ftate for the continuance of their inte-
refi:; as for inftance, in 1623, to the lord-treafurer two hundred gold
pieces of twenty-two ihillings each, and a piece of plate ; other prefents
alfo were then made to the duke of Buckingham, the archbifliop of
Canterbury, the lord keeper, the lord prefident, the fecretaries of fiat^.
&G.
382 A.D. 1634.
In this fame year we have a flagrant inftance of the fhameful as well
as impoUtic bigotry of King Charles I, and of Laud archbifhop of Can-
terbury, who makes his report, inter alia, to the king, purfuant to his
inftrudions, concerning the ecclefiaftical ftate of his province of Can-
terbury, ' that the Dutch churches in Canterbury and Sandwich are
' great nurferies of inconformity.' And he prays his majefly, ' that
' fuch of the French, Itahan, and Dutch congregations, as are born his
• fubjeds, may not be fufFered any longer to Uve in fuch a feparation
• as they do ; and inlinuates the danger of the church of England from
* a toleration of foreign proteftants.' The "Walloons of Norwich too
were under the fame prohibition, though they pleaded the toleration
to them by King Edward VI, and fo down to his then majefty : but-
Laud's anfwer was pofitive, — they muft obey ! And the king on the
margin of this part of Laud's report wrote as follows: ' Put me in mind
* of this at fome convenient time when I am at council, and I fhall re-
' drefs it.' Laud, it feems, thought it a great piece of condefcenfion
to permit thofe Walloon and Dutch, who were not born in England, to
enjoy their own way of worfliip, but their offspring fhould be compelled
to go to their parifh churches ! Tt is here needlefs to remark how little
that prince underflood the true intereft of his kingdom and of its coni'-
merce in giving way to that wretched bigot.
The Walloon, Italian, and Dutch proteftant manufacturers fettled in
Norwich, Canterbury, Sandwich, &c. had hitherto been permitted to
enjoy their own opinions refpedling religious profefllons and worfhip ;
but their children v^ere now compelled by Laud archbifhop of Canter-
bury to attend the parifli churches. The confequence of that ecclefi-
aflical tyranny was (according to Koge?- Cokts Detection of the court and
Jlate of England), that 1 40 families removed to Holland, where they
taught the Dutch the way of managing the woollen manufadure, which
has proved of very bad confequence to England. And doubtleis the like
caufes will ever produce like effeds.
King Charles, by a proclamation, farther flrengthened the monopoly
of his foap company in Weflminfter, by prohibiting all perfons what-
ever, not free of that company, from either making or importing any
fqap. [Foedera, V. xix, p. 592.]
' King Charles granted a licence to Thomas Skipwith to make the
* river Soare navigable from its junction with the Trent up to the town
' of Leicefter, he paying a tenth part of all the profits of fuch new na-
' vigation into the king's exchequer.' \F(edera, V. xix, p. 597.] It is
noble and wife in princes to encourage inland as well as foreign naviga-
tion, as greatly beneficial to commerce ; but this condition annexed to
the licence would be deemed fordid and difgraceful in our days.
The king renewed his former proclamations for prohibiting all dove-
houfes, ftablcs, cellars, warehoufes, &c. except thole of perfons of qua-
A. D. 1634. 383
Hty, from being paved with ftone, bi-ick, boards, fand, lime, or gravel,
and inftead thereof, enjoining, that they be laid with mellow earth, fit
for the generation of the mine of filtpetre, fo abfolutely needful for the
making of gunpowder.
And by the next record ' he afTumed to himfelf the pre-emption of
' all faltpetre made in England, as alfo the monopoly of gunpowder
* made thereof.'
More grants for exclufive or monopolizing offices in this fame year
were, one ' for fearching and fealing all foreign hops ;' another ' for
' viewing and weighing all hay and flraw in loads or trufles j' and one
* for branding and marking all butter calks-. [F^dera, V. xix, pp. 60 r,
603, 605, 606.]
In this and the following year, 1635, Lord Baltimore fent fliips with
people and provifions to fettle and cultivate his province of Maryland,
the expenfe whereof amounted to at leafl L4.o,ooo *.
1635 In the year 1635 the Dutch Eaft-India company invaded and
conquered the large ifland of Formofa, near the Chinefe coafl, and ex-
pelled the Portuguefe from thence ; yet we lliall fee that twenty-fix
years after they were themfelves expelled thence by the Chinefe.
King Charles in a proclamation obferves, that to this time there hath
been no certain intercourfe between the kingdoms of England and Scot-
land, and he now commands his poflmafler of England for foreign parts
to fettle a running pod or two, to run night and day, between Edin-
burgh and London, to go thither and come back again in fix days, and
to take with them all fuch letters as fliall be direded to any poft-town
in or near that road ; and that bye-pofts be placed at feveral places out
of the road, to bring in and carry out the letters from and to Lincoln,
Hull, and other places. The poftage was fixed at 2d the fingle letter, if
under 80 miles ; ^d, between 80 and 140 miles ; 6d, if above 140 miles ;
and upon the borders of Scotland and in Scotland 8i; and in propor-
tion for double letters and packets. The like rule alfo to be obferved
to Weft-Chefier, Holyhead, and thence to Ireland ; alfo to Plymouth,
Exeter, &c. on the weft road •: and as foon as poflible the like convey-
ance to be fettled for Oxford, Brifiol, and other places on the road ; al-
fo to ColcKefter, Norwich, and divers other places on that road. The
conveyances from London to Edinburgh, to Chefter and Holyhead, and
to Plymouth and Exeter, were ordered to begin the firft week after
Michaelmas next ; twopence halfpenny per mile to be paid on the roads
to the feveral poftmaflers for every fingle horfe carrying the letters. No
(Other melTengers nor foot-pofls were permitted to carry any letters but
* The guardianB of his fucce-flbr, a minor, in a this funi, the interefl of which had never been re-
petition to parhament in I 7 15 E<<ainil a bill for re- ceived by any prollts from thence. However that
i;ulating the charter and proprietary governments might be, the province has been a fourcC of great
K) America, ftated Lord Baltimore's expenfes at revenue to the family afterwards-..
384 A. D.i635'
thofe employed by the king's poflmafter-general, unlefs to fuch places
■whither the king's pofts do not go, excepting common kncvvn carriers^
or mefTengers particularly fent on purpofe, or elfe a letter by a friend.
[F^dera, V. xix, p. 649.]
Thus the increafe of England's foreign commerce increafing her do-
meftic commerce and correfpondence, rendered the extenfion of the
poft-carriage of letters abfolutely requifite. It is indeed fomewhat
ftrange, that trade having even before this time got to a confiderable
height, the above ports were not fooner eflablifhed. On the other hand,
it is poflible that King Charles's neceffities might put him upon this ex-
tenfion of pofl-carriage fooner than otherwife might have happened.
Since his time there have been pofts eflablifhed o^n many more bye-
roads, and fome very lately in our time ; and thofe to moft of our ma-
nufa<ft:uring towns, th^e two univerfrties, and to the king's naval ports^
have been extended to every week-day throughout the year.
Portpatrick in Wigton-fliire being the nearefl part of Great Britain to
Ireland, and the pier of it being deflroyed by tlie fea, a colledion in
the churches of Scotland and Ireland had been made for building a new
one. As the moft convenient paflage to Ireland is from that port, and
all the three kingdoms are thereby interefted in it. King Charles this
year granted a brief for a coUedion to be made alfo in all the churches
of England for making that harboux a fafe retreat for fhips and boats.
[F^dero, V. xix, p. 651.]
After the eaftern Tartars had for twenty years together harafTed China,
with conftant war, they now fubdued and placed their own prince upon,
the throne of that populous and opulent empire, whofe poflerity have
reigned there to this prefent time.
This year the bank of Rotterdam was erefted, wherein bills of ex-
change are paid in large money, and only i o per cent paid in fchel-
lings.
This year h remarkable for King Charles's moft memorable impofl-
tion of fliip-money for the enfuing year 1636 on all the counties, cities,
and towns, in England, by virtue of his own fole prerogative. His pre-
tence for this moft arbitrary and illegal impofition was, that the Dutch
pretended a right to a free and undifturbed fifhery on his coafts ; to
which pretenfion they, had been encouraged by the famous treatife in-
tided Mare liberinn^ publifhed by Grotius in 161 2, though Grotius had
not lb much as once mentioned the Dutch claim to the freedom of the
fifhery on our coafts^ being content with aflerting the freedom of fifh-
ing on the fea in general ; yet, before King Charles and his minifters
would break with the Dutch, and openly vindicate by arms his claim
to the fovereignty of the four feas, it was judged neceftary to fet Selden
lO write in fupport of the dominion of the fea ; he, being a great law-
yer, anrif^uary, and hiftorian, was judged equal to the arduous talk
A. D.I 635. 385
of anfweiing fo great a man as Grotius. Mr. Selden had begun his
work in the reign of King James, probably upon the firfl appearance
of Grotius's Mare liberiim ; and, after many years intermifllon, he after-
ward reviewed, altered, and enlarged it, as he himfelf relates, by com-
mand of King Charles, to whom he dedicated it, when he publiflied it
in this year, under the title of Mare claujinn. Sir William Beecher, one
of the clerks of the council, by the king's command, folemnly deliver-
ed a copy of it to the barons of the exchequer in open court, who or-
dered it to be placed among their records, where it ftill remains. It is
not pofTible to give in a fmall compafs a fummary of the Mare claiifum :
it is fufficient to obferve, that its arguments are drawn from old re- -
cords and precedents of the titles and claims of the Saxon and Norman
kings, in times when there was little or* no commerce or naval power
exifting any where but in the Mediterranean fea ; times fo very differ-
ent from that wherein he wrote, when all the maritime nations of the
weft and north had a maritime commerce and a naval force, and when
fuch claims ftrenuoufly alTerted by any one naval potentate might rea-
fonably, and perhaps probably, bring on a confederacy of all the other
potentates for reducing that one to moderation.
King Charles, bent on bringing the Dutch to acknowlege his fea •
dominion, had novv', befides other naval armaments, built the greateft
fliip of war that had ever been feen in England before, and gave it the
name of the Sovereign, of 96 guns and 1740 tons. And the better to
e'Table him to fit out a fuperior fleet, he ordered his chancellor Coven-
try to iffue writs to the fherifFs of the feveral counties, and to the magi-
ftrates, &c. of feveral towns, ' for affefllng and colledting money for fit-
' ting out Ikips of war for fupprefiing pirates and for the guard of the
' feas.' The precept for the county and towns of Dorfetfhire being ,
given at large, it appears that they were commanded to procure and fit
out a fliip of 500 tons burden, with a commander and 200 failors, with
cannon, fmall arms, fpears, darts, ammunition, &c. anfwerable, and
ftored with provifions, and double equipage, and all other necelTaries,
for 26 weeks at leaft; all which was to be paid and maintained at their
own charge.
Here follows the lift of all the ftiips which the feveral counties of
England and Wales were commanded to fupply for the year 1 636.
Ships. 'Tuns. Men.
Dorfetfliire ------------ i 500 2CO
Cornwall -------------i 650 260
Leicefterfhire ____- i 450 180
Middlefex (Weftminfter included) ----- i 550 220
Suffolk - - I . 800 320
Huntingdonfhire - ---------1 200 80
Vol. II. - - - ^ ^
386
A. D. 1635.
Buckinghamfhire -------
Bedfordfhire --------
Derbyfhire ---------
Hertfordfhire --------
Norfolk - - .- -
Cumberland and Weftmoreland, jointly
Yorkfliire -- -------
StaffordlTiire -------- '
Wilts - -
Herefordfhire - - - - - - -
Monmouthfhire -------
Shropfhire _--- -----
Surrey - - - -----
Hampfhire ---------
Warwickfliire -------
Devonfliire - - ------
Kent -----------
Northamptonfhire ------
Nottinghamfhire _ - - - - - •
Berks ----------
Oxon ----------
Rutlandfhire --------
Briftol city ---------
Gloucefterfliire -------
Cambridgefhire -------
Lincolnfliire --------
Somerfetfliire - - - - - - -
Northumberland - - - - -
Worcefterfhire -------
Suffex -----
London city - - - - - - -
Durham ---------
Lancafhire ------
Effex -
South Wales - - - - - - -
North Wales -------
* As an example of the expense of this arma-
ment, the Effex (hip coft L8000, levied as follows:
Thaxtead .... L 40
Walden .... 80
Colchefter .... 400
* Total
Maiden
Harvvicli
All the reft of the county
'ps. "tons.
Men.
I 450
t8o
I 300
120
I 350
140
I 400
160
I 800
320
I 100
40
2,each6oo
240
I 200
80
1 700
290
I 400
160
I 150
60
I 450
180
I 400
160
I 600
240
I 400
160
I 900
360
I 800
320
I 600
240
I 350
140
I 400
160
I ^S"^
140
I 100
40
I 200
80
I 550
220
I 350
140
I 800
320
I 800
320
I 5C0
200
I 400
160
I 500
200
2, each 8 00
320
I 200
80
I 350
140
I 800
320
I soo
200
I 400
160
44 11-500
8610
_ .
80
.
20
county
7380
80CO
A.D.I 635. 587
Tills duty was repeated annually till 1639, and was valued at
L200,ooo per annum (fays the author of the Royal treafury of England,
publifhed in odavo in 1625.)
And bya later commiflion in this fameyear the king excufed thofe towns
and counties which, by their fituation, could not fit out the (hips above
fpecified wherewith they were charged, provided they paid their quotas
in money. By a fubfequent commiflion he direded the officers of his
navy to receive the quotas of money, and therewith to rig out, vidua!,
and man, from the king's yards and docks, a like fhip, or fliips. [Fi^dera,
V. xix, p. 697.] So that, after ifluing a proclamation for rellraining all
but his own fubjeds from lilliing on his coafts without his licence, he
fent out a great fleet (in the year 1636) which attacked and difperfed
the Dutch fifliing fliips, fome of which they funk, and compelled the
rell to retire into the Englifli harbours for fhelter : whereupon the Dutch
agreed to pay King Charles L30,ooo * for perraiflion to continue their
fifliing for that fummer ; which, Rulhworth, [Co/kciions , V. ii,/>. 322] fays,
was adually paid, and the Dutch moreover tefl:ified a willingnefs to pay
a future yearly tribute for the like liberty. Yet De Witt in his Intereft
of Holland (ipeaking of the bad curing of the herrings caught by the
Englifli fifliing company, whereby they were rejeded at Dantzic in the
years 1637 and 1638, and which brought that company to nothing)
acrimonioufly fubjoins thus ; ' whereupon the EnglilTi changed their
* former claim upon the whole fifliery for that of demanding the tenth
* herring: which the diUgent and frugal Hollauders reputed no lefs than
' to fiili for, and pay tribute to, a flothful and prodigal people, for a
' mere pp lage along the coafls of England.'
King Charles direded a fpecial commiflion for making the river Wey
navigable from Guildford to the river Thames at Weybridge. It feems
that river had been formerly navigable ; for this record obferves that
it is now become unfit for carrying barges, boats, or vefl^els of any bur-
den, for tranfporting commodities to and from Guildford : and the com-
miflioners were thereby authorifed to furvey the river, and to inquire by
what means it had become unfit for carrying barges, &c. [F^edera, F.
xix,/*, 686.]
In Richlieu's Political teflanient we find that France even then
abounded with the finefl: and beft of manufadures : fuch Hays he) as
the ferges of Chalons and of Chartres, which have fuperfeded thole of
Milan. The Turks prefer the French draps de fceau of Rouen be-
fore all others, next to thofe of s enice, which are made of Spaniiii wool.
Such fine plufhes are made at Tours, that they are fent into Spain, Italy,
&c. ; alfo fine plain taffeties. Red, purple, and fpotted velvets, finer tnan
at Genoa. France is the only place for filk ferges. Mohair (^camblet)
* Not 30,000 florin?, as Rapia has it.
3 C 2
^SS A. D. 1635.
is made as good here as in England ; and the beft cloth of gold, finer
and cheaper than in Italy.
King Charles, by proclamation, prohibited the importation of foreign
purles, cut-works, or bone-laces, or of any commodities laced or edged
therewith. This he declared to be at the requeft and for the benefit of
the makers of thole goods in London and other parts of the realm, now
brought to great want and neceflity, occafioned by the great import-
ation of thofe foreign wares : to prevent which for the future, he ap-
pointed the Englifli-made goods to be fealed or marked. [F^dera, V.
xix, p. 600.]
Another of his proclamations prohibits the importation of any fort
of glafs from foreign parts. It feems that King James, in the 13th year
of his reign, had prohibited the making of glafs with wood-firing, for
the better prefervation of timber, and alio prohibited the importation of
foreign glafs. ' Yet (fays King CharlesJ ill-minded perfons, to the pre-
' judice of our own glafs works, having prefumed to import foreign
' glafs, v.-e now ftridly prohibit the fame during the term granted by
' King James to Sir Robert Manfell, for the fole making of glafs ; he
* having, by his induftry, and great expenfe, perfeded that manufadure
' with fea-coal or pit-coal ; whereby not only the woods and timber of
' this kingdom are greatly preferved, but the making of ail kinds of
' glafs is eilablifhed here, to the faving of much treafure at home, and
' the employment of great numbers of our people ; and our fubjeds are
' now furnifhed with glafs at far more moderate prices than they were
' when brought from foreign parts.' Yet the king permits Sir Robert
Manfell to import fuch glalTes from Venice, Morana, or other parts of
Italy, as he Ihould think fit, for fpecial ufes and fervices. {F^dera, V.
xix, p, 693.] This permiffion doubtlefs related to the fine Venetian flint
glafles for drinking, the making of which in England was not brought
to perfedion till the reign of William III.
He alfo gave a patent for fourteen years for making wines from dried
grapes or raifins, which the patentee by his travels in foreign parts had
learned ; which wines had been approved of by all Inch as have ufed
them, to be mofl; wholefome and good, and will keep for fea voyages :
the patentee paying 40/" yearly into the king's exchequer. [Fcedera, V. xix,
We have a proclamation ' prohibiting any coin, plate, or bullion,
' from being ufed in making gold and filver thread, copper-gilt or fil-
' vered, gold or filver foliate, purles, ores, fpangles, wire, and fuch other
* manufadures, except what fhall be imported from foreign parts, or
' which fh'iU arife from the fame works and manufactures being melted
' again : and that none of the current gold and filver coins of this realm
' be hereafter molten down by any refiner, goldfmith, &c. And that
' all gold and filver hereafter to be employed in the faid manufadures
A. D. 1635. , 389
* be provided, prepared, and difgrofled by fuch perfons only as we fhall
* aflign, and by none others ; and which fliall be by them Ibid and de-
' hvered to all perfons who fliall ule the flime, according to Rich ftand-
* ards, and at fuch rates and prices as we fliall limit, and at fuch places
' in London as our commiflioners fhall affign. And none fliall make
' the faid wares but fuch as fliall be by them authorized : and a flamp
* to be put on all the faid manufadures *.' \^Fcedera, V. x\\, p. 71 8.]
The king, in a proclamation, complained that the great number of
hackney coaches lately kept in London and Weflminfler and their fub-
urbs, and the general and promifcuous ufe of coaches there, were not
only a great difturbance to his majefly, his dearefl conlbrt the queen,
the nobility, and others of place and degree, in their pafllige through the
flre^ts, but the flreets themfelves were fo peflered, and the pavements
fo broken up, that the common pafTage was thereby hindered and made
dangerous, and the prices of hay and provender, &c. thereby made ex-
ceeding dear : wherefor he commanded that no hackney or hired
coaches fhould be ufed in London, Wellminfler, or the fuburbs there-
of, except they be to travel at leafl three miles out of the fame ; and alfo
that no perfon fhould go in a coach in the flreets, except the owner of
the coach fliall conflantly keep up four able horfes for our fervice when
required. [^Fcedcra, V. xix, />. 721.]
Hiftorians tell us (for which we acknowlege we have no other more
authentic authority) that King Charles I, in the 15th year of his reign,
siranted a licence to the French to cure and dry their fiQi on the ifland
of Newfoundland in confideration of an annual tribute of 5 per cent :
yet even this conceflion was better than that ftipulated by the treaty
of Utrecht, which allowed that ill-judged privilege to France, with-
out any confideration at all.
The king ordained twopence to be advanced on every fliiUing paid
to the reelers, &c. of woollen yarn. He alfo appointed an officer to
fearch, furvey, and feal, the reel-ftafFin every county, and to regifter the
names of the owners of each reel in a book ; which reels fhould be all of
one uniform fize, whereby the goodnefs or bajnefs of yarn would be
eafily known. [F^dera, V. xi\, p. 730.]
Tn the fame year he ifTued a commiflion for the repair of Dover pier,
lately damaged by the fea ; for which end he laid an additional duty of
twelvepence on every packet of goods fhipped thence by merchant-
flrangers, to continue for three years. [Fadera, V. xix, p. 730.] That
pier is directed to be farther repaired by cap. v. of the nth and 12th
of King William, and by the 7th flatue of the 2d and 3d of Queea
Anne. " ■
* Thus almoft every proclamation, order, or inclinable to increafc, rather than to be obliged to
grant, relating to manufactures, new inventions, call a parliament for that end, fince they would
5;c. had a principal regard to the augmentation of ftill probably perfift, as before, to have national
tjie king's revenue, which at any rate he fcemed grievances go hand in hand wiiii fup^lic.
390 A. D. 1635.
Private copper farthings, or tokens, as they were then called, being flili
ufed in retail bufmefs, King Charles ilTued a proclamation forbidding
the currency of them, and ordering that none be ufed but thofe for-
merly ifTued by his father's authority.
Guadaloupe, one of the largefl; of the Caribbee iflands, was now fet-
tled on by the French. According to the French author of the Hiftory
of the Caribbee iflands, it is one of the moft flouriftiing of them. He
fays that the French in that ifland ufed the plough, a thing not to be
feen in any of the other ifles ; and after the plough, it bears rice, Tur-
key-wheat, caflavia-root, potatoes ; and in fome parts, ginger and fugar-
canes, with great increafe.
The French from St. Chriflophers in this fame year firfl planted Marti-
nico, where they found many native Caribs, with whom at firfl they lived
peaceably, but had afterward fierce war with them, tiU they drove
them into inacceflible rocky places and mountains. The French inha-
bitants were, (in 1658) 10,000 in number, and the Indians and ne-
groes as many more. It is the largefl of all the Caribbee ifles, and is
forty-five leagues in circuit. Though at firfl, like the other ifles, they
chiefly planted tobacco and cotton, yet now (1658) it produced 10,000
hogflieads of fugar, befide ginger, pimento, cocoa, caflla, &c. Here
the governor-general of all the French Caribbee iflands refides to this
day. It is now fo fruitful and populous as to be faid to have a militia
of 10,000 men or more, and 60,000 negros: being alfo finely furnifli-
ed with rivers, fprings, and harbours, and moft excellent fruits, vafl:
quantities of fugar, melafl^es, coffee, cotton, indigo, ginger, &c.
In the fame year. Colonel Jackfon, with a number of Englifli fliips
from our Leeward iflands, landed on Jamaica, and with only 500 men
attacked the fort of St. Jago de la Vega, with 2000 Spaniards in it,
which, with the city, they took and lacked, with the lofs of forty rnen
only ; then they re-embarked, after receiving a ranfom for forbearing
to burn it.
About this time the French firfl planted on the ifle of Cayenne, over
againft a river of the fame name on the coaft of Guiana, from whence,
however, they were feveral times driven out by the Dutch ; but the
French finally retook it in 1676, and have held it ever fince. It is
about feventeen leagues in compals. Here they have fundry fugar
plantations. They have fince fettled on the continent over againft Cay-
enne.
We cannot be quite pofitive whether the French did not about this
time fettle on the great river of Niger, otherwife called Senegal river, on
the weft coaft of Africa, where the beft gum Senegal is produced, but
we imagine from fome circumftances that it was nearly at this time *.
* The learned De Guignes dates theory? fettlcmeiit of the French at Senegal in 1364 or 1 365.,
\_Memotre! de Litlerature, V. xxxvii, pp. 518, 520.3 M,
A. D. 1635. 391
In the fame year, a very rich lead mine, in which was faid to be
much filver, was difcovered in Swedifli Lapland, near the town of Pi-
tha, at the head of the Bothnic gulf.
1636. — The king made a new regulation of the colony of Virginia,
whereby ' he appointed Sir John Harvey to be continued governor
thereof; and empowered him and any three of his council to appoint
a commifTion for enlarging its limits, and for finding out what trades
may be mofl neceflary to be undertaken for the benefit of the colo-
ny ; alfo to fend out forces for fubduing the Indians, and to make'
war or peace, as may befi: fuit the fafety of the colony and our ho-
nour. That in cafe of the governor's death, or his neceflary abfence
(not to be allowed by lefs than four of the council there), one of the
council to be appointed by the reft fhall a6l in his ftead ; the gover-
nor and council to be fubordinate, fubjedt, and obedient to the lords
commiflloners and committees here for our plantations, touching the
prefent government of that colony, to whom as well as to us the go-
vernor fhall, on the death of any member of the council, give notice
thereof, that we may appoint another in his ftead.' \_Foedera, V. xx,
^ 3-]
As thefe regulations are in the main the fame by which the colonies
called regal, or fuch as are immediately under the crown, are ftill go-
verned, they are for that reafon here exhibited, being the fir ft eftablifti-
ment thereof in that manner.
' King Charles commiflloned a number of lords and gentlemen to"
* enable William Sandys, Efq. to make the river Avon navigable
' for boats and barges, from its jundHon with the river Severn near
' Tewkftjury to the city of Coventry ; and alfo the river Team, on the
' weft fide of the Severn towards Ludlow.' \Fcsdera, V. xx, p. 6.]
The king renewed a proclamation of the 7th year of his father's reign,
prohibiting all perfons, not his natural-born fubjects, from fiftiing on the
coafts and feas of Great Britain and Ireland without a fpecial licence
firft obtained from his majefty. ' And by thefe prefents we make pub-
' lie declaration, that our refolution is, at times convenient, to keep
' fuch a competent ftrength of fliipping upon our feas as may by God's
' blefllng be fufficient both to hinder fuch farther encroachments upon
' our regalities, and to aflift and protect thofe our good friends and al-
' lies who ftiall henceforth, by virtue of our licences to be firft obtaln-
' ed, endeavour to take the benefit of fiftiing upon our coafts and feas
' in the places accuftomed.' He alfo confirmed another proclamation
of the 17th year of King James, prohibiting the importation of whale-
fins by any but the Rufiia company. And he now direds, for the en-
couragement of that company and the increafe of navigation, that none,
whether natives or foreigners, fliall import any whale-fins or whale-oil,
but the laid company only, and this in their joint- ftock capacity alone
392 - A. D. 1636/
in refped to the whale fifhery, under pain of forfeiting, &c. [Fadera,
r.xx, pp. 15, 16.]
King Charles again regulated the clock-reel or reel-ftaff for woollen
yarn, by enjoining one uniform diraenfion for it. He alfo enjoined,
that there be only one weight and one meafure for every commodity
to be bought or fold throughout the kingdom, and that his clerk of the
market for his houfehold fliould have the overfeeing and examination
of all weights and meafures ; for v/hich confideration the king hereby
appoints certain fees to be paid to him *. [Ftxde?-a, V. xx, p. 41.]
A connniflion was illued for inquiring into and preventing encroach-
ments on the river Thames by ladders, flairs, trap-doors, &c. from
whence rubbifh and dirt were ufually thrown into it, to the great de-
triment of its navigation. Alfo another for compounding with fuch as
had been guilty of importing, felling, or ufing, a talfe dying wood called
logwood, blockv.'ood, or Campefea wood (Campechy wood), contrary to
two llatutes of the 23d and 39th of Queen Elizabeth ; and for punilh-
ing fuch as fhould hereafter be found guilty in this refpect. [Ftsedera,
r. XX, /./). 47, 52.]_
In a new commiffion for levying fliip-money, the qviotas payable by
London, Middlefex, and Northumberland, were fomewhat lightened, and
thofe of Cumberland and Weftmoreland a little enlarged. IFa^dera,
V. XX, pp. s<^, 74-]
In the fame year King Charles granted a patent to the Lord Mal-
travers and Sir Francis Crane for the fole coinage of copper or brafs
farthings ; and, purfuant to an order of the flar-chamber, of the year
1634, it was now provided, that the faid brafs farthings fliould not be
forced upon poor labourers in payment, they having formerly been
compelled to take all or moil of their wages in fuch farthings from de-
flgning men, who had bought up great quantities of them at a low rate.
Silver (fays Rufliworth) was fo fcarce and gold fo plenty at this time,
that when cattle were fold in Smithfield, they commonly bargained to
be paid in filver and not in gold, infomuch that twopence or more was
ufually given for exchanging a twenty Ihilling piece into lilver, although
the gold was full weight.
The king appointed commiflioners to compound with the tranfgref-
fors of the laws made againft deftroyers of timber trees and woods in
melting and forging iron. [Fo'dera, V. xx, p. 68.]
The king ilTued a monopolizing proclamation, that none fhould buy
any ballad out of the river Thames but a perfon appointed by him for
that purpofe. And having already monopolized all the faltpetre and
* Tliis antient officer had formerly great power, this daj nothing has been efFeftually done for re-
which was generally abiiftd, to the great oppreflion ducing all merchandize to one weight or meafure,
of the fubjeft, whcrcfor that ofHcc is long fince fo obvioufly convenient throughout Great Bntai|»
juaiy in difufe. It is fomewhat flrange that to and Irdaud. 4
A. D. 1636. 393
gunpowder, he now appointed a commilllon for receiving of his two
gunpowder-makers all the powder tliey fhould make at 7^-^ per pound
weight, and for again felling the fame out to his fubjeds at fuch prices
as the commiilioners fhould from time to time iix.
In this commiffion we find the king was not able to carry on this-
monopoly without the importation of faltpetre from foreign parts, there
not being enough produced in England for the manufidure of all the
gunpowder requifite for his and his fubjeds ufe. He alfo prohibited the
importation of foreign gunpowder; and direded that his officers fliould
not take above 1/6 per pound for gunpowder fold out to his fubjeds,
and that no retailers of it to whom it is thus fold fhould fell it again for
above 1/8 in London, and i/8| per pound in the country, if diflant
.thirty miles or more from London. \_F^Jcra, V.. xx, pp. 93, gG, 107.]
A malt and brewing monopoly was eftabliflied on pretence of re-
flraining the excellive nuniber of common maltft^jrs, by means of whom
not only a greater confumption and wafte of barley was occafioned, but
alfo fundry abufes in the bad making of malt : likewife for reftraininf
the great number of innkeepers and viduallers, who take upon them to
brew ale and beer, which they fell by retail, and make too flrong and.
heady, ferving for drunkennefs and excefs ; and thencei'orth the king
was to appoint, in fit places throughout the realm, a conipetent number
-of maltflers and common brewers to be incorporated, under fuch fines
and yearly paynaents to us as fhould be thought meet. [^Fwdera, V. \k,
•p. 102.]
King Charles contracted with John Crane, Elq. iurveyor-general, for
victualling his navy, nearly in the form of the contracT: for the like pur-
=pofe already related under tlie year 1622. Mr. Crane was to be allow-
ed for lailors in harbour 7 jir/ per day for their provifions, and when at
fea 8y<^ per day. \Fcedera, V. xx, p. 103.]
King Charles incorporated all the tradefmen and artificers inhabiting
fuch places in the city of London as are exempted froin the freedona
thereof, as alfo thole in the outparts of Weftminller and Middlefex,
within three miles of the laid city of London ; thereby alfo excluding
for the future all fuch as have not ferved i'even years to their refpedive
occupations, as well as all foreigners, from pradifing their relpedive
trades. The pretences, fcarcely plaufible, for this moft extraordinary
corporation, as in this proclamation, were, ' in order to prevent thofe
' places from being peflered with inmates, and alio to prevent the pre-
' judice done to fuch as were freemen of London, and for the more or-
' derly difpofing of trade and tradefmen.' [Fofit'/fl, /^ xx, />. r 13.] Eut
although no payments into his exchequer are mentioned, it feems rea-
fonable enough to Cufped that he was thereby laying a foundation for
fome fuch tax.
Vol. n. 3D
294 ■^' ■^' ^^3^'
In a lift of offices beftowed in this i 2th year of King Charles's reign.
there is one for the office of clerk and keeper of all the king's flores
and ftorehoufes at Deptford, Chatham, Portfmouth, and elfewhere, for
his Majefty's ftiips and navy. [F^dera, V. xx, p. 126.] It feems pro-
bable that neither Plymouth, Sheernefs, nor Woolwich, had then royal
docks and ftorehoufes, otherwife it fhould feem they would have been
named in that grant, the words and elftwhere feeming to be merely ex-
pletive. '
By this time the Dutch Weft-India company had reduced the greateft
part of the coaft of Brafil, having (according to Voltaire's General hi/lory
of Europe, chap, xi.) in the fpace of thirteen years fent thither i 800 ftiips
for war and commerce (others fay but 800), which were valued at four
millions and an half fterling ; and had in that fpace taken from Spain,
then fovereign of Portugal, 545 veffels. That company, in this year,
1636, fent thither Prince Maurice as governor-general, and while he
remained there, which was eight years, their affairs in general profper-
ed well enough : but yet their tirft declenfion in Brafil may be dated
from the Portuguefe fhaking off the Spanifti yoke in the year 1640,
foon after which remarkable revolution they gradually gained ground
of the Dutch in Braiil, from whence we fliall fee them entirely expelled
in the year 1 654.
The Spaniards having poffeffed themfelves of the two fmall ifles of
St. Marguerite and St. Honorate, on the coaft of Provence, in the year
1635, whereby they greatly annoyed that coaft, the French now fitted
out forty-two ftiips at Rochelle, which were joined in the Mediterranean
by tw:enty-four galleys, the whole commanded by the count de Har-
court, who, on the coaft of Italy, near Monaco, attacked the joint fleets
of Spain, Sicily, Naples, and Florence, and obtained a complete vidtory
(fays Morifot in his Orbis maritimus), finking their beft ftiips, and put-
ting the reft to flight. Thence they went and ravaged the ifland of Sar-
dinia.
Moreover, Cardinal Richlieu, the French prime-minifter and diredtor-
general of the marine, confidering how much France lay open to the
attacks and infults of England for want of a maritime force, had for
fome years been preparing all the fliips he could either purchafe from
beyond fea, or colled from all the French ports of the Ocean and Me-
diterranean, and had now got together what the judicious author of an
excellent pamphlet, publiftied in 1695, named, Confiderations requir-
ing greater care for trade in England, calls France's firft line of battle,
confifting of upwards of fifty ftiips and twenty galleys ; with which force
France recovered the two iflands above mentioned, after vanquiftiing
the Spanifti fleet, and taking five large Spanifti ftiips, twenty-two galleys,
and eighteen fmaller veflels.
A. D. 1637. 395
1 6.37 — This was properly the firfl time that France began to fliew a
fuperiority over Spain at fea, as fhe had before done at land : and after-
wards Richlieu went on deflroying the remains of Spain's naval flrength,
till at length it was reduced to the lowefl: ebb.
Count Maurice of Nafllui, the Dutch Weft-India company's governor-
general in Brafil, took another fortrefs from the Spaniards : and fome
of that company's (hips failed from thence to the coaft of Guinea, and
made themfelves mafters of the famous caftle of St. George del Mina,
the principal Portuguefe fort of all that coaft, which they have kept to
this day, as alfo of feveral other lefl'er forts there. By thefe conquefts
on the Guinea coaft the Dutch were fupplied at firft hand with negroes
for carrying on their fugar plantations, &c. in Brafil.
King Charles iflued a proclamation, importing, ' that being inform-
* ed that numbers of his fubjedts are every year tranfporting themfelves
' and families, with their eftates, to the Englifti plantations in America,
' amongft whom there are many idle and refradory humours, vvhofe
' only or principal end is to live as much as they can without the reach
* of authority ;' the king thereby commands all the officers of the fe-
veral ports that they do not hereafter permit any perfons being fubfidy-
men (i. e. payers of the ufual fubfidies) to embark themfelves thither,
without a licence from the commiflioners for plantations ; nor none un-
der the value of fubfidy-men, without a certificate of his having taken
the oaths of fupremacy and allegiance, and likewife, from the minifter
of the parifti, of his converfation, and conformity to the orders and dif
cipline of the church of England. This was levelled againft the puri-
tans, then going in great numbers to New-England to avoid perfecution
at home : and a better fample needs not to be defired of the wifdom of
this king and his minifters. [Fasdera, V. xx, p. 143. J
Some of the Englifti Eaft-lndia company's ftnps having in the year
1 634 touched at Goa, the capital of the Portuguefe poft'eflions in India,
they were kindly treated by the viceroy there, with whom the Englifti
concluded a truce, and alfo a free trade, not only thither, but to C;jina
and all other parts where the Portuguefe were fettled in India ; where-
upon, in the following year (1635), King Charles granted a licence to
Captain John Weddell, &c. with fix ftiips, to make a voyage to Goa
and the coaft of Malabar, and alfo to the coafts of China and Japan,
there to trade in fuch commodities as they could to the beft advantage
for themfelves and all other his fubjeds for the future : * but the Eaft-
* India company having neither planted n.)r fettled a trade in thoie
* parts as we expedled, nor made luch fortifications and places of furety
' as might encourage any hereafter to adventure to trade thither ; nei-
' ther have we received any annual benefit from thence as other princes
* do, by reafon of the faid company's negled to fortify, they having
' merely purfued their own prelent profit, without providiu^j any fafety
3D 2
396 A. D. 1637.
* or fettlednefs for eftablifhing of traffic in the faid Indies for the good
* of pofleiity ; whereas the Portuguefe and Dutch had both planted
* and fortified, and alfo eftablifhed a lafling and hopeful trade there,
* for the good of pofterity ; by the advantage whereof they had not on-
' ly rendered our people there fubjed to their infolences, but had in a
* manner worked them out of the trade, which we find by the com-
* plaint of divers adventurers in that fociety, and principally by the
' dayly decreafe of our cufloms for imports from India, owing to the
* faid company's fupine negled: of difcovery, and fettling trade to divers
' parts, when they had a plentiful flock and fair opportunities to ef-
' fca it.'
And as all the attempts for a north-weft paflage to Eaft-India have
hitherto proved unfuccefsful, which, however, we beUeve might be per-
formed from Japan, north-eaft to the north of California, on the back,
fide of America, in about forty degrees north latitude, and fo to coaft
along northwards, eaftward, and weftward, as the land will give way,
to fixtv-four degrees northward, where it was left undifcovered by Sir
Thomrs Button, Captain Luke Fox, and others, to come through the
ftraits of Mudfon in the Weftern or Atlantic fea. The king, in the faid
grant of 1635, direc^d that the grantees fhould, from the fea of China,
Japan, or eliewhere, fend one of their fhips, well furniflied and manned,
to attempt that difcovery ^ allotting them half the cuftoms and other
benefits that fhould arife from all fuch new difeoveries as fhould be
made, referving to himfelf the other half, with the fovereignty of the
countries. The king next prefcribes the rules and government of thofe
fhips and people in the voyage to and from India, China, and Japan,
and on land there. He grants them the ufe of a new common feal,
and to all intents makes them a feparate company for the Eaft-India
trade ; direding the old company, their agents and fervants, not to mo-
left them in their Eaft-India commerce.
The perfons who fet on foot this new company were, Sir William
Courten, Sir Paul Pindar, See. ; but the king himfelf, as he therein de-
clares, and Endymion Porter, a groom of his bed-chamber, had fhares
therein jointly with them and Weddell, &c. In this year, 1657, there-
for, the king confirmed their privileges (the fnips being already gone-
en their voyage) as to all places in India where the old company had'
not fettled any fadcries nor trade before the r2th of December 1635,
but without prejudice to the old company in other refpeds. This new
company's grant of trade and privileges was to laft for five years, during
whicli time they might annually re-export what India goods they fhould
bring home, and might in that cafe draw back the entire cuftoins paid
on their importation. Moreover, during the faid five years, they might
export L40,oocv.to India in gold and filver bullion, paying to the king
Li : 10 per cent for that privilege: and they might alio, during the
A.D. 1637. 397
faid term, admit any others to be partners with them in this ad\H?n-
ture *. [Fo'dera, V. xx, p. 146.]
On this voyage to India Sir William Courten's flilps made a fmail
fettlement on the great ille of Madagafcar, which was ioon after ruined
by the old Eafl-Tndia company f .
The king iflued a frefh proclamation concerning malt and brewing,
wherein he exprefsly enjoins, that for the fake of the poorer fort of his
people, whofe ufual bread was barley, as well as for the reafons alTigned
in hi-s proclamation of the preceding year, already recited, the common
maltfters in every county be incorporated, and none of them fhall fol-
low any other calling ; alfo, that no maltfter fhall be a brewer or
cooper at the fame time ; and that common maltfters and common brew-
ers fliall only pradtife their trades in fuch places as fhall be afligned
by the king and council, and none but fuch to pradtife any where. No
innkeeper, alehoufe-keeper, nor vidualer, fliall brew the drink they re-
tail, unlefs there be no common brev/er in or near the place where they
live; which refliidions were not, however, to extend to the city of'
London, nor within four miles of it. [Fa-dc'ra, V. xx, p. 157-]
We have feen King Charles's proclamation for the reftraint of hack-
ney and other coaches under the year 1635 ; we fhall now fee him in a
contrary flrain in his fpecial commiflion to the marquis of Hamilton,
his mafler of the horfe, viz. ' that we, finding it very requifite for our^
' nobility and gentry, as well as for foreign ambaffadors, flrangers, and
* others, that there fhould be a competent number of hackney coaches
' allowed for fuch ufes, have, by the advice of our privy council, thought
' fit to allow fifty hackney coachmen in and about London and Wefl-
' minfter, limiting them not to keep above twelve horfes apiece ; alfo
' fo many others in other places in England as fliall be neceffiry. We
' therefor grant to you, during your life, the power and authority to
' licence fifty hackney coachmen, who fliall keep no more than twelve
* good horfes each for their coaches refpefbvely. You alio hereby have
* power to licence fo many in other cities and towns of England as in-
* your wifdom fliall be thought neceflary, with power to reflrain and",
* Sir William Courten, who had the largeft fhare and tlie Dutch in 1662, fatlsfaftion was (lipulated
in this adventure, disd btfore this firfl voyage was to be made by tlie Dutch Eail-Iiidia company for
completed, and his fon William Courten was by the \.\vo fliips ; yet, fo late as the year i68z, we
the king in this lait grant tubltitutedin his father's dill find complaints in print on this point ; io th,it
place: and he has left in print fundry large ac- probably no redrefs was ever obtained ot the Dutch
counts- of his great loffes by this adventure, a- Ead-India company for thofe daaWj^ts. To fay
mounting to the fum of Li 5 1,612, occafioued by the truth, the iL-hcme of this new Englilli com-
the feizure of their two rich {hips, and the de- pany was an iniquitous one againll tlie old cojn^
ftruttion of thdr faftorits in India by the Dutch; pany, whofe charters were doubtlefs entirely ex-
which made much clamour both before and after clufive of all others.
the reftoration of King Charles II, many pam- -f- An extra£l from '1 e manufciript journal of
phlets being publilhed to Ihew the great damage this voyage, containing the traafat\ions in the ri-
done to hundreds of families, civditors of Courten ver of Canton, is publilhed by Sir George Staun-
and Pindar. In the treaty betv^en King Charles II- ton in his Account of an embajjy to Ch'ma, c. 1. Af.
3
398 A. D. 1637.
* prohibit all others from keeping any hackney coach to let to liire ei -
* ther in London or elievvhere ; alfo to prefcribe rules and orders con-
' cerning the dayly prices of the faid licenced hackney coachmen to be
* by them taken for our own particular fervice and in their employ-
* ment for our fubjeds, provided fuch orders be firft allowed by us un-
der our royal hand.' [Foedera, V. xx, p. 195.] By allowing each of thefe
fifty coachmen twelve horfes, it is plain there might be, and moll: pro-
bably were, many more than fifty coaches kept by them, poflibly even,
as far as three hundred in number.
The king, by proclamation, ordered the pigs and bars of iron made in
England to be marked by his furveyors of the iron-works, to prevent
the fale of bad iron ; and that iron was not to be exported without the
king's licence under pain of forfeiture, &c. Thofe furveyors were alfo
empowered to enter any woods that were felled, cut, or coarded, to be
converted into coal for making of iron, Mdiereby it might appear of
what condition thofe woods were that fliould be employed that way,
and that they be not cut down contrary to law. [Foedera, V. xx, p. 161.]
A very proper regulation if rightly executed.
A propofal being made to the king for the better working of lead
mines in Wales, fo as to extradt more filver therefrom than hitherto the
miners there have had Ikill to do, in order to coin money therefrom :
the king therefor ereded a mint at the caflle of Aberiftwith in Cardi-
ganfhire, and appointed the propofer, Thomas Bufhell, to be warden
thereof; who on his part covenanted with the king to coin five differ-
ent filver coins there, viz. half-crowns, ftiillings, fixpences, twopences,
and pence, at the rate of fixty-two {hillings in the pound troy, which
fliould contain eleven ounces and two penny-weight of fine filver, and
eighteen penny-weight allay, which is the old right ftandard of the mo-
nies of filver in England. But two {hillings out of every pound weight
of coined filver were to be retained at the mint, viz. fourteenpence for
the charges, and tenpence for the king ; fo that there fliould only be
delivered out to the owner three pounds by tale. The money to have
the feathers ftamped on both fides of it, to {hew that it was coined in
Wales. [Foedera, V. xx, p. 163.]
King Charles again directed fhip-money to be levied for the fervice
of the year 1638. The number ot {hips, tonnage, and men, the fame
as in the preceding year. [Fcedera, V. xx, p. 169.]
On account of hoftility committed by a {hip of Rotterdam on fome
Englifh fhips in the year 1630, the king now granted the fufFcrers let-
ters of repriful again{l: all Dutch fliips, they bemg bound to render an
account of their prizes to the admiralty. [Foedera, V. xx, p. i " i .]
After all the exclufive powers, &.c. which King Charles had granted
to his foap company in We{lminfier, he found himfdt now obliged to
recall them aU. But, in their ftead, he ereded another new exclufive
A. D. 1637. 399
foap company, within the city of London, equally illegal, having the
lord mayor, Edward Bromfield, Efq. at their head ; whereby he pro-
hibits all others throughout England, but iiich as fliall be free of this
new corporation, from making foap, or buying pot-albes, excepting Sir
Richard Wefton, and feveral foap-makers of Briflol, Bridgewater, Ex-
eter, Somerfet, Dorfet, Devon, and Cornwall, who had licences to make
limited quantities and forts of foap ; for which they probably gave due
fatisfadion. The Weftminfter company previoufly refigned their char-
ter into the king's hands. [Fofdera, V. xx, p. 181.]
King Charles gave a fpecial coinmiffion to Robert earl of Warwick,
his agents and alTociates, to fit out ' as many armed fhips as he fhould
' judge proper, at his and their coils, for an undertaking tending to the
* advancement of our fervice and revenue, and the enlargement of our
* territories in the Weft-Indies, and to the public honour of the na-
* tion ; and to ailail, take, burn, or otherwife deflroy, any carracks,
' fhips, galleys, &c. in thofe feas, or any where elfe, where the free na-
' vigation, trade, or commerce of any of our fubjecls is or Ihall be de-
* nied, or adually intercepted, or oppofed in any kind; (faving the
' carracks, fhips, &c. of all princes and ftates keeping league and amity
* with us, and not denying or adually interrupting, &c. the free navi-
' gation in the leas aforelaid.) Impowering the fiid earl and his aflb-
* ciates, in hoftile manner, by force of arms, ftratagem, or other policy
' of war, to invade, furprize, vanquifh, retain, poffefs, and keep to our
* ufe, any lands, iflands, cities, caftles, or other parts within the con-
' tinent or iflands of America, or elfewhere, which he fhall any way
' bring under his power; and therein to plant, inhabit, and fortify, or
* elfe to demolifh and deftroy the fame ; and to take to his ufe all the
* ammunition, goods, and treafure, found therein, &c.' [F^dera, V. xx,
p. 186.]:
Every one may fee that this private expedition was intended againft the
Spanifli Weft-Indies. P'or although there was then peace between Eng-
land and Spain in Europe, yet there had never been any proper treaty of
peace between the two nations, relating to the Weft-Indies, or other parts
of America, wherein the pretenfions of the crown of Spain ran ftill 'io high
as to claim the abfolute fovereignty. And that very wild and arbitrary
claim gave a reafonable handle to other maritime nations to get poflef-
Con of as much as they could of thofe undetermined territories : where-
as, if Spain had made treaties with England and France, for afcertain-
ing the diftindl property of each nation there, fhe might at this day
have preferved her claim to fome parts thereof, which the feeblenefs oif
that rnonarchy in fucceeding times obliged her to give up. This in-
tended expedition, however, probably did not fucceed, or rather, per-
haps did not take place, fince none of our naval hiftorians nor voyagers
make any naention of it at all.
400 " A. D. 1637.
The king gave a patent to Thonaas earl of Berkftiire, for the fole ufe
of his newly invented kiln for drying malt and hops, with fea-coal, turf,
pear, or any other cheap fuel : with power to him to compound for a
lum of money to be paid by fuch as fhall defire to ufe his invention.
[Fa'dcra, F. xx, p. 191.]
Private letter carriers between England and France were ftill in ufe,
notwitftanding King Charles's proclamation in 1636, and alfo King
Louis's in the fame y-ear, both prohibiting the fame. In confequence
of an agreement between thofe two princes, the route of the public
pods was from Dover to Calais, and thence to Paris by Bologne, Abbe-
ville, and Amiens ; whereas the private pofts failed from Rye to Dieppe,
and thence to Paris. Wherefor King Charles, by proclamation, prohi-
bited any letters being fent from Rye to Dieppe, or any other way what-
ever, but from his polbnafler-general, by the way of Calais, as above.
He alio again prohibited all private pofts at home ; hereby renewing his
former declaration of the feveral rates of poftage, as exhibited, under the
year 1635. [Fa'dcra, V. xx, p. 192.]
In England, gentlemen, merchants, and traders, not long before this
.time, were forced to employ lefs certain carriers, or to be at the ex-
penfe of fpecial meifengers with their letters. Univerlities and great
towns had their own particular pofts ; and the fame horfe or foot poft
went quite through the journey, and returned with other letters, with-
out having different ftages, as at prefent. It was thus pra(^l:iled later in
Scotland, as having lefs commerce than in England.
In the lift of oftlces, filled up in England for the year 1657, we meet
with the following ones, viz.
I) The agency for the fole making and felling of all counterpoifes,
or weights and grains; and the approving and allowing of all balances
for his majefty's coins or money of gold within England and Ire-
land.
II) The office of meafurer of all foreigfi balks and timber.
III) The office of agency, for his majefty to grant licences to fell to-
bacco by retail.
IV) The office of intelligence ; and of entering the names of all maf-
ters, mlftrefles, and fervants ; and of all goods loft and found, &c. in
London, Weftmlnfter, and three miles diftant.
V) The office of fealer of all playing cards and dice. [Fcede/a, V. xx,
p. 199.]
In the fame year we find a monopoly granted to Sir Thomas Tem-
peft, and others, uotwitliftanding the former exclufive and perpetual
right, by charter, of tlie hoaftmen of Newcaftle, of the fole power of
fcJUng coals exported out of the river Tine, for twenty-one years.
[England's grievance difcovered in relation to the coal trade, cb. 21, \to.
A. D. 1637. 401
At this time James duke of Courland made a confidei-able figure in
naval power and commerce ; he built a good number of flout fliips of
war, and alfo fome forts on the coaft of Guinea, where he fettled facto-
ries ; he alfo fettled a colony on the iOand of Tobago in the Weft-Indies ;
fo that King Charles Guftavus, of Sweden, is reported fonaetime after
this to have pleafantly faid, ' my coufin of Courland is too great for a
' duke and too little for a king.' But as that duchy had not a fufficien-
cy of materials and manufactures for a great commerce, and the fuperior
genius of that prince died with him, Courland after his death funk to
its former proper and intrinfic value.
By an order of King Charles and his council, in this fame year, as
appears by all the London hiftoriographers of that age, that king, who
delighted too much in copying after any arbitrary order of other na-
tions, commanded all the London filverfmiths to live in Goldimiths-
row, being the fouth fides of the two fimous ftreets of London named
Cheapfide and Lombard-ftreet. The cruelty and abfurdity of this or-
der is fo obvious to every one, that it is needlefs to make any further
animadverfion on it. Pollibly fuch as were to be indulged in this cafe
paid fufficiently for it.
The fir ft Europeans who fettled in that part of America, fince named
New-Jerfey, and in part of Penlylvania, were Swedes ; we cannot fix
the exa6t year, although probably about 1637, but it was however
in Queen Chriftina's reign. They are faid, through our unaccount-
able fupinenefs, to have erected three towns therein very early, whofe
names ftill remain, viz. Gottenburg, Helfingburg, and Chriftina. Yet
the Swedes, not being fo induftrious as their neighbours the Dutch of
New-Nidderland, (now New-York) were by them diipoflelfed of the
north part, which they named, in Latin, Nova-Belgia. But as neither
Swedes nor Dutch had any right to fettle there, that country being part
of our province of Virginia, as then fo called, the duke of York, as
we fliall fee, made no fcruple to difpoflefs them both in the year 1664.
1638. — In the year 1638 King Charles incorporated Thomas Horth,
and other mafters of n^ips, who were empowered to buy all coals ex-
ported from the ports of Sunderland, Newcaftle, Blithe, and Berwick,
paying to the king i/per chaldron cuftom : and to fell them again to
the city of London, at a price not exceeding 17/ per chaldron in fum-
mer, and ipy in winter; provided they had a free market andajuft
raeafure at Newcaftle, &c. As this is not the lame grant as that in the
preceding year, it is probable the later was revoked. [E/i^lan^rs Griev-
ance, l^c. ch. 22.]
The French fleet, under the archbifhop of Bourdeaux, now beat the
Spanifh fleet of galeons, of which they took leveral ; and, in the fame
year, the galhes of Marfeilles vanquifhed thofe of Spain, near Genoa.
Vol. II. 3 E
402 A. D. 1638.
The Datcli from Batavia worfted the Portuguefe at Ceylon, in this
year, both at fea and on land, and took pofTeflion of their forts on that
ifland, upon which the king of the ifland concluded a treaty with the
Dutch, and granted them many privileges, and a reimburfement of the
charges of their expeditions againft the Portuguefe, to be paid in cin-
namon, pepper, cardamoms, indigo, wax, &c. with great prefents fent
to Batavia.
In purfu'ince of two acts of parliament, of the the 39th and 43d of
(^leen Elizabeth, for the true making of cloth, direding all kinds of
vvoollen cloth, brought for fale to London, to be firlt carried to Black-
well-hall, the common cloth-market for the city, to be there fearched
and fealed ; and of King James's proclamation, in his 1 ith year, direft-
ing, that all forts of vendible cloths, bays, fehs, fays, fluffs, as well old
as new draperies, made in England and Wales, fliould be brought to
Blackwell-hall for the like purpofe. King Charles publifhed a procla-
mation to the fame eflfed ; as alfo to prevent thofe who, to elude the
laws, make contrads for thofe woollen goods in the country, and bring
them afterward to London, to inns, v.-arehoufes, &c. to be there fold ;
whereby, fays the king, much deceit and damage redoundeth to our
fubjefts, and difcredit to our cloths in foreign parts ; and alfo the poor
children of Chrift hofpital in London are defrauded of the duties of
hallage there, appointed for their relief. [Fadera, V. xx, p. 2 2T.]
King Charles commanded, by his proclamation, all merchants and
maflers of fhips, €^c. not to fet forth any {hip or {hips with paffengers or
provifions for New-England, without his or his privy-council's fpecial
licence, ' for divers weighty and important caufes well known to us.'
\Fccdcra, V. xx, p. 2 23.] This v,as for retraining the puritans from going
to New England, who at this time flocked thither in great numbers, to
enjoy that liberty in a wildernefs which every man has an undoubted
right to (demeaning himfelf in a peaceable manner) in his native land.
Meft cruel therefor was the proceedings of this king in regard to thofe
people ; on the one hand to perfecute them at home, and on the other
to prevent their withdrawing from fuch perfecution.
The king in the fixth year of his reign had prohibited raw filk from
being dyed before the gum be fiir boiled off; but ' being now better in-
' formed by merchants, mercers, filk-men, and filk-weavers, that there
' was a fort called hard filk, dyed upon the gum (neceffirily ufed in
' making tufted taffaties, figured fatins, fine flight ribands, and ferret
' ribands, both black and coloured ; and although it be dyed upon the
' gum, yet it will not be increafed in weight above the limitations fol-
' lowing, viz. the pound weight of raw or thrown filk not to exceed fix-
' teen ounces when dyed into any coloured hard filk, with half an ounce
"* a-t tXLofl for remedy ; and being dyed into Spanifli black hard filk not
A. D. 1638. 403
' to exceed nineteen ounces when dyed, without any addition for re-
' medy. He now direded this later fcheme to take place ; and that no
' hard filk be ufed or mixed in making any other manufactures of filk
' than the above. Alfo that none fiiould import any ftufts or other
' manufadures made or mixed with hard filk, other than tufted taffeties
' and figured fatins ; nor any fluffs whatfoever made or mixed with filk,
' of lefs breadth than a full half yard nail and half nnil within the lifts,
* on forfeiture thereof.' {Ycedera, V. xx, p, 224.]
The king having lately incorporated the m.akers (in London) of hats
and caps of beaver wool ■■, and the wearing of beaver hats having of late
come much into ufe among people of rank and quality, he therefor
prohibited the importation of any hats or caps of beaver, or of any
other fort whatever : and ordered that none Ihould make any hats for
the future but freemen of that corporation. Alfo that no hair, wool,
or other ftuff", be by the faid hat-makers mixed with their beaver wool
in hat making : nor fliould any hats called demy-caftors be henceforth
made to be fold here ; but, as they are demanded in foreign parts, they
might be exported beyond lea, \Fixdera, V. xx, p. 230.]
King Charles repealed all the reftraints be had lately laid on malfters. '
or malt-makers, in the year 1636. \Jadera, V. xx, p. 234.]
The wine- merchants and vintners of England having agreed to pay
40/" per ton to King Charles for all the wines they fliould import, the
king in return prohibited the wine-coopers, who had already crept into
the wine-trade, from importing wines. By this record it appears that
licences for retailing wines v.'ere then under the management of the
vintners company, for his majefty's benefit. The king alfo direded
that the cuftom of retailing wines in bottles and other undue meafure.-;
be laid afide ; and that all wines be retailed bv iufi: meafures alone.
[Fardera, V. xx, p. 241.]
Bigotry in religon, ever deftrudive of the freedom of commerce,
and an unaccountable bias to the old laws made before commerce be-
came confiderable in England, had fo bhnded King Charles and his
niiniftry, that many proclamations and orders were now made, which
were very hurtful to the due freedom of commerce ; of which weaknefs
we have already feen fundry inftances i and we have another in a tedi-
ous proclamation, ' for reforming abufes in the manuhidure and
' breadths of filks and ftufts of foreign materials, fuch as velvets, pluflies,
' tifiues, gold and filver ftufts, damafks, taftaties, garters, ribands, and
' laces ; and impowering the weavers company ot London to admit a
' competent number of fuch perfons, as well ftrangers as natives, into
* the freedom of their company, as had exercifed the trade of weaving
' at leaft one whole year before the date of the new charter, (which he
* had in this fame year granted to that company) who fliould be con-
* forniable to the laws of the realm, and the conftitutions of the church
q E 2
404 A. D. 1638.
' of England.' [Foedrra, V. xx, p. 270.] What, in the name of com-
mon fenfe, had the conftitution of any church to do with the trade of
weaving ?
One of the king's proclamations of this year was for a verv praife-
worthy purpofe, viz. for deducing fix pence per month from fea of-
ficers pay, and four pence per month from all Tailors wages, in the mer-
chants fervice in the port of London, to be applied for the relief of maim-
ed, fhipwrecked, or otherwife difi:refl"cd failors in the merchants fervice,
and of the poor widows and children of fuch as fhould be killed or loft
in merchandizing voyages. This money to be under the management of
the corporation of the trinity-houfe, then kept at RatclifFe : excepting,
however, failors in the Eafl:-India company's fervice, who had even fo
early as this time, as they ftill have, a provifion of this kind fettled on
them. \^Fa'i/era, V. xx, p. 278.] In our own days a charitable corpora-
tion, for this good purpofe, has been lately ereded in London, fupport-
ed by voluntary contributions of merchants, 8j.c.
King Charles fomewhat relaxed his claim of fhip-money for the fuc-
ceeding year : for although it is faid to be levied all over England, as in
the two preceding years, yet it was now to be only for eighteen (hips
and pinnaces ; but, how the aifefllnent for this levy was made, does not
appear. Poflibly the clamour that the levying of it at all, without the
confent of parliament, and Mr. Hambden's trial for refufing to pay it,
had now begun to make that prince more cautious in the extenlion of
his prerogative, and he now direfts his lord-admiral, the earl of North-
lunberland, to fupply, as vifuaU fhips out of his own navy for fuch
counties whofe fituation difabled them irom fitting out any themfelves,
and to apply the money they fhall pay to him as therein direded. [i^r-
dera^ V. xx, p. 286.]
King Charles iflued a proclamation againfi; felling or exporting tii\
from Devonihirc and Cornwall, until it be duely aflayed, weighed, and
coined, (as the fiiamping of it is termed by the ftannary laws) by his
officers. He alfo prohibited the Importation of tin from foreign parts.
\Fa'dera, V. xx, p. 289.]
The Engliih Kaft-India company having reprefented to King Charles,
the great fcarcity of Spanifh filver, whereby they were diiabled from
iupplying themfelves with a fafficient quantity for their intended voy-
age to Perfia and India with three fliips ; he licenced them to export
L20,ooo in foreign gold ; or if that could not be done, in Englifh gold;
any law, ftatute, a61: of parliament, proclamation, &c. to the contrary
notvvithflanding. {Fccdn-a, V. xx, p. 298.]
There was coiiied at the mint in the tower of London, from March
1 6 19 to March i6.:58, L6, 900,042 : 11 : i in gold and filver. [Happy
futurejlat- of England, p. ']'i, folio, 1698.]
Cardinal Riclilieu feems to have underflood, very early, the great im-
A. D. 1638. 405
portance of which the French Weft-India idands would prove, even be-
fore they had any fugar-canes planted in them : and having the glory
and intereft of France very much at heart, he laboured to give his fo-
vereign, Louis XIII, favourable impreflions of them, although they
produced nothing yet but cotton, ginger, and bad tobacro. Whercfor
he, at this time, got hs king to appoint the governor of thofe iflands
to be his own lieutenant-general there. By fuch means the French
iflands were foon much improved, and more particularly Martinico, and
their moiety of St. Chriftophers.
The Englifli Weft-India iflands were alio encouraged at this time, and
had much the fame produftions ; yet it is eafy to conceive how incon-
fiderable they were before they fell into the fugar trade. They made
fome indigo, and alfo cotton and ginger ; but their tobacco was bad,
and that of Barbados was deemed the v/orft of aU.
1639 — The S})anifli monarchy, though viftbly declining, in the year
i6;^g, made the greatell effort at lea that it had ever done fmce the fam-
ous armada in 1588 ; for it confifted of 67 large fhips from Corunna,
carrying 25,000 feamen and 12,000 foldiers. This great armada, in-
tended to relie\'e Dunkirk, before which the Dutch fleet lay, and other-
wife to fupport their Netherland provinces, was firft encountered in the
Englifli Channel, and afterv/ard in the Downs, by the Dutch fleet of
100 fliips under Van Tromp, who in the end gained an entire victory,
and deftroved moft of their fliips, amongft which was a great Portu
guefe galleon of 1400 tons, 80 cannon, and 800 men, though King
Charles had fent his admiral, Sir John Pennington, v/ith 34 ihips of war,
to preferve a neutrality between thofe two huge fleets, whilft they lay
w\atching each others motions, for near three weeks, on the coaft of
Kent. This terrible blow, followed by feveral fubicquent defeats at fea
by the French, entirely broke the naval power of Spain, to as never to
recover it in any degree till our own times. Theie difafters induced
Spain to come into terms with the Dutch at tlie treaty of Munfter.
In this year a treaty of peace and commerce between King Charles I
of England and Chriftian IV of Denmark, was concluded by Sir Tho-
mas Rowe at Gluckftad : the following are the articles relating to com-
merce.
III) No warlike fuccours, either in money, proviflons, arms, ammu^
nition, machines, guns, &c. fliall be fupplied to the enemies of either
party.
IV) If any power fliall attack either of the contracting parties with-
out provocation, or fliall make any prett-nflons to a right to, or lupe-
riority over, any of his countries or dominions not adually pofllfll-d by
the claimer, then the other party, if not at war himfelf, ihali, in four
months at fartheft, fupply him with the ffllowing fhips of war, viz. 4
of 150 or 2CO tons each, and 150 or 200 men,- and zc pieces of ord-
4o6 A. D. 1659,
nance in each fliip ; and 4 other fhips of 100 to 120 tons each, carry-
ing 100 or 120 men, and 16 cannon in each fliip : and fuppUed with
all fuitable (lores by the fender, and with three months provilions ; but
afterwards, during the war, they fliall be fupplied, &c. by the party
whom they are fent to aflift.
XIV) The king of Great Britain's fubjeds fhall not refort to the
ports of the king of Denmark prohibited by former treaties, without
the fpecial licence of his Danifli majefly afked and granted, unlefs com-
pelled to it by ftorm : in which laft cafe they fhall by no means trade
there.
XV) Ships and merchandize wrecked on the coafts of either con-
tratfting party may be freely claimed by the proper owners ; and the na-
tives of thofc coafts fliall not injure nor obflruft them, but fliall rather
be ready to allift them, being paid for their trouble.
XIX) And becaufe the illands of Orkney and of Shetland cannot
well be omitted to be mentioned in this treaty, it is now agreed, that,
during the lives of both kings, and the life of the longefl liver of them,
nothing fliall be moved or treated of concerning them ; faving always,
neverthelefs, the rights or pretenfions of their iWceflors.
XX) Nothing in this treaty fliall derogate from former ones, unlefs
where exprefsly repealed by the prefent treaty. [F^iic'/a, P\ xx. p. 336.]
King Charles being at York, on the 9th of April 1639, go^'^g ^^ ^^P~
prefs the Scottifh rebellion, he found himfelf obliged, in order to quiet
the minds of his people, to publifli the following proclamation, for re-
voking many of his illegal grants and monopolies, viz.
Whereas divers grants, licences, privileges, and commillions, had
been procured from him, on pretences for the common good and profit
of his fubjecfs, which fince, upon experience, have been found to be
prejudicial and inconvenient to his people, and in their execution have
been notorioufly abufed : he is now pleafed, of his mere grace and fa-
vour, with the advice of his privy council^ to declare thefe following to
be utterly void and revoked, viz.
* A commiflion touching cottages and inmates.' This was granted
lafl year, to compound with all fuch as had built cottages, without four
acres of land annexed to each of them ; and with fuch as fuffered in-
mates, or more families than one, to refide in any of the faid cottages.
* A, commiffion touching fcriveners and brokers.
* For compounding with offenders touching tobacco,'
i. e. fuch as fold it without the king's flamp.
' For compounding with offenders for tranfportation
of butter beyond fea,' without his flamp and li-
cence.
* For compounding v/itli oflenders for importing or
ufing logwood.
A. D. 1639. 407
'• A commiflion for compounding with flieriffs, for felling their un-
der-flieriffs places.
' For compounding for the deftruclion of woods, by
iron- works.
' For concealments and encroachments within twenty-
miles of London.
* For a licence to export flieep-fkins and lamb-fkins.
' For compounding with the dreffers of venifon, phea-
fants, and partridges, in inns, alehoufes, ordinaries,
and taverns.
' For licenfing brewers.
' For the fole tranfporting of lamperns.
* For weighing hay and ftraw.
' For an office of regifter to the commiffion of bank-
. . rupts, in divers counties.
' For gauging red herrings.
' For marking iron made in England.
' For fealing bone-lace.
' For marking and gauging butter cafks,
* For the privilege of uling kelp and fea-weed.
' For fealing linen cloths.
' For gathering rags.
' For a grant of a fadory for Scottifli merchants.
' For fearching and fealing foreign hops.
* For fealing buttons.
'■ All grants of fines, penalties, and forfeitures, before judgement
granted.
* All patents for new inventions, not put in pradlice within three
years from the date of their refpedive grants.
' The feveral grants of incorporation to hatband-makers, gutftring-
makers, fpedacle-makers, comb-makers, tobacco-pipe-makers, butchers,
and horners.'
And the king herein declares, that a writ o^ quo ^varranto ox fare fa-
cias fliall be ilTued to recall the faid grants and patents, unlefs they do
voluntarily furrender them. \¥cedera, V. xx, p. 340.]
By thefe and all other projeds of fmall note the king was reckoned
to have raifed about L200,ooo yearly ; according to the book intitled
the Royal treafury of England, 8vo, London, 1725, p. 284.
The king being informed, that fundry merchants, notwithftanding his
proclamation of laft year to the contrary, continued to trade in woollen
goods to other ports of Germany and the Netherlands, than to the mart
towns or (taple towns of the merchant-adventurers company, he now
renewed that proclamation, and prolonged the time formerly allowed
them to keen their freedom in that fellowfliip. He alfo ftriclly prohi-
4o8 A. D. 1639.
bited the exportation of wool, woolfels, woollen-yarn, fullers-earth, and
tobacco-pipe-clay, (now found to be of the fame nature and ufe wi,th
fullers-earth) by the exportation whereof, he is informed, there is a
great decay of the woollen manufadure. [Fa-dera, V. xx, p. 342.]
The king abridged the extravagant authority which he had formerly-
granted to the clerk of the market of his houlehold, and to the water
bailiff. He alio revoked his charter of incoporation to the makers of
bricks and tiles near London and Weftminfter, as being found hurtful.
And ordered that the ilTues of jurors fhould not be farmed, as being a
grievance to many of his fubjecls. [Fa^dera, V. xx, p. 344.]
The king ordered that an inquiry fhould be made into the conducSl:
of Peter Richaut merchant, treafurer of the fifliery company, concern-
ing opprelTions and wrongs done by him to fundry poor tradefmen deal-
ing with that company : to inquire alfo, whether the flock of the
company be diminiflied ? and if lo, how it came to be fo ? alfo to in-
quire into all other matters relating to the fifliery company, "and i'ato
the means of fettling that bufinefs, for the beft advantage of the com-
monwealth of our kingdoms : to the end, that upon return of the
laid commiflion, it may appear which way fo worthy an undertaking,
for the honour of us and the common good of our fubjeds, may be
advanced, &c. {Fcedcra, V. xx, p. 346.]
The king comraiflioned five perfons to repair to the ifland of Bar-
bados, and to remove the pretended governor of it, who prefumed to
continue to acl as fuch, after another had been appointed by James earl
of Carlifle. The commiflion recites, that Barbados was efleemed one
of the Caribbee ifles, and a part of the proviiice of Carlifle in America,
granted to James Hay the late earl of Carlifle, and to his heirs. It feems,
that this pretended governor (Captain Henry Hawley) had only had a
commiflion from the king, in the beginning of this year, for treating
with the inhabitants of Barbados, and other iflands, concerning a mo-
deration to be held in the planting of tobacco, (fugar not being as yet
produced in any of them) and for regulating the prices thereof; ' and
' for none other employment intended by us,' fays the king ; under
colour of which he took on himfelf the ftile of lieutenant-general and
governor of Barbados, &c. \Fcedera, V. xx, p. 357.]
This year the Englifh firfl fettled on the pleafant ifland of St. Lucia,
within feven leagues of Martinico, feven alfo from St. Vincents, and
twenty-four from Barbados, being twenty- four miles in length and eleven
in breadth, abounding with plenty of timber, proper for houfes and
mills, with which the neighbouring ifles, both Englifli and French, are
ftiU fupplied. It has alfo plenty of fuflic and cocoa, and good harbours
and anchoring places. Two years after, the Englifh governor and mofl
of his people were murdered by the Carib natives, and the refl driven
out of the ifland by the infligation, as was fufpeded, of the French at
A. D. iC39-> 409
Martinico, though difowned by the French governor. Neither did the
French at that time, nor for many years after, form any pretenfions
to that ifland. But, during the civil wars of England betvVeen King
Charles I and his parliament, Mr. Parquot fent 40 Frenchmen front
Martinico to take poiTeflion of St. Lucia ; but the Caribs being as much
at enmity with the French as with the Englifli, killed two of their go-
vernors and many of their people, and maintained their independency,
till after the refloration of King Charles II.
Amongft the ojffices filled up in the year 1639 by King Charles, there
is one, ' for furveying of gamefters ufing the exercife of wreftling in
* any place or places within the compafs or diflance of three miles of
• the city of London,' [Fa\iera, F. xx, p. 381] which v,-e only note
for its feeming fmgularity. Every age has its peculiar diverlions and
cuftoms ; and though this may appear ftrange in our age, it was pro-
bably in great vogue at that time, even, perhaps, as much as cricket late-
ly was by perfons of high rank.
Between the years 1630 and 1640, while there were no parliaments
in England, the Dutch carried on a moll: profitable commerce to the
Engllfh American plantations, there not being then any 1-egal prohibi-
tion of foreign fliipping reforting thither.
1640 The year 1640 was propitious to the commerce of England
and other nations, on account of the great revolution in Portugal, when
John duke of Braganza drove out the Spaniards, and afcended the throne
of Portugal, by the name of King John IV. For, while Spain was able
to fupply her American provinces with the filk, fpices, calicoes, &c. of
the Portuguefe fettlements in Eaft-India, (he thereby not only had more
of her own American treafure left in her hands, but, moreover, Eng-
land and other itates liad not till now fo great a call for their merchan-
dize, for the fupply of Spain and her American provinces. But fince
Spain lofl Portugal,' and confequently the Portuguefe fettlements in the
Eaft-Indies, having few or no manufactures, and but little producl of
her own (wines excepted) for fupplying her American provinces, the
Englifh, Dutch, and Hamburghers, and, lateft of all, the French, have,
more abfolutely than formerly, fupplied Spain with the great bulk of
their commodities and manufactures, both for her home confumption
and the much greater one of her vafl American territories. Ceuta,
however, having a Spaniili garriion, did not revolt to the duke of Bra-
ganza, as the reil of the Portuguefe territories had done; but remains
to this day in the poflclTion of Spain.
It has not proved fo f ivourable to the commerce and other interefts
of the reft of Europe, that France gained at this time lb much -.he
afcendant over Spain, by protecting the revolted Catalans, and by tak-
ing from her the city of Arras, the capital of the province of Artois,
bv the Flemings till then deemed impregnable.
' Vol. n. 3 F
410 A. D. 164O0
King Charles being engaged in preparing for a religious war with the
Scots, and not as yet ftooping to call an Englifh parliament for a fupply,
fell on very extraordinary methods for raifing money : amongfl others,
he this year bought all the pepper belonging to the Eall-India company
upon credit, which he fold out again for ready money. I11 a Hated ac-
count of money difburfed out of the tonnage and poundage duty for
the navy, to the 9th of June 1642, we find the following payment, viz.
' to the Eaft-India company, in part of a debt owing to them by his
* majefty for pepper, bought by my Lord Cottington, Lg4i3 : 14 : 7.'
In King Charleses fpecial commillion for making provilion for his
army going againfl: Scotland, we find that bows and arrows were flill in
ufe ; and that Hone fhot or cannon bullets of flone (as well as of iron)
were ufed for their fire-artillery. [Fadera, V. xx, p. 417.]
King Charles being in this fame year informed, that a tin mine was
lately difcovered hi Barbary, and being on that account apprehenfive of
the decreafe of his revenue from the tin mines of Cornwall and Devon-
fhire, ' by proclamation, prohibited the importation of foreign tin, as
* alfo carrying the tin of Barbary to any other place whatever in Eng-
* lifh fliipping. Alio for promoting the confumption of Englifli tin and
' pewter in his realms, he direds, that all the meafures for wine, ale,
' beer, &c. ufed in taverns, vidualing-houies, fliops, &c. fliall be of
' tin or pewter, and fiiall be (lamped or fealed.' \Ycedera, V. xx, p.
423-]
We now meet with the firft. mention of a conful-general for England
at Alicant, in Spain : the preamble of whole commiffion runs as fol-
lows.
* Whereas we are given to imderftand, how convenient and neceflary
' it is for the good of our loving fubjefts trading to Alicant in the king-
* dom of Valencia, to have fom.e perfon of judgement and experience,.
' able to govern and dired them in their juft and lawful occafions, to be
' placed and appointed as conful there. Know ye,' &c.
This conful's allowances were to be, the antient allowance of two
ducats on every Britifh fliip trading to that port, and alio one fourth
per cent for all merchandize of iliips trading thither. \Fcedera, V. xx,
p. 430.]
King Charles's inability to oppofe the Scottifn army, now preparing
to march to the borders of England, obliged him at length to call an
Englifh parliament, fo much againfl: his liking, after twelve years in-
termifiion. He began with demanding of the houfe of commons a
fufficient fupply for this war : and he alleged, that all the neighbouring
priiices were preparing great fleets of fiiips ; and that the Algerines had
alfo prepared no fewer than fixty fail of fliips, that they had taken div-
ers Englifh fliips, and particularly one on the Spanifh coaft, called the
Rebecca of London, worth at leaft L26o,ooo. But the commons thought
4-
A. D. 1640. 4U
the Immediate redrefs of their many grievances of greater importance
than an immediate fupply for his war. This incenfed the king fo much,
that he haflily and very angrily dilTolved the parUament before any one
adl had been paffed ; which, as Lord Clarendon owns, he immediately
after repented of For fupplying his prefent wants therefor without
a parliament, he took fundry extraordinary methods of raifmg money ;
fuch as coat and condud money from every county ^ an exorbitant fine
laid on the city of London, for having, as he alleged, occupied more
lands in Ireland than was granted by their charter : but the true reafon
was, their refufing him a loan of L200,ooo, which L2oo,oco had been
forcibly borrowed of the merchants, who had lodged their money in the
king's mint In the tower of London ; which place, as elfewhere noted,
before banking with goldfmiths eame into ufe In London, was till now
made a kind of bank or repofitory for merchants to lodge their money
in ; but which, after this compulfory loan (for fo it was) of L20o,ooo,
never after was trufted in that way any more, although the king gave
the lenders the fecurity of his cuftoms. A fubfcrlption alfo had been
made for his prefent fupply, by his privy counfellors and favourites,
(Lord Stafford alone fubfcribing L20,ooo). And, btfide all thefe, the
clergy In convocation, which, contrary to all cuftom, fat after the dif-
folutlon of this parliament, granted him fix fubfidies of L20,coo each,
to be paid in fix years, at the rate of 4/ in the pound, according
to the valuation of their livings, &c. in the king's books. Yet,
after all thefe aids, and the fiiip-money tax llkewife, the king finding
himfelf unable to maintain his army of 24,000 men, for three months
only, for lefs than L200,oco, he was neceflitated to conclude a tem-
porary treaty with commiflloners from the Scottifli army, who had de-
feated part of his troops, and taken pofleflion of Newcallle upon Tine,
by which the Scottifh army was to be allowed L850 a-day for their
maintenance. For defraying fo great an expenfe, there was now no
other efFedual means but a parliament, which the king therefor was
confiiralned to call, and which met on tl>e 3d of November in this year,
in a very different humour from what he had hoped and expedted, the
debates and fpeeches in the houfe of commons running extremely high
In regard to the nation's grievances, occafioned by the king's arbitrary
proceedings both in ecclefiaftical and fecuhr matters. But as we have
nothing to do with fuch points, any farther than they may relate to
commercial matters, we fliall only here briefly note, that fo many
grievances, both public and private, were laid before the commons by
complaints and petitions, that above forty fcveral committees were ap-
pointed by the houfe for examining them : and of thole grievances, that
of monopoUes gave fuch offence, that the houfe' of commons expelled
four of their own Members who had been concerned in them : and
Whitlock, In his Memoirs, alleges that many other members thereupon
3F2
4^2 A. D. 1640.
withdrew tbemfelves from parliament, and others were elected in their
fl:ead. In confequence of all thole ftrict inquiries, the following ad:i
were palled, which the king was obhged to confent to, viz. ifl, that a
parliament fliould be held at leaft once in three years for the future,
even though the king fhould negleft to call it. This was entitled, An
acl for preventing inconveniencies happening by the long intermilhon
of parliaments ; which the kingdom had fo much fmarted for in this
reign : and it was the firft acft of this parliament, and pafled before the
year 1640 expired, {16" Caroli) according to the then ftile ; when the
parliament alio [17 Car. I, cc. 2, 3] granted the king four entire fub-
lidies for the relief of his majell:y's army, and the northern parts of the
kingdom. And in the flime feffion (but in the year 1641, which, for
connexion's fake, we briefly relate here, though we have not done with
the year 1640) two more fubfidies were granted for the fame purpofe.
2dly, they pafled an ad, [r. 7] whereby this parliament fliould not be
diflblved, prorogued, nor adjourned, but by an aft of parliament ! (i, e.
not without their own confent). By which aft, and the impeachment
of the king's two great and wicked ftvourites. Laud archbifliop of Can-
terbury, and Weiitworth earl of Straiford, of high treafon, (both already
imprifoned in the tower, and afterward put to death) they brought that
unhappy prince to be entirely in their power, while, at the fame time,
they granted fuflacient fupplies for the public occafions of the nation,
by the feveral afts for tonnage and poundage, and other fums of money
payable upon merchandize exported and imported : and for a provifion
ot money for fpeedily dilhanding the armies, and fettling the peace of
the two kingdoms of England and Scotland, by charging feveral fums
upon perfons according to their ranks, dignities, offices, callings,
eflates, and qualities. By another aft, they aboliftied for ever the tvva
wicked and opprellive tribunals of the flar-chamber and high-commif-
fion-court. By another, the king's raifing of fliip-money without the
authority of parliament, was declared illegal, and never to be allowed
in future. Another aft was for aboliihing oppreflions in the flannary-
courts ; and another for afcertaining the boundaries of forefts. Another
for confirming the treaty of pacification between England and Scotland.
Another, for limiting the powers of the king's clerk of the inarket.
Another, for abolifliing the king's power to ifltie writs, upon pretext of
iui ancient cuftom, to compel landed men to take the order of knight-
hood, or to pay a fine to the king. Another, gra.nting liberty for all
men to import gunpowder and ialtpetre j and alio for the free making
ot gi;npowder in England. Circumftanced as he was, the king could
not avoid giving his confent to thefe reftriftive laws, however mortjfj'^
ing they might be to him. His former wicked advifers and judges were
removed from him ; and as the parliament was, in effeft, rendered per-
petual, there was no middle courfe for him to fleer : he niuft either
A. D. 1640. 41 J
have direcllly waged war with the parliament, or acquiefce in their mca-
fures ; but this ftate of things did not hold long. In the mean time;
we muft fulpend this fubjed, until we fhall have completed the othei?
more immediate affairs of the year 1640.
In tlie fame year, the Dutch from St. Euftatia fettled on Saba, one of
the Caribbee iflands, thirteen miles north-weft from the former, being,
about four leagues in compafs. It is but an inconfiderable place, hav-
ing no harbour for Hupping, and an extremely (hallow fliore. The Dutch
here are faid to be but a few fimilies, who, however, raife a imall quan-
tity of fugar, belide fome cotton and indigo. Some write that the
Danes once difpoirelTcd them of it. Many of thofe fmall iflands among
the Caribbees were very little regarded, until our ifland of Barbados
became rich by the fugar trade, when the mother-countries of thofe,
till then, infignifxant iflands found it their intereft to lay public claim
to them, to fortify them, and to appoint governors over them.
The haven and town of Malacca, polTefled by the Portuguefe, at the
extremity of the famous peninfula of that name, in. the farther Indies,
was fo happily lituated for the conveniency of the Dutch Eafl:-India
company's commerce, that it is no wonder they greedily caft their eyes
on lb delicious a morfel fo early as in the year 1 6o6y Portugal being
then fubject to Spain, with v/hom the Dutch were then at war : yet they
were at that time unable to reduce it, though they had adually defeat-
ed and burnt a Portuguefe fleet there, wherein were 3000 men. But
in this year the Dutch, after a fix months flege, became mafters of that
very important place, which they have held to this day. They found
upvvard of 20,000 inhabitants in the towm and its territory, with many
churches and convents, and a good booty. Since then, the Dutch have
much improved its fortifications : and as all ihips trading from Siam,
Cambodia, Tonquin, Cochin-China, China, Japan, and the Philippines,
to Bengal, and the coaft of Coromandel, mufl: pals through the ftraits
of Malacca, the Dutch are iliid to have obliged all but Englifli fliips to
pay an anchorage duty there. Hereby alfo they overawe the fmaller
princes in its neighbourhood, and gain great advantages in their com-
merce, though not like what it formerly was before Batavia. became the
grand ftaple of all their Indian commerce. Thus the Dutch company
made a very rapid progrefs, while our Englifli Eafl.-India company be-
came extremely languid, partly by the encroachments of the Dutch
company, and partly alfo from King Charles's temporary grants to others,
to interfere with them in the Eafl:-India trade : fo far, as that fome of
the writers on commerce at this time infinuate, that hitherto the com-
pany had been lofers by this trade, which, however, we fcarcely think
was the real fact.
The French now began to plant at a place on the continent of South-
America, called Surinam, in nine degrees of north latitude, from the;
414 A. D. 1640.
mouth of the river Oroonoko, foutliward to fhe river Maroni. But
that country being low, niarfhy, and unhealthy, they foon after aban-
doned it.
Notwithflanding the popular clamour at this time againfl the arbi-
trary proceedings of King Charles, and the frequent complaints of the
decay of commerce, yet it is very plain that our commerce was con-
flantly increafing throughout all that time. Even about this very time
we find the luburbs of London expanding very much every way by
new foundations, more efpecially weftward, fuch as Clare-market, Long-
acre, Bedfordbury, and other parts of what was then in the parifh of St.
Giles in the fields. I'he very names of the older fl;reets about Covent-
garden are taken from the royal family at this time, fuch as James-
ftreet, King-ftreet, Charles-ftreet, Henrietta-ftreet, &c. all laid out by
the great architect Inigo Jones, as was alfo the fine piazza there ; though
the buildings in that part where the houfe and gardens of the duke of
Bedford flood are of a much later date, viz. in the reigns of King Wil-
liam and Queen Anne. Bloomfbury and the flreets at the feven dials
were built up fomewhat later, as alfo Leicefter-fields, fince the reflora-
tion of Charles 11 ; as were alfo almofi; all St. James's and St. Anne's pa-
rifties, and a great part of St. Martin's and St. Giles's. I have met with
ieveral old perfons in my younger days who remembered that there was
but one fingle houfe (a cake-houfe) between the Meufe-gate at Charing-
-crofs and St. James's palace-gate, where now ftand the ftately piles of St.
James's-lquare, Pall-mall, and other fine fireets. They alfo remember-
ed a quick-fet hedge on the weft fide of St. Martin's lane. Yet High
Holborn and Drury-lane were filled with nobleraens and gentlemens
houfes almoft 150 years ago. Thofe fine ftreets on the fouth fide of the
Strand running down to the river Thames have all been built fince the
beginning of the 17th century, upon the fites of noblemens houfes and
gardens, who removed farther weftward, as their names denote. Even
fome parts within the bars of the city of London remained unbuilt with-
in about 150 years paft, particularly all the grounds between Shoe-lane
and Fewters * (now Fetter) lane, which in King Charles I's reign, and
even fome of them fince, have been built up into ftreets, lanes, &c. Se-
veral other parts of the city, it is well known, have been rendered more
populous by the removal of the nobility, &c. to Weftminfter liberties,
on the fites of whofe former fpacious houfes and gardens whole ftreets,
lanes, and courts, have been added to the city fince the death of Queen
Elizabeth.
* ' So called of Fewters (or idle people) lying ' yecres on both fides biiilded through with many
' there, as in a way leading to gardens.' {^Stozu's ' faire houfes.' So Fewters (or Fetter) lane is of
Survey of London, p. ■j^6,eJ. i6f8.] ^. Stow im- greater antiquity than Mr. Anderfon, trufiing to
mediately adds, ' but the fame is now of later Howcl, alTigns to it. 71/.
A. D» 1641, 41^
1641 It may not be improper to note, that the ingenious Dr. Hey-
lin, who wrote thefirfl, or rather perhaps the iecond, edition of hisCof-
mography, about the year 1641, remarks of the famous Hanfeatic city
of Lubeck, ' that there were then ftill belonging to it, tliough decUn-
ed from its former grandeur, above 6co Ihips of all forts, fome of which
were of 1000 tons and upwards.' And he adds (what could not then be
faid of London itfelf), ' that to every private houfe a pipe of water was
conveyed from the public conduit, and that from the pattern thereof
the firfl conduits were made in London, though very long before this
century.'
We have a notable inflance of the induftry of the town of ^Lanchef-
ter in Lancafhire fo early as the year 1641, from an author of credit,
Mr. Lewis Roberts a merchant, author of the noted book intitled the
Merchant's map of commerce ; it is, in a fmall treatife, intitled the
Treafure of traffic, publifhed in this year : ' the town of Manchefter
' (fays he) buys the linen-yarn of the Trifh in great quantity, and, weav-
* ing it, returns the fame again in linen into Ireland to fell,' (which might
pofllbly and naturally give the firfl hint towards the Irilh linen manu-
faftures). ' Neither doth her induflry reft here, for they buy cotton-
' wool in London, that comes firft from Cyprus and Smyrna *, and work
* the fame into fuftians, vermillions, dimities, &c. which they return
' to London, where they are fold, and from thence, not feldom, are
' fent into fuch foreign parts where the firft materials may be more
' eafily had for that manufacture f.'
So early as in this year we find, (in a judicious pamphlet, intitled,
England's fafety in trade's increafe, by Henry Robinfon) that the French
had already begun to make ordinances and laws which proved prejudi-
cial to the commerce of England; and the author exprefles his fears left
they fhould in time be able to beat us out of our trade, more efpecially,
fays he, when Chriftendom fliall be at peace, whereby the trade of
Spain will be free for other nations, which at prefent, as it were, we
monopolize to ourfelves. (He has proved in too great a degree a true
prophet.)
Roberts, 'in his Treafure of traflic, fays, that the cufioms of England
are eftimated at L50o,ooo yearly ; a vaft increafe fince the death of
Queen Elizabeth !
The piratical ftate of Algiers feems to have been now in its zenith of
naval power. Morgan, in the fecond volume of the hiflory of that
ftate, quoting D'Aranda, fays, ' that in the fummer of this year the
* It may be inferred from th!?, that no confider- tons, long before the year 1600. \_Camtlini Bri- -
able quantity of cotton was as yet imported from tannia, p. 673, ed. 1600.] The manufacture ot
our Well- India iflands. y/ real cotton goods appears not to have been begv^n
f Manchefter was a populous town, and noted there in Camden's lime. M,
for its woolleu manufatlutts, called Manchefter col-
4i'6 A. D. 1^41.
* Algerines h:id In their cruize no fewer than 65 fliips, befides feveral
' galhes or galiots, all at one time.' And although it be well knowm
tliat their naval force is greatly leffened fince that time, yet even in our
days they have enough remaining to give confiderable interruption to
the naval commerce of fucli of the powers of Chriftendom as they pleafe
to make war upon.
It would be almofl endlefs to recount all the difputes that have hap-
pened at different times between Denmark and other nations, and more
efpecially with the Hanfe towns, concerning the toll paid by fhips in
paffing the Sound. This year the cities of Hamburgh, Lubeck, and
Bremen, entered into ftrider engagements together, by reafon of Den-
mark's too rigoroufly exafting that toll, for the fupport of their com-
mercial interefls and thole of fuch other Hanfe towns as fhould join with
them, by arming both by fea and land, yet without mentioning this
toll exprefsly in the treaty : and this, like former treaties, had good con-
fequences attending it for fome time after.
After the Englidi had been in poifeflion of the ifle of Providence in
America, and had partly planted it, ever fince the year 1629, they were
now attacked by the Spaniards with a great force ; and although they
made a flout refiftance, they were obliged to furrender the ifland to
them, whh confiderable lofs to the planters. Yet the Spaniards did not
after this fettle thereon at all, their fole aim in driving out our people
being to keep up their idle and unreafonable pretenfions to the proper-
ty of all the Bahama ifles : but England again took poffeflion of Provi-
dence, and we now claun the fole property of all the Bahamas.
Tlie French haying, for the reafons already afligned, abandoned the
colony of Surinam, an Englifii colony was fettled there in the fame year
at the expenfe of Lord Willoughby, who is faid to have wafted his eftate
in the undertaking.
The want of due care and provident forefight in princes and ftates
for cherifiiing and improving the commerce of their dominions has of-
ten proved to their irretrievable detriment, by the lofs of their traffic,
the beft fource of their wealth ;md power. Lewis Roberts, in his Trea-
fure of traffic, (publiflied in 164.1) gives us three pregnant inffcances
thereof, which alfo afford us fome part of the hiflory of three very emi-
nent mercantile cities, viz. ' the want of good order in the government
' of the trade of Antwerp, and their impofition of heavy cuftoms upon
' the merchants, hath, within thefe fifty years, brought that town to the
' lowncfs wherein we fee it. Lyons in France hath futfered wonder-
' fully by the fame inconveniencies : and Marfeilles, within the days of
' niy knowlege, had a wonderful great traffic with maiiv places of
' Ttu-key, Barbary, Spain, &c. and was able to fiiew many fiiips em-
' ployed in merchandize, about twenty-five years ago, carrying thirty
' and forty pieces of ordnance j and now the beft of their veifels, and
A. D, 1641. 41^
' thofe too but very few in number, have not above ten pieces of ord-
' nance.' Mr. Roberts had been himfelf an eminent merchant ; and
although the ruin of Antwerp is well known to have been principally-
owing to its being facked by the Spanifh army and the fubfequent
blocking up of the river Scheldt by the Dutch forts below that city, yet
the caufe he here adigns might have confiderable influence before the
fiege of it by the Spanifh army. Lyons and Marfeilles have fince his
time profpered exceedingly under wifer management. All which fhews
how delicate a matter commerce is, and how carefully and conftantly to
be attended to by the rulers of ftates and kingdoms.
It was in this fame year that the Dutch Eail-India company found
means to get the Portuguele and other chriftians excluded from all trade
to Japan ; but, whether it was done in fo deceitful and impious a way as
their enemies gave out, we fliall not take upon us to determine. They
enjoy a trade thither from Batavia and other parts of India to this day,
though fubjed: to difficulties therein from the caprice of that very jea-
lous nation. It was a cunning trick (fays Puffendorf in his Hiftory of
Europe) in the Dutch at Japan to drive the Portuguefe out of that trade,
by laying before the emperor an intercepted letter from the Portuguefe
jefuits there to the pope, promifing his holinefs in a fliort time to re-
duce all Japan to his obedience. But it produced terrible effeds, not
•only to the jefuits, but to the poor Japanefe converts, who, to the num-
ber of 400,000 and upwards, were all put to death, and the Portuguefe
for ever (hut out from Japan on pain of death. Dr. Gemilli fays, that
the Dutch factory at Nangafache enjoys not that liberty nor authority
which they have in their trade to other parts ; for as foon as the fhips
come to an anchor, a mandarin comes on board to count the men, and
to carry the fails and rudders on (hore. They have no communication
with the city, but live in their factory, which is on a rock inclofed with
a wall ; and no trade is allowed but once in a year.
Hitherto, according to Ligon's Hiflory of Barbados, and other au-
thors of the hiftory of the Caribbee iflands, very bad tobacco, together
with fome ginger and cotton, were all the produce they had ex Barba-
dos till this year, when fome of the moft induftrious planters procured
fugar-caries from Fernambuc in Brafil ; and thefe thriving very well,
they planted more and more as they multiplied ; and at length found
it would anfwer well to fet up a very fmall ingenio or fugar-mill ; yet
the fecret of making fugar was not fo well underftood by the Barba-
dians till two or three years after, when fome of their people made a
voyage to Brafil, from whence they brought better inftrudions and
more fugar plants. Yet even at Mr. Ligon's arrival at Barbados, which
was not till the year 1647, although there were" then many fugar-works
fet up, they were neverthelefs ignorant of the true manner of planting,
and the time of cutting the canes, the proper manner of placing the
Vol. II. 3 G
4i8 A. D. 1641.
coppers, and the true way of covering their rollers with cafes of iron.
But they were much improved in the goodnefs of the fugar and in the
method of making it in the year 1 650, when he left that ifland, info-
much that a plantation of Major Hilliard's, of 500 acres, which, before
they began to plant fugar, he knew could have been purchafed for
L400 fterling, was, at his landing there in the year 1647, worth
Li4,coo. Moreover, Colonel James Drax, whofe beginning on that
ifland was founded on a ftock of L300 flerling, raifed his fortune to
fuch a height, that our author has heard him fay, he would not return
to fettle in England for the remainder of his life till he ihould be able
to purchafe a land eftate of Li 0,000 a-year, which he hoped in a few
years to accomplifh. And Colonel Thomas Modyford had often told
him, that he had taken a refolution not to fet his face for England un-
til he could make his voyage and employment there worth Li 00,000
flerling. Thefe inftances in fuch early times are fufficient clearly to
fliew the vaft importance of our fugar plantations to the nation. The
firfl planters of fugar finding fuch immenfe profit, it encouraged many
people to go thither from England, which alfo encouraged the merch-
ants at home to fend more fliips with provifions, tools, clothing, and all
other necelfaries, in exchange for the produce of that ifland. And this
being the firfl: of our colonies which cultivated fugar plantations, it
greatly hafl:ened the improvement of our other iflands, which foon af-
ter followed it in planting fugar to very great advantage. And as it
was impofllble to manage the planting of that commodity by white
people in fo hot a climate, fo neither could fufficient numbers of fuch
be had at any rate : neceflity, therefor, and the example of Portugal,
gave birth to the negro flave-trade from the coafl: of Guinea ; and it is
almoft needlefs to add, that fuch great numbers of flaves, and alfo the
increafe of our white people in thofe iflands, foon created a vaft demand
for all neceflaries from England, and alfo a new and confiderable trade
to Madeira for wines to fupply thofe iflands ; which were fo far from
draining their mother-country of her cafli, that they annually fupplied
her with confiderable quantities thereof, as the trade thither was then,
and many years after, left open to all nations, till after the reftoration
of King Charles II, when the parliament obferving the great detriment
that fuch an open trade did to the kingdom, it was abfolutely confined
to our own people by the feveral ad;s of navigation ; in confequence
whereof the ports of London and Briftol foon after became the great
magazines for fugar for fupplying all the north and middle parts of Eu-
rope, and the Portuguefe fugars of Brafil were reduced from L8 to
L2 : 10 per hundred weight.
Barbados and the otb^r Caribbee iflands continued proprietary colo-
nies till after the refl:oration, when King Charles II purchafed them, and
made them regal governments. Moft of the rich fugar planters always
A. D. 1641. 419
have fixed at lafl in England with their fortunes, and have thereby laid
the foundation of many great families. And it is the peculiar honour
of Barbados, that it is to this day the nobleft and beft cultivated fpot of
ground in all America, and produces the fineft, and alfo the greateft
quantity of fugar of any of our iflands, the large ifland of Jamaica only
excepted.
On Saturday the 23d of Odlober (a day dedicated to St. Ignatius
Loyola, the founder of the fociety of Jefus) broke out the dreadful re-
bellion and general defedl;ion of the Irifh, and even of mod of the old
Englifh papifts in Ireland, who by a general malTacre attempted to ex-
tirpate the whole race of proteftants, and in the firft three months de-
ftroyed 154,000 proteftants with great cruelty, the defign not being dif-
covered till the night before.
The Irifh papifts had lived quietly ever fince Tyrone's rebellion was
fupprefled, at the clofe of Queen Elizabeth's reign ; but in the begin-
ning of this year they -had formed the execrable plot of cutting the
throats of all the Englifh throughout Ireland, leizing on all fortified
places, and abfolutely fhaking off the Englifh yoke. In all parts at any
dillance from Dublin the plot was executed on the above day, but the
projedt of feizing the caftle of Dublin on that day was difcovered the
night before, otherwife their infernal fcheme would probably have been
rendered efFedual. We jufl briefly mention this horrid mafliicre, purely
as it had a bad influence on commerce ; and we fhall only farther note,
that it had alfo a great influence on the Englifh parliament and people,
to the detriment of King Charles and his popifli bigotted queen. The
parliament fent fuccour and fupplies to Ireland in fuch flender quanti-
ties, and with fuch deliberation, as teflified that they believed the king's
aim was to drain England of troops, and to engage the parliament in an
Irifli war, to keep them from meddling with his prerogative, and lef-
fening his power ; fo the breach between the king and his parliament
became every day wider. For the effectual fuppreflion of this rebellion
an act of parliament paffed in this year [c. ^;^'\ for difpofrng of two mil-
lions and an half of acres of lands belonging to the rebels to Vv-ell-affedl-
-ed lenders of the following fums, viz. a thoufand acres of good land in
the province of Ulfter for L200, the like quantity in Connaught for
L300, in Munfter for L450, and in Leinfler for L600, all freehold ;
paying quit-rents in Ulfter of one penny per acre, in Connaught three
halfpence, in Munfter twopence firthing, and in Leinfler threepence
per acre. Thofe lands to be laid out to the fubfcribers by lot. And
thus were a great number of well-afteded proteftants fettled on the lands
of lazy and bigotted papifts, very much to the improvement of that
kingdom.
1642. — A treaty of peace and friendfhip was concluded at London
on the 29th of January (foreign ftile) between King Charles I and
^G 2
420 A. D. 1642.
John IV king of Portugal, and ratified by King Charles at York 22d
May 1642.
What relates to commerce is in fubflance, viz.
1) There fhall be a free commerce between the fubjedls of both
crowns in all countries, iflands, &c. where it was permitted in the time
of the kings of Caftile, or fince.
IV) The Englifh (hall -enjoy the fame privileges and immunities in
Portugal as the natives themfelves ; nor fhall they pay higher duties,
cuftoms, &c. than the natives ; and they fhall enjoy all the privileges
which the Englifli enjoyed in Portugal before it was imited to Spain,
' V) The merchants of England, coming into the havens of Por-
tugal, fhall not be obliged to take any other goods on board than what
they flaall themfelves think fitting ; and the Portuguefe fhall have the
like freedom in England.
VIII) England fliall have confuls refiding in Portugal to take care of
the interefts and commerce of their nation.
IX) The efFeds of the Englifh dying in Portugal fhall not be taken
polTeflion of by the judges or other officers of Portugal, but fhall be put
into the hands of the defund's executors or truflees, if on the fpot, or,
if abfent, into the hands of one or two Englifh merchants, not married,
fworn to do juflice, in trufl for thofe who fhall appear to have the right
to the fa id eflfeds.
X) Englifh fhips fhall not be flopped nor detained in Portugal with-
out the king of Great Britain's knowlege and confent, but fhall be free-
ly permitted to depart at their pleafure. Neither fhall the goods and
merchandize of the Englifh be taken for the king of Portugal's ufe, un-
lefs for a jufl and ufual price, which fliall be paid for in two months
time, unlefs otherwife agreed for.
XII) Things fliall remain in the Eafl-Indies, in point of peace and
commerce between both nations, for three years to come, as they were
fettled by treaty in India in the year 1 635 between the prefident or go-
vernor, William Methwold, for the Englifh there, and the Portuguefe
governors ; after which a perpetual peace fhall enfue.
XIII) The fubjeds of England fettled on the coafi: of Africa under
the Portuguefe, viz. at Guinea, Binny, &c. and in the ifle of St. Thome,^
and other ifles on that coafI, v/ho had this privilege under the kings of
Caftile, fhall not be molefted therein. And the king of Portugal may
freely hire the Englifh fhips trading to thofe coafls, until otherwife fettled
between both nations *.
XIV) The fubjeds of the king of Great Britain fhall have the fame
liberty of importing into and exporting from Portugal all forts of goods
• The Portuguefe had long hecn in the praftice of hiring Engh'fli fliips to carry their flaves from
Africa to BraQl. /I.
A. D. 1642. 421
and merchandize, as has been granted to the flates of Holland, &c. by
treaty in 1640.
XV) The Englifh fliall not be liable to imprifonment, nor to feizure
of their perfons, goods, books of accounts, &c. in the fame manner as
has been or fhall be granted to the fubjeds of any other potentate.
XVII) The Englifh in Portugal fhall not be diflurbed on account of
confcience or difference of religion, provided they give no fcandal to
the natives, Sic. [Fcedera, V. xx, p. 523 *.]
The great Cardinal Richlieu, who had brought the commerce, colo-
nies, and manufactures, of France to a confiderable height, and had laid
a folid foundation for much greater improvenients to be made by his
fucceffors, died this year He left France poflelTed of 100 vvarlike fliips
and galleys, with fuitable naval flores in the royal arfenals. He raifed
the crown revenue to 70,000,000 of livres annually, whereas at his ac-
ceffion to the miniftry it had been reckoned but at 35,000,000. And
he alfo ereded a company for the trade to the Weft-India ifles.
The laft conftitutional ad of parliament enaded by King Charles, to-
gether with the lords and commons, was in this year [c. 37] which
confirmed the grant of 2^ millions of acres of lands in Ireland forfeited
by the rebels there, and granted by two former ads {^cc. ^^ and 35] to
all perfons and corporations in England who fliould pay down certain
fums ; and is now extended to all perfons, EngUfh, Scottifli, Irifh, and
Dutch, being proteftants. And fuch as fhould by this laft ad fubfcribe, .
fhould have acres of a larger meafure than Englifh ftatute ones, viz. each .
to be 160 poles of 21 feet, inftead of 16^ feet each.
Towards the clofe of this year, 1642, the war between King Charles
and his lords and commons commenced, to the no fmall interruption .
of commerce and manufadures, as may eafily be imagined.
The French author of the Hiftory of the Caribbee ifles (Paris, 1658) •
fays, that about this year a company of traders of the province of Zea-
land firft planted on the ifle of Tobago in the Weft-Indies, by fending
200 men thither, and gave it the name of New Walcheren ; but it feems
the natives murdered Ibme of the Dutch, and forced the reft to defert •
it. Yet in 1650 the Zealanders from Flufliing replanted that ifle, which,
lying the moft foutherly of all the Caribbee ifles, and neareft to the
continent, feemed very conveniently fituated for a contraband trade
with the Spanifh province of New Andalufia, and alfo for the growth
of fugar-canes, cotton, and ginger. Yet the Dutch made nothing con-
fiderable of that promifmg fpot, although it has the conveniencies of
* We now take our leave of the FoEDtRA An- follow the FaJera, as authentic dociimeiUs of our
GLi^, the noblell collcdtion of authentic records commercial hiltory in the liiccccdint; times : and
thai any age or country, at leafl in Europe, can great afTiftance is afforded by a vail variety of ttm-
boaft of. 7hurloe's Stale papers (in feven volumes potary publications, profeffedly upou commerciai-
ioYw) the Treatlei of peace and commen I ef\\.trtdi'\Rto fubjefts. ji.
with foreign powers, and the ASt of pniliamenlf
422 A. D. 1642,
water, foil, and climate ; and they have long fince abandoned it. This
author takes no notice of the duke of Courland's fettlement in Tobago.
Sir Jofiah Child (in his chapter on plantations, p. 196) endeavours to
account for the fmall fuccefs the Dutch have had compared with Eng-
land in planting remote colonies : ' ift, they have not had thofe caufes
' for peopling colonies which England has had, viz. the perfecution of
'■ the puritans in the reigns of King James and Charles 1 : 2dly, King
' Charles's party after the battle of Worcefler, and the Scots being rout-
' ed there, helped to plant Barbados and Virginia ; 3dly, at the reftora-
' tion the royalifts getting into all employmenrs and offices, and the
' army being difbanded, &c. many of the commonwealth party with-
' drew to New England, &c. : 4thly, the lownefs of the interefl of mo-
' ney in Holland, as well as of the cuftoms on merchandize, together
' with their toleration of all religions, and their other encouragements
' given to trade, occafions employment for all their own people at
' home, as alfo for multitudes of foreigners wIk) come to fettle there.*
And indeed we may add, that, for the moft part, none that can live
comfortably, and that have full employment at home, will care to go
into either violently hot, or extremely cold, or unufual climates, to work
at the painful employments of new plantations. Moreover, the Dutch
have fcarcely had one other great means which we had for the firfl:
peopling of Virginia and Barbados, viz. picking up many loofe and va-
grant people, chiefly in the ftreets of Londoia and Weflminfter, and
other idle and dilTolute perfons, who, by merchants and mafters of Ihips,
were for many years fpirited away (as they then termed it) to thofe co-
lonies. As to what the Dutch have done in the Eafl-Indies in the way
of colonies, it was either by war or for traffic, by ereding ftrong forts
on the fea-coafts, where, as at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the ifles
of Ceylon, Java, &c. they have moflly made ufe of the natives for plan-
tation and cultivation. And this has alfo been partly the cafe with the
Spanilh and Portugnefe greater colonies in America ; but not in any
great degree in thofe of France, from which laft populous kingdom im-
menfe numbers of people have been fent to their colonies in America.
The following extrad: from an account printed in 1642 of feveral na-
val charges and equipments of the years 1640, 41, and 42, by order of
parliament, will in part {how the immenfe difference both in refpedt to
flrength and expenfe between our Englifh navy then and now, viz.
1. Imprimis, the charge of 10 of the king's fliips and 10 merchant
Ihips employed on the narrow feas, a/iw 1641,
2. Ordinary of the navy for the ytar 1640,
3. ■ for the year 1641,
4. for the year 1642,
5. Charge for the victualler of the navy for the ordi-
nary expenfe of the year 1642, - - 7'^55 17 9
o7'592
4
6
27,610
3
9
27,122
3
4
21,056
1 1
6
A. D. 1642. ^22
6. The emptions of the ofRce of ordnance for the
years 1 641 and 1642 together, - - 5>443 12 o
7. Charge of fetting forth 15 of his majefty's fhips for
the narrow feas, a/i^w 164.2, for eight months,
to the treafurer of the navy, - - 48,368 10 o
8. Ditto for 24 merchant (hips for the fame year and
time, - _ . - 81,758 8 o
9. For vidualhng the faid 15 king's fhips for that
time, - - . _ „ 27,359 16 6
The Dutch Weft-India company, obfer\'ing that the native Indians of
Chili were inveterately incenfed againft their conquerors the Spaniards,
had flattered themfelves that they fhould be able to make an eafy con-
queft of that fine country. For this end they fitted out a fquadron of
fhips, hoping thereby to poflefs themfelves of fome of their gold mines.
At firft indeed they defeated a party of Spaniards in that country, and
gained over fome of the chiefs of the native Indians to enter into an al-
liance with them againft the Spaniards, which encouraged the Dutch to
eredl a fort at Baldivia, and to propofe a commercial correfpondence
with the natives ; yet the later, through fome mifchance or other, be-
coming jealous of their proceedings, the Dutch were in the end obliged
to retire from Chili to that part of Brafil which was at this time in their
pofleffion.
A frefh company of merchants of France had been eilabliflied by
Richlieu for the trade to the Eaft-Indies ; but though they fent out a
fhip every year for India, yet moft of their fhips were either entirely
lofl, or elfe loft moft of their failors by diftempers. And though they
rhade great attempts to fettle a permanent colony at Madagafcar, yet it
did not fucceed, and fo this third company came to nothing. Yet fome
private merchants from St. Maloes fent (hips to India, which trade, it
was faid, turned out well for fome time, but was afterwards dropped.
This year two Dutch fhips failed from Batavia in the Eaft-Indies on
difcovery fouthward. They found a new paflage by fea to the fouth of
New Holland, Van Dieman's land, &c. Coming to New Zealand, in 42
degrees i o minutes fouth latitude, they there found a cruel barbarous
people, who murdered four of their men. Thence they failed north-
weft amongft many iflands, to fome of which they gave the names of
Amfterdam, Rotterdam, &c. Thence they failed weft about to New
Guinea, and home to Batavia, after being out about ten months. [Har-
rises Colledion of voyages, p. 608.]
1643. — In March 1642-3 the Englifh lords and commons in parlia-
ment made an ordinance, without the king, for raifing L34,io8 : 10
per week, which amounts to Li ,773,649 : i6 per annum. [RiiJhzvortb''s.
Hi/ioriad colleSiions, V. v, p. 15a}
424 ^' ^' 1^43*
By an ordinance of the lords and commons in parliament in the year
1643, the fines for the freedom of the company of the merchant-adven-
turers of England were doubled, viz. Lioo for a Londoner, and L50 for
one in any of the outports ; with power alfo for this fociety to imprifon
fuch as refufed to pay the faid fines. The words of the ordinance of the
lords and commons (being one of the firfl ads or ordinances ifllied by
their authority without the royal afl^ent) are as follow, viz. ' that this
company having been found very ferviceable and profitable to this
ftate, and efpecially to the antient and great trade of clothing ; this
fellowfliip fliall therefor continue and be a corporation, with power
to levy monies on its members and their goods, for the neceflary
charge and maintenance of their government. And that no perfon
fhall trade within their limits but freemen of the corporation, upon
forfeiture of their goods ; provided, that this company fhall not ex-
clude any perfon from his freedom therein who fhall defire it by way
of redemption, if fuch perfon by their cuftom be capable thereof,
hath been a bred merchant, and fhall pay Lioo for the fame, if a
freeman of London, and trading from that port ; or L50 if not free
of London, and not trading from that port. They fhall have power
to imprifon members in matters of government, and to adminifler
fuch oaths to them, as fhall be approved by parliament; provided alfo,
that all rights confirmed by adl: of parliament or antient charters lliall
be hereby faved. And it was ordered, that a bill be prepared for pafiT-
ing an ad: in this prefent parliament for farther fettling and confirm-
ing the privileges of this fellowfhip, and this ordinance in the mean
time to remain in force.'
But this was in confideration of no lefs a fum than L30,ooo advanced
to the parliament by the merchant-adventurers.
In the fiime year there came out a like ordinance of parliament in
favour of the Levant (or Turkey) company, declaring, ' that, for the
' encouragement of that fellowfliip, which, befide the building and
' maintaining of divers great fliips, and the venting of kerfies, fayes,
* perpetuanos, and feveral other commodities, hath been found very
* ferviceable to this flate, by advancing navigation, and tranfporting
' into foreign parts, for feveral years together, above 20,000 broad
' cloths yearly, befides other commodities, dyed and drefled in their
* full manufadure, and for the better government and regulating of
' trade, the faid fellowfliip fliall continue to be a corporation, and Ihall
* have the free choice and removal of all officers, &c. who are to be
* maintained by them either at home or abroad, whether anibafladors,
' governors, deputies, confuls, &c. And fhall have power to levy mo-
* nies on their members and on ftrangers upon all goods fliipped in
* Englifh bottoms, or on ftrangers bottoms, going to, or coming from,
* the Levant, for the fupply of their own necefl^ary expenfe, as well as
A. D. 1643. 425
for fuch fums of money as fliall be advanced for the ufe and benefit
of the ftate by the approbation of parliament *. And no perfon fliall
bring from, or fend goods or fliips into, the limits of their charter but
fuch as are free brothers, or otherwife licenced by the corporation, on
pain of forfeiture of the whole, or other lefTcr penalty to be impofed
by this corporation on their goods or fhips. None fliall be excluded
from the freedom of this corporation who fhall defire it by way of re-
demption, if fuch perfon be a mere merchant and otherwife capable
thereof, and fhall pay L50 for the fame, if above 27 years of age,
or L25 if under that age, or fo much lefs as their fellovvfliip fliall
think fitting. They may alfo impofe fines on perfons wittingly con-
temning or difobeying their orders, but not to exceed L20 for any
one offence : and, in default, to diftrain the goods of perfons fo fined ;
and if no fufEcient diflrefs can be found, to imprifon their perfons
till they pay their fines, or otherwife give fatisfa6lion. They fhall have
power alio to give fuch oaths as ("hall be approved by parliament, pro-
vided that all rights or charters granted under the broad feal of Eng-
land or otherwife fliall be hereby faved. It is alfo ordained, that with
all convenient expedition a bill fhall be prepared to pafs into an adl of
this prefent parliament, for the farther fettling and full confirmation
of this fellowihip's privileges, &c. ; and this ordinance to remain in
full force till then.'
Brower (or Brev/er), a Dutchman, failed into the great South fea
through a pafTage, fince called by his name, eafl of the flrait of Le Maire
{mentioned under the year 161 6), and fo round by Cape Home, as
ufual.
In this fame year, the exclufive privileges of the Dutch Eaft-Tndia
company expiring, they were renewed for 27 years longer, in confidera-
tion of 1 ,600,000 gilders paid to the public. It is needlefs here to add,
that thofe privileges have fince been renewed from time to time to our
days, and that on every fuch renewal that company advanced confider-
able fums of money for the fame.
The French now firft planted the Caribbee illand of St. Bartholomew,
in the latitude of 16 degrees, about five miles north of St. Chriftophers.
It has but litde ground fit for cultivation, yet it is faid to have plenty
of lignum-vitas and iron-wood. It is unfafe for fiiipping, by reafon of
the many rocks which furround it. It has been feveral times in French
and Englifh hands by turns.
By an ordinance of the lords and commons the duty on our planta-
tion-tobacco was now made 4^ per pound weight : yet in the followuig
year, by another ordinance, they reduced it to 3</ per pound, cuflom
* It may be prefumed that they, ai well as the merchant-adventurers, paid for the renewal of iht.'r
privilfges. A.
Vol. II. 3 H
426 A. D. 1 64 J.
and excife together ; ' they finding,* as that ordinance exprefTes It, ' that
' the duty of ^.ri had lomewhat intermitted the trade in that commodi-
' ty ;' which fliews that tobacco was by this time become a trade worth
the attention of parliament.
The parhament now laid a tax for the enfuing year on beer and ale
in all counties within the limits of their power, calling it by a new
word, excife. In which ordinance they alfo laid a duty of 4/ per pound"
on foreign tobacco, and 2/ on Englifh tobacco ; L6 on every ton of
wine retailed, and L3- per ton for private confumption. A duty alfo
on raifms, fugar, currants, cloth of gold and filver, tiffue, damalk table-
linen ; which fhews they were in great want of money. And the king's
parliament, then fitting at Oxford, impofed the like taxes on all within
their power, and never met more at all. The city of London (accord-
ing to RuPjzvorth, V. iii, p. 2) agreed to make a weekly payment of
Lio,ooo, exclufive of Wefi:minfter and the other fuburbs ; which fhews
the great wealth as well as zeal of the citizens. Yet it is fcarcely to be
fuppofed, that the city could have confiantly paid fo great an aflefiiTient.
At this time one Kephler a Dutchman brought into England the
knowlege of the fine fcarlet dye called the Bow-dye, as being firft prac-
tifed at the village of Bow near London.
1644. — According to "Ware's Gejla Hibermnim [p. 181] on the 8th of
Augufi; 1644 the citizens of Dublin were numbered, and found to be of
Proteflants J j j * Papift^s j ■" "^
' \ 2986 women. '^ | 1406 women.
Total protefiants 5551 Total papifls 2608
Total papifts 2608
Total of both 8159
As the city of Dublin is the capital of Ireland, the refidence of the
king's lieutenant and of all the courts of law, as well as the ufual place
for holding the parliament, Sec. I think it impoflible that this cenfus
can be of any other than adult perfons alone, to approach near to any
probability of truth. If therefor there be, as ufually computed, at
leafi: two children to each adult perfon, then - Si 59
Multiplied by 2, gives - - 16,318
Total men, vvomeny and children, 24,477
This was but a fmall number compared to the number in that city
at this time, which fince thep. has greatly increafed, more efpecially
fince the acceflion of the prefent royal family, infomuch that they are
now computed by many to amount to above 100,000 fou]s»
4
A. D. 1644. 427
The toll exadled by the crown of Denmark from all 'foreign fliips,
paffing to and from the Baltic fea through the Sound of Elfmore, was
in confideration of the protedion thofe ihips received from the caflle
of Kronenburg, for a fafeguard from pirates, who were numerous in
that fea in the 13th and 14th centuries, and aUb for light-houfes ereft-
cd by Denmark for the diredion of (liipping in dark nights. About
the time the Dutch fliook off the yoke of Spain, Denmark made un-
reafonable demands on them. But this year the Dutch aflifted the
Swedes in an invafion of Denmark, whereby the later lofl part of their
dominions to Sweden. This brought on a treaty in the following year
1645, whereby, after numberlefs difputes between Denmark and Sweden,
Denmark was obliged to give up all right to demand any toll whatever
on Swedifh fliips, having only their own merchandize paffing the Sound,
yet they were flill bound to pay toll for the merchandize of other na-
tions in their bottoms.
Moreover, the ftates-general of the United provinces at the fame time
renewed former treaties with Denmark, and fettled the moderate toll they
were thenceforward to pay at paffing the Sound, being about L25 fter-
ling for a Ihip of 200 tons ; to which England and France alfo agreed.
By the third article of this treaty, it is exprefsly ftipulated, that Dutch
ffiips and goods paffing the Sound fhall not be fearched ; but entire cre-
dit fhall be given to the mariners producing their cockets. And the
tolls now agreed on ffiall continue the lame for forty years to come.
1645. — ^^^^ have feen (under the year 1640) that the royal mint in
the tower of London had for fome years before that period been made
ule of as a bank or depofit for merchants to lodge their cafh in. But
King Charles having, in that year, made free with their money therein,
the mint loft its credit in that refped. After which, the merchants and
traders of London generally trufted their cafh with their fervants till
the breaking out of the civil war, when their apprentices and clerks
frequently left their mafters to go into the army. Thereupon, in fuch
unfettled times, merchants not daring to confide in their apprentices,
began firft, about this year, 1645, to lodge their cafh in goldfmiths
hands, both to receive and pay for them. Until which time, the whole
and proper bufmefs of London goldfmiths was to buy and fell plate, and
foreign coins of gold and filver, to melt and cull them, to coin fome at
the mint, and with the reft; to fupply the refiners, plate-makers, and
merchants, as they found the price to vary. This account of the mat-
ter we have from a fcarce and moft curious fmall pamphlet publiflied in
1676, entitled, the Myftery of the new-fafhioned goldfraiths or bankers
difcovered, in only eiglit 4to pages *. The aitthor obferves, that this
3iew banking bufinefs foon grew very confidcrable. It happened, fiys
* No buukfellci'j (;r priiitci-'o names are afBxcJ to the title paje. A.
3 H 2
428 A. D. 1645.
he, in thofe times of civil commotion, that the parliament, out of the
plate and old coin brought into the mint, coined feven millions into
half-crowns ; and there being no mills then in ufe at the mint, this new
money was of a very unequal weight, fometimes id and 3^ difference
in an ounce, and mofl of it was, it feems, heavier than it ought to
have been, in proportion to the value in foreign parts. Of this the
goldfmiths made naturally the advantages ufual in fuch cafes, by pick-
ing out the heaviefl: and melting them down or exporting them. It
happened alfo that our old gold coins were too weighty, and of thefe
alfo they took the like advantage.
Moreover, fuch merchants' fervants as dill kept their mafters' runriing-
cafli, had fallen into a way of clandeftinely lending the fame to the
goldfmiths, at ^d per cent per diem, who, by thefe and fuch-like means,
were enabled to lend out great quantities of cafli to neceflitous mer-
chants and others, weekly or monthly, at high intereft ; and alfo be-
gan to difcount the merchants' bills, at the like or an higher rate of in-
tereft. Much about the fame time, they (the goldfmiths or bank-
ers) began to i-eceive the rents of gentlemens eftates, remitted to town,
and to allow them, and others who put cafli into their hands, fome in-
tereft for it, if it remained but for a fingle month in their hands, or
even a lefl'er time. This was a great allurement for people to put their
money in their hands, which would bear intereft till the day they wanted
it, (fomewhat like our modern Eaft-India company's bonds.) And they
could alfo draw it out by Lioo or L50, &c. at a time, as they wanted it,
with infinitely lefs trouble than if they had lent it out on either real or
perfonal fecurity. The confequence was, that it quickly brought a great
eafh into their hands ; fo that the chief or greateft of them were now*
enabled to fupply Cromwell with money in advance on the revenues, as
his occafions required, upon great advantages to themfelves.
After the reftoration, King Charles being in want of money, the
bankers took 10 per cent of him, barefacedly ; and, by private con-
tracts on many bills, orders, tallies, and debts, of that king's, they got
20, fometimes 30, per cent, to the great diftionour of the government.
This great gain induced the goldfmiths more and more to become lend-
ers to the king ; to anticipate all the revenue ; to take every grant of
parliament into pawn as foon as it was g.iven ; alfo to outvie each other
in buying and taking to pawn bills, orders, and tallies ; fo that, in ef-
fect, ail the revenue palled through their hands. And fo they went on
till the fatal fhuttii:ig of the exchequer in the year 1672; of which in
its place. Since the happy revolution in 1688, our legiflators have put
it out of the power of the crown alone to make anticipations on par-
liamentary grants, which can only be done by a claufe or claufes in
tuch refpedive ftatutes.
By a treaty of commerce now concluded between the queen regent
A. D, 1645. 4^9
of France, in the minority of Louis XIV, and the king and kingdom
o-f Denmark, it was flipulated, ' that French fliips, or Oiips liireJ or
' laden by Frenchmen *, palling the famous Sound of Denmark, whither-
' foever they may be bound or may come from, or what goods foevec
' they may have on board, fliall not be obliged to pay any more toll
' than that agreed this fame year in a table of this toll with the Dutch.'
And the French Ihall pay the fame for fea-beacons and fires as the Dutch
pay. And that both kingdoms fhall in general enjoy freedom of coia-
merce in each other's refpedive kingdom.
In the CoUedlion of orders, ordinances, and declarations of parlia-
ment, (printed for E. Hufband, printer to the houfe of commons, in
foho, 1646) we have a lift [p. 665] of the public navy, and alfo of the
merchant fliips, fet forth in the fummer 1645, by oxder of parliament^
viz.
One fliip (Vice-admiral Blyth) of
One of -
One (Rear-admiral Owen) of - -
One of - - - - -
One of - - - -
One of - - - -
One (under Vice-admiral Batten) of
One of - - - -
One of - - - -
The reft confifted of 17 fmaller fliips, from 400 tons, no men, and
28 guns, down to 80 tons, 45 men, and 8 guns ; fo that here is only
one fliip which could at all be admitted, in our days, into a line of
battle.
The Royal fovereign, built ten years before, and perhaps feveral other
large fliips of war were either ftill under the king's command, or elfe
were not as yet judged neceflliry. There were alfo fix pinks and frigates,
of each 50 tons burden ; and eighteen merchant fliips, from 405 tons,
121 men, and 29 guns, down to 106 tons, 59 men, and 12 guns. Pro-
bably this was the greateft part of the parliament's naval force. Yet, at
this time, there arofe a great coolnefs and jealoufy between this parlia-
ment and the Dutch republic ; the Dutch, through the prince of Orange's
influence, having fliewn a manifeft partiality to the king's fide, which
the parliament at this time clofely argued with the ftates-general, in a
long and fliarp declaration or remonftrance, printed in the book of or-
dinances. The parlian-ient therefor foon found it needful to increafe
their marine, as forefeeing a ftorm from that quarter.
1646. — Ey an ordinance of the lords and commons in parliament, ia
* The French had at this time fo few (hips of their own that tliis diftinftion was very neccffary. ^.
Tons.
Men.
Guns
875
280
50
600
170
40
575
170
40
557
170
38
520
170
38.
559
160
38
650
260
36
512
160
36
500
150
36
430 A. D. 1646.
the year 1646, it was enaded, that from the 24th February 1645, old
ftile, the court of wards and liveries, and all wardfhips, liveries, premier-
feiiins, and ouflre-les-mains, be taken away ; and that all tenures by
homage, and all fines, licences, feizures, and pardons for alienation, be
likewife taken away : as alfo, that all tenures by knights-fervice either
of his majefty or of others, or by knights-fervice or foccage in capite
of his majefty, be turned into free and common foccage. Which ordi-
nance was amply confirmed by an ad of the protedor and his parlia-
ment in the year 1656.
The removal of thefe antient Norman badges of fervitude, or fome-
thing too near akin to flavery, was thought fo reafonable, though now
?naded by the lords and commons without the king, with whom they
were at war, that, upon the reftoration of Charles II, it was con-
firmed by an ad of the legiflature, as will be feen in its place. Ser-
vitude or vailalage is in its confequences ever obftrudive of commerce
and induftry, and therefor ought to be aboUfhed in all free and wife
governments. In a fawning letter from Sir Robert Cecil, Queen Eliza-
beth's fecretary, to King James of Scotland in the year i6ci, amongft
other points he exhorts him in the words following, ' to dilTolve the
' court of wards,' (in England) on the fuppofition of his undoubtedly
fucceeding the queen, * being the ruin of all the noble and antient
' fimilies of this realm, by bafe matches and evil education of child-
' ren, by which no revenue of the crown will be defrayed.' {^Appen-
dix to Dr. Robert Jon'' s Hijlory of Scotland, V. ii, p. 117, ed. 1759-] '
By another printed ordinance of the lords and commons, we fee
fomewhat of the fl;ate of J;he commerce of the Englifli American plan-
tf'Uions, reciting, ' that whereas the feveral plantations of Virginia, Ber-
' mudas, Barbados, and other places of An:ierica, have been much be-
' neficial to this kingdom, by the increafe of navigation, and of the
' cuftoms ariOng from the commodities of the growth of thofe planta-
* tions imported into this kingdom ; and as goods and necellaries car-
' ried thither from hence have not hitherto paid any cuftom, for the
' better carrying on of the faid plantations, it is now ordained by the
' lords and commons in parliament, that all merchandize, goods, and
' neceifaries, for the fupportation, ufe, and expenfe of the faid planta-
' tions, fhall pay no cuftom nor duty for the fame, the duty of excife
' only excepted for three years to come, except to the plantations in
' Newfoundland : fecurity being given here, and certificates from thence,
' that the faid goods be really exported thither, and for the only ufe of
'the faid plantations : provided always, that none in any of the ports
' of the faid plantations do fuffer any (hip or veflel to lade any goods of
' the growth of the plantations, and carry them to foreign parts, ex-
' cept in Englifti bottoms, under forfeiture of the before-named exemp-
• ,tion from cuftoms.' Hereby the foundation was laid for the naviga-
A. D, 1646. 49 j
tion ads aftenvards, \vhich may be juflly termed the commercial palla*
dium of Britain. We fliall ivJlb fee this wife provifo farther legally eii-
aded after the reftoration of King Charles II, by the famous ads of
navigation.
It is but too true, that both the Englith and Dutch continued too long
to deprefs Spain, and too long to encourage the preponderation of the
power and ftrength of France, whereby, even fo early as this time, the
balance of power, with refped to thofe two nations, w\is much endaiir
gered. Thus the Orange party in Holland, jealous of the oppofite de-
mocratical party, made Admiral Van Trump, in the years 1644, 45,
and 46, block up the ports of Graveling, Mardyk, and Dunkirk, until
they at length fell finally into the hands of France : and, in recompenfe,
France made many feizures of Dutch fhips in the Mediterranean, &c.
whereby, it is faid, the democratical merchants of Amfterdam alone
loft ten millions of gilders.
According to Savary's Diciionaire univerfelk du commerce^ the manufac-
ture of tine woollen cloth was now firfl: fet on foot at Sedan by three
Frenchmen, who had a patent for twenty years, to be the fole diredors
of the manufadure of black as well as coloured cloths : and for their
encouragement, they had each a penfion of 500 livres for life, and their
children were thereby nobilitated in France, and their foreign work-
men declared to be denizens of France, free from being quartered on
by foldiers, and from all taxes and excifes. The diredors were alfo al-
lowed SoiDO livres yearly for carrying on that manufadure during the
faid term. And the fuccefs has even exceeded expedation, the Sedan
cloths having been- brought to great perfedion.
Thus we fee, that Cardinal Mazarine trode in the fleps of his prede- •
ceflbr Richlieu, and we cannot vv'onder at the improvements made by
France in almoll; every fpecies of manufadure, when we fee fuch great'
and early encoufagements given to the promoters of them.
1647. — ^ '■^^^^ twos, the feeblenefs and decline of Spain were very
apparent. Her want of inanufadures, produd, and other neceflaries,
v/ithin herfelf, for fupplying her vafl: American colonies, occafioning
all the gold and filver brought thence to be paid away as fafl: as they
teceived it, to the Englifh, Dutch, French, Germans, and Italians, for
all kinds of neceflaries for the colonies. Moreover, the fcarcity of people
in Spain, compared to the great extent of that country, was now fadly
felt, partly occafioned by the expulfion of fo vafl a number of Moors
and Jews, and partly by permitting fuch numbers of people to go over
from time to time entirely to fettle in America ; fo that Spain was be-
come more than half defolate, and even thofe Hill remaining in it were
become the mofl idle, lazy, and indolent, people of any civilized na-
tion. It was certain, they could not find people enough of their own for
cultivating their lands, and were obliged to employ poor French people,'
432 A, D.. 1647.
as indeed tliey have to this time done, to come every year over the Py.
renean mountains into Spain, for getting in their harvefts. This me-
lancholy iituation is by fome authors fuid to liave put the Spanifli court
upon confultation, about the middle of this century, whether it might
not be advifeable for the king and his court, &c. to remove to and fettle
-entirely in America, in confideration of their not having a fufficiency
of people for the joint prefervation of the Spanifh dominions both in
Europe and America. In the next fucceeding reign of King Charles II,
Spain grew ftill more feeble : yet, after all, fhe has fince, through wifer
counfels, been able to weather mod of her misfortunes, and is, in our
days, in a more profperous condition than flie had been for above 130
years backward.
The lords and commons of the Englifli parliament now wifely and
abfolutely prohibited the exportation of Englifli wool. They alio ilfued
a proclamation for fupporting the privileges and charters of the fociety
,of the merchant-adventurers of England, who, in this year, had re-
Tnoved their foreign refidence or comptoir from Delft to Dort. And our
woollen trade at this time was in a very profperous condition.
Yet, through many various misfortunes, and efpecially the many en-
■croachments and cruelties of the Dutch company, the Englifli Eaft-
India company's trade feems to have been at this time almofl quite
funk, or at leafl much decayed.
It was about this year that the Caribbee ifland of Marygalante was
begun to be planted by the French. Such parts of it as are plain and
not quite barren they cultivated very well, chiefly for the growth of to-
bacco : but it is faid to be in general very mountainous. Columbus, in
the year 1493, named it after his own fliip-
England's wealth and commerce at this time mufl: have been very
confiderable, fince, notwithflanding the interrviptions which a fix years
civil war muft have occafioned, the lords and commons had raifed up-
wards of forty millions fl:erling for the war againfl; the king, between
the years 1^41 and 1647, or about 1.6,666,666 : 13:4 per annum,
\_Rojal tre<ijii.ry of England, p. 297, 8w, 1725] befide what the king
had raifed in the counties where his interefl; was predominant.
1648. — The pitch and tar manufadure of Sweden was in early times-
a very confiderable part of their commerce. The principal ports from
whence ihole articles were of old exported to the refl: of Europe, were
Stockholm and Wyburg. But Queen Chriftiana having, in the year
1648, erected a joint-ftock tar company, exclufive of all others, where-
by they were faid to have doubled their capital every three years, thofe
monopolifts laid fuch ejCorbitant prices on pitch and tar, they obliging
ihemfelves by that charter to take off all that was made in the king-
dom, that even fuch parts of Sweden as before made no tur were then
ubligejl to fall into the making of it, whereby the quantity was greatly
A. D. 1648. ^03
increared in fuch parts of Sweden as were not within the hmits of that
company's patent, which almoft ruined them. However, by frefti aids
they recovered again, and fo lately as the beginning of the eighteenth
century, their monopoly brought fome diftrefs upon this kingdom,
which in the end was produdtive of much good, as will appear under
the year 1703.
The long and bloody wars between the houfe of Auftria on one fide,
and France and Sweden on the other fide, at length brought on the
famous treaty of Weftphalia. England had indeed no concern therein,
being too deeply engaged at home ; yet as this memorable pacification
confiderably afFedted all the other great potentates of Chriftendom. it
well deferves a due aniraadverfion in this work, as far as more imme-
diately relates to our fubjedl.
I) In the German empire France obtained a confiderable accefllon
of dominion. Sweden got a great part of Pomerania, with the arch-
bifhopric of Bremen, now fecularized and converted into a dukedom,
and alfo the bifhopric fince called the principality of Verden : the
duke of Bavaria gained all the upper palatinate, and was made an elec-
tor of the empire.
II) Spain, growing continually more feeble, by this treaty found her-
felf obliged to conclude a iolid and perpetual peace with the ftates-general
of the feven United provinces of the Netherlands, by renouncing all for-
mer claims and pretenfions, and acknowleging them to be free and inde-
pendent fovereigns. And indeed if the Spaniards had good reafons for
agreeing to this peace with the Dutch, as it was commonly believed
that their war with them had coll no lefs than 1,500,000,000 of
ducats, the Dutch on the other hand had ground to be equally pleafed
therewith, not only for the immediate advantage and honour thereby
redounding to them, but likewife becaufe they now began too plainly
to perceive the fcale of France to preponderate ; and that, if Spain (hould
be reduced too low, France might become (as Las fince been often ex-
perienced) a very dangerous neighbour to them, by robbing Spain of
many of the nobleil: and ftrongell towns of her Netherlands.
III) This treaty adjufted the fecurity of the trade and navigation to
both the Eaft and Weft Indies. The rule of uti pojfidetis being now to
take place between Spain and Holland, not only in both the Indies, but
alfo (with refped to Holland and Portugal) in Brafil, and on the weft
coaft of Africa, as far as Spain had any claims. Spain was moreover
hereby to keep her navigation to the Eaft-Indies in the lame manner
they then held it, without being at liberty to extend it farther *. Nei-
* Spain's only communication with the Eaft- Tin's condition was iherifor prud.-ntly ftipiilattd
Indies, then and ever Cnce, vtos from New Spafn. by the Dutch, yf.
Vol. II. 3 I
434 ^' -^' 164&.
ther were .the inhabitants of the Spanifh Low countries to frequent the
Spanifh fettlements in the Eaft-Indies *.
IV) With regard to the Weft-Indies or America, the fubjeds of Spain
and Holland were mutually to abftain from failing to, or trading in,
any of the harbours, places, &c. poffefled by the one or the other party
there.
V) The river Scheldt, as alfo the canals of Sas and Swyn, and other
mouths of rivers difemboguing themfelves there, were ftipulated to be
kept fhut on the fide of the lords the ftates-general f.
VI) It was ftipulated that the Hanfe towns fliould enjoy all the fame
rights, privileges, &c. in the dominions of Spain, which by this treaty
were, or ftiould in future be, granted to the fubjeds of the ftates-
general ; and reciprocally, the fubjefts of the ftates-general were to en-
joy the fame privileges, &c. in Spain as the Hanfeatics ; whether for
eftabliftiing confuls in the capital ports of Spain, or elfewhere, as ftiould
be needful, or for the freedom of their meixhants, fadors, &c. and in
Hke fort as the Hanfe towns have formerly enjoyed, or ftiall hereafter
obtain, for the fecurity of their navigation and commerce. The Dutch
were alfo to enjoy the fame privileges, &c. in Spain as the king of Greafe
Britain's fubjeds did ; and honourable places weire to be appointed for
the interment of fuch of the fubjeds of the ftates-general as ftiould hap-
pen to die in the Spanifti dominions. The king of Spain, moreover,
obliged himfelf efFedually to procure the continuation and obfervation
of the neutrality and amity of the emperor and empire with the ftates-
general of the United Netherlands. [General Colkttion of treaties, F! ii,
p. 2^S' ed. 1732.]
There was alfo a feparate article relating to the freedom ot commerce
on both fides ; againft the carrying of contraband goods to the enemy's
countries; and refpeding the fearching of ftiips, paflports, &c. needlefs
here to be particularized. It is fufficient upon the whole to obferve,
that the ftates-general of the United Netherlands by this honourable
treaty gained the folid and lafting means of greatly enriching their peo-
ple, by improving and extending their commerce, already grown to an
amazing height in Eaft-India, as well as in Africa and Europe. And
here we cannot omit a circumftance which, though in itfelf it may ap-
pear inconftderable, demonftrates the fuperiority of the Dutch in this
treaty. The count of Oldenburg earneftly requefted the ftates-general
to be included in the treaty : but by decrees of the 23d of May and the
6th of Auguft it was denied him ; ' becaufe he had for many years de-
*
This was urged to good purpofe by Great Bri- f This was for preventing the revival of the trade
tain and Holland againft the emperor Charles VI, of Antwerp, which ftill languiihes under the de-
when he fet up the Ollend company to trade from privation of its maritime commerce. j1.
Flanders to the Ealt-Indies. Jl.
A. D. 1648. 4J.5
' manded toll on the Wefer, in order to difcourage and obiirud; com-
' merce, efpecially that of this ftate.'
Spain at this time was become fo feeble in point of naval affairs as te
be obliged to hire Dutch veflels for carrying on her American commerce.
On the other hand (as fortune is feldom favourable every where) the
Dutch Weft-India company was this year driven out of Angola in Africa
by the Portuguefe.
1649 — It is faid that the Englifli Ruflia company remained fole
maflers of the commerce to Archangel till the death of King Charles 1,
when it feems the Dutch, having by that time gained a powerful influ-
ence at the Ruffian court, the minifters thereof laid hold of that oppor-
tunity, on pretence of revenge againfl: a nation who had murdered their
king, to introduce the Dutch into the Archangel trade, upon condition
of paying 15 per cent on all imports and exports. Whereby they
reaped fuch advantage that the Polifh envoy, in 1689, affirmed they
had in that year 200 factors at Archangel. '[^Harris's Coll. of voyages, V.
'\\,p. '2''i2)^ This feems to be a more probable ftate of the Ruffian trade
than that of the author of the Relation of the eai'i of Carlifle's embafly
to Ruffia in the year 1663, who, in his introduftion, infinuates that the
czar Alexis Michaelowitz had aboliffied the company's privileges purely
out of refentment of the dilloyalty of fome of the members of our com-
pany to their late fovereign : for in fad their privileges were aboliffied
the year preceding King Charles's death. It is true indeed that this
czar had exprelTed great indignation againfl thofe concerned in King
Charles's death, and that he had lent his fon King Charles II, while in
exile, 40,000 crowTis, (King Charles I having lent this czar's father
40,000 dollars, befide forces) which was pundually repaid. But this re-
fentment ot the czar was no other than a political pretext, as appears by
the earl of Carhflc's embafly : for although his lordffiip remonflrated,
that, as the foundation of the good correfpondence between the two
nations was laid in the exclufive privileges granted to the Engliffi com-
pany, who firfl; eftabliffied the traffic to Archangel, fo the king his
mafter earneftly defired their re-efl:abliffiment : yet the czar perfifted in
his refufal, even alleging that one Luke Nightingale had been fecretly
fent to him by King Charles I, to delire the abolition of thofe privi-
leges ; (a mofl improbable thing) to which other frivolous reafons were
fuperadded. Kut it feems the true reafon vv-as the Dutch contrad, as
above : although it was alleged that the company had carried foreign
merchandize through Ruffia without paying any cuftom, which had oc-
cafioned a general complaint of the Ruffia merchants, fadors, and tradef-
men, that the Englifli engrofled all their trade, and grew vaflly rich,
whilfl: the czar's own fubjeds were thereby impoveriffied. It was far-
ther ffiamefully alleged, that all the Englifli merchants, to whom the
privileges were firfl granted, were dead, and that their privileges expired,
3I2
43 6 A. D. 1649.
with them. To all which the earl of Carlifle replied, that it was well
known that many of the Englifh in Rulfia were loyal, and teftified an
abhorrence of their king's murder ; that Nightingale was an impof-
tor, and was never employed by the king ; and that our company had
never negleded to furnifli the czar's treafury with cloth, tin, lead, pew-
ter, and all other Englifli commodities, at a cheaper rate than either the
Dutch or the Hamburghers could do, although they hardly could ever
be paid without bribing the czar's officers. He alfo utterly denied the
company's being guilty of importing tobacco, of trading in prohibited
goods, of carrying foreign goods through the country cuftom-free. And
with refped to the allegation, that as the firfl merchants were dead, their
privileges died with them, thofe privileges were ever underftood to
have been granted to the Englifh nation, and not to any particular per^
fons, and were therefor perpetual. The czar's commiffioners trifled
moft egregioully in their conferences with Lord Carlifle : fo that being
tired with delays, he got a private audience with the czar, in which he
reprefented in the ftrongeft terms the reafonable grounds of King
Charles's defiring the refloration of the company's privileges, confirmed
by this very czJir at his accefllon in the year 164^ ; that the Englifli
firfl opened a profitable trade for Ruflia as well as for England, at the
expenfe of many Hves, and the lofs of fliips and money ; that the Eng-
lifh had fought the enemies of Ruffia in the Eaft (or Baltic) fea, when
the neighbouring princes had leagued together to fhut up Narva; that
they had lent fums of money for the wars, furniflied foldiers and com-
manders to fight the enemies of Ruffia, and had made peace for them
with the neighbouring princes. Yet after a great deal of pains taken
by that lord, the czar and his minifters perfifted in their refufal of re-
ftoring our company's exclufive privileges. So he returned unfuccefs-
fully home in 1669 : and all that could be obtained was only, that the
company might trade to Ruffia on the fame footing as the Dutch. And
thus from thenceforth they have remained a regulated company, much
refembling the other regulated ones of the Hamburgh and Turkey com-
panies ; each member trading on his own private bottom, paying a fmall
fum on admilfion, and certain annual dues, for defraying the general
e.xpenfe of the company.
The Caribbee ifland of St. Croix had, it feems, in early times been fub-
jed to many mailers in a fhort fpace. The French hiftorian of the
Garibbees obferves that the Englifh and Dutch had long contefted
the property of it ; and that at length they divided it between them :
yet in the year 1649 the Englifh obliged the Dutch inhabitants to quit
the ifland. Soon after, the Spaniards of Porto Rico invaded it, burnt
their houfes, killed all the Englifh who refifted, and obliged the reft to
tranfport themfelves to Barbuda. But whilft thofe Spaniards were about
ts> r.eturn back to Porto Rico, two arm.ed French iTiips arrived there
A. D. 1649. 40^
in 1650 and overpowered the Spaniards, obliging them to return forth-
with to Porto Rico. Here the French fettled themfelves, and have held
it ever fince.
The Danes have held the Caribbee ifland of St. Thomas for many years
part, (though the exad year of its firft fettlement be uncertain.) It is
one of the cluftcr of numerous fmall iflands fituated to the eafl; of Porto
Rico, called the Virgin iflands, mofl of which are uninhabited and bar-
ren : is about feven leagues in compafs ; a free port ; and by its fituation
very capable of commerce, efpecially of a contraband fort, with the
neighbouring iflands and territories of other European nations, in which
it has often been very fuccefsful.
We have before related, that in the year 1636 King Charles granted
a monopoly patent for the fole coining of copper or brafs farthings,
though they were not then to be forced upon poor people. Yet it ap-
pears from Mr. Drake's Hiftory and antiquities of York that in this
year, 1649, there fl;ill were private tradefmen's copper halfpence in that
city, of many of which (and particularly one of this year from the col-
ledion of James Weft, Efq.) he has exhibited the prints. He al-
leges, that thefe began firft to be in ufe in the time of the ufurpation u
•and indeed the pradice of fuch private copper coins was not effedually
reftrained until the 24th year of King Charles II, (1672) when the
king's public ones took place in their ftead by his proclamation : where-
by farthings and halfpence, made and ufed till then by private perfons
in trade and commerce, were exprefsly prohibited to be either paid or
received in trade any more. This was a very needful and much-wanted,
regulation, more efpecially in retail trades.
An ordinance of the Englifli lords and commons made in this year
diredls the new gold coins of their commonwealth to be of 20/, 10/, and;
5/ value ; and their filver ones of 5/, 2/6, i/, 6d, 2d, id, and id*.
In Thurloe's CoUedion of ftate-papers [K i, pp. i 27, 226] under this
year we learn, that Mr. Strickland, the Englifti commonwealth's refident
in Holland, acquainted the Englifli council of ftate, that the ftates-gene-
ral of the United Netherlands had juft concluded a treaty with the king
of Denmark, whereby they farmed of him the toll of the Sound for
about L35000 fterling yearly. So that all nations as well as the Dutch
themfelves were now to pay this toll at Amfterdam, which was always
before colleded at Elfinore. And even the Swedes, who before claimed
an exemption from this toll, were now compelled to pay it at Amfter-
dam like wife.
* Such fmall pieces as filver halfpence muft have filver coins under fixpence, laid by as curiofities,.
been very troublefome; and there could liave been rather than ufcfiil circulating money. How much
no ufe for them, if regular legal copper money was more minute and trifling mult filver halfpence have.
then in circulation. We have feen in our own been, which were thci worth no more than t!it
days the quarter-guineas of gold coin, and all the twenty-fourth part of our prcftat fliiUiug. j4^^
43^ A. D. 1649.
In the fame collection, [F". i, p. 227] we fee a paper of this year, en-
titled, Some confiderations offered relating to the embaffy for Sweden,
whereby we learn, that wife men, even fo long ago, forefaw of how much
confequence our continental plantations in America might prove to us
in refpeft of naval (lores. The words are thefe, viz. ' the Swedes can-
' not be ignorant how that in time our plantations may furnifh us with
' thofe commodities we have from them, and the utility of the fending
* their commodities to us, and the danger of the lofs of fuch a branch
* of trade may oblige them to an union with us: whereas they cannot
' run that hazard in a breach with Holland.'
How much to our fhame is this judicious remark; fince, after fo long
a fpace, we have done fo little for bringing that to perfefiion, which
probably might well have been done in half the time, to our ineftimable
benefit, had we fet about it more effedlually? Yet fo far have we there
advanced already in raifing fundry kinds of naval (lores, that in half a
century more we have reafon to hope to be quite independent of a na-
tion, which has fometimes taken no fmall advantage of our nece(Iity.
The magiftrates of the city of Bruges invited the Englifh company of
merchant-adventurers to return to that city, which was their antient
refidence ; to which the company replied in fubftance, that their city
mufl fird: take off the lycent and other town-rights ; that our com-
pany muft be fure of the free exercife of their religion there ; and they
muil alfo be freed from all tolls whatfoever in failing up from the
port of Sluyce to Bruges. The laft point, I apprehend, was not in the
power of Bruges to grant, fmce the town, port, and territory, of Sluyce
were po(le(red,by the flates of the United Netherlands ; which probably
■was the main reafon for our company's not complying with that invit-
ation : for as the refidence or comptoir of this company was at this time
at Dort in Holland, it is not likely, that the Dutch (with whom too the
Englifli commonwealth was not at this time in very good terms) would
ever agree to lofe fo great a benefit by its removal to Bruges in the do-
minions of another potentate. [T/jur/oe, P^. i, p. 129.]
Of how great benefit it would prove to the Britiih commerce and do-
-minions on the continent of North America, to civilize and chriftianize
the native Indians (even abflracfting from a reasonable hope of a blefling
from heaven on fuch endeavours) needs not to be told to wife and ex-
perienced pcrfons, who know how much the French in Canada were be-
nefited thereby, to our great detriment ; they having had great num-
bers of priefts amongfl their Indians for that end : they alio brought
the poorer French of both fexes to intermarry with the Indians; where-
by they in fome meafure became one common nation together. This
has been far from being the practice in our Englifli plantations : yet we
ought to do juftice to the New-England clergy and people, by acknow-
leging that they have done much more than all our other colonies to-
A. D. 1 649. 4 JO
ward chriftianizing tlieir pagan Indians. To fecond fuch endeavours
the rump parliament this year ereded a corporation for propagating the
gofpel amongft thofe Indians, confiding of a prefident, treafurer, and
fourteen afliftants: and by an ad: of that fame feffion of parliament, col-
ledions were made all over England for that end, whereby that corpo-
ration was enabled to purchafe an eftate of about L600 per annum*-
This corporation was legally eftabUfhed and incorporated at the reftor-
ation of King Charles II, the famous philofopher Mr. Boyle being then
appointed their firft prefident. And it remains a corporation to this
day, continuing to fend over miffionaries to the frontiers of New Eng-
land, &c. with treatifes of inftrudion and devotion for the ufe of the In-
dians. They have alfo ereded fundry fchools for inftruding the children
of the Indians. There is alfo continued to this day an annual colledion
all over New-England for the fame purpofe.
The falt-ponds of the ifland of St. Martins in the Weft-Indies induced
the Spaniards to build a fort on it : yet about this year they difmaiitled
it and quitted the ifland ; whereupon the Dutch from St. Euftatia took
pofTeflion of it. The French, however, pretending to have been poflefs-
ed of it before the Spaniards, fent alfo a colony thither. And their
countryman, whom we have already had frequent occafion to quote,
fays, (in 1658) that the French and Dutch then lived there friendly to-
gether.
1650. — The Englifh colonies of Virginia, Ba,rbados, Antigua, and
Bermudas, being in diforder on account of their zealous attachment to
the royal family, the rump parliament, in the year 1650, by an ordinance
prohibited all correfpondence with them, unlefs by fpecial leave from
the council of ftate. That ordinance alfo granted penniflion to all mer-
chant-fhips, as well as national fliips of war, to feize on the fhips and
merchandize of thofe, then ftiled rebellious inhabitants. And whereas
many difaffeded royalifts reforted thither in foreign fliips, a claufe vi^as
inferted for prohibiting (under forfeiture of fl^iips and goods) any fo-
reigners from reforting to, or trading thither, without a ficence, on any
pretext whatever. This prohibition was probably on a temponu-y and
political confideration ; yet we fliall foon fee this Englifli republic en-
deavour abfolutely to confine the commerce with our colonies to the
people of England alone.
By this time the commerce of the feven United provinces of the
Netherlands was arrived at its zenith ; for teftimony whereof we have
the authoritative opinion of Sir William Temple, in the 6th chapter of
his Obfervations on the United provinces, v/ritten in the year 1673.
' I am of opinion (fays that great author) that trade has for fome years
• ago paft its meridian, and begun fenfibly to decay among them :
' whereof there feem to be feveral caufes ; as firft, the general applica-
' tion that fo many other nations have made to it within thefe two or
440 A. D. 1650.
* three and twenty years. For fince the peace of Munller, which rfe-
' ftored the quiet of Chriflendom, in 1648, not only Sweden and Den-
' mark, but France and England, have more particularly than ever be-
' fore bufied the thoughts and counfels of their feveral governments, as
' well as the humours of their people, about the matters of trade. Nor
' has this happened without good degrees of fuccefs, though kingdoms
' of fuch extent, that have other and nobler foundations of greatnefs,
■* cannot raife trade to fuch a pitch as this Uttle ftate, which had no
' other to build upon ; no more than a man, who has a fair and plenti-
' ful eftate, can fall to labour and induftry like one that has nothing
' elfe to trufl to for the fupport of his life, But, however, all thefe na-
' tions have come of late to fhare largely with them ; and there feem to
' be grown too many traders for trade in the world, fo as they can
* hardly live one by another. As in a great populous village the firfl
* grocer, or mercer, that fets up among them, grows prefently rich,
* having all the cuftom ; till another, encouraged by his fuccefs, comes
* to fet up by him, and fhare in his gains : at length fo many fall to the
' trade that nothing is got by it, and fome rauft give over, or all mufl
* break.'
We fhall not prefume dogmatically to combat fo great a man's opi-
nion concerning this pretty comparifon : yet we may here obferve that
pofTibly every one may not admit the parallel exadly to hold with regard
to the commerce of the world in general, which, doubtlefs, has fundry
new relburces ; new countries ftill to bedifcovered and traded to; and the
trade to other countries before known may be ftill greatly increafed :
moreover the vaft improvement of the American plantations fince Sir
William Temple's time, as well as of the Eaft-India trade, feems to
evince, that although the Dutch trade be long fince paft its meridian,
yet the general commerce of Europe is vifibly increafed fince the year
1673, when he wrote.
Nothing can more effedually demonftrate the benefit of commerce in
general, and the prodigious increafe of it in Holland at this time, than
the great penfionary De Witt's account (in his Intereft of Holland) of
the fingle province of Holland being able, in the year 1650, to fuftain
the weight of, and pay the annual intereft on, fo great a debt as
140,000,000 of gilders, contraded by their war with Spain, beftdes
other debts not at intereft, amounting to 13,000,000 more. ' A capital
' debt (fays our author) upon intereft, which will not be believed by
' other nations, nor poffibly by our fuccefibrs in Holland, to have been
'' born by fo Imall a province, and at the fame time many other heavy
' taxes, for the defence of themfelves and their allies.'
The worfted manutaiStures of Norwich and its neighbourhood, known
by the name of Norwich ftufTs, being now arrived at a great pitch of
reputation l)y their great vent in foreign parts as well as at home, the
A. D, 1650, 441
rump parliament In the year 1650, by their act [c. ^6] eftablifhed a
corporation of the worfted weavers of the city of Norwich, in the county
of Norfolk, for rectifying abufes therein, and keeping up the goodnefs
of that valuable manufadure : which corporation was again farther con-
firmed in the years 1653 and 1656, fmce which, the reputation of thofe
fluffs, both for beauty and goodnefs, has greatly increafed ; and very
great profit has accrued to the nation by their large exportation to fo-
reign parts.
De Witt in his Interefl of Holland [pari iii, c. 2] relates that Amfler-
dam was now increafed to 600 morgens (or acres) of ground, and con-
tained 300,000 fouls. In the year 1571 it contained only 200 mor-
gens ; fo that in 79 years it had increafed to three times its former mag-
nitude.
That great author, who being the firft minifter of fiate of Holland, was
undoubtedly perfecTily well acquainted with this fubject, farther obferves,
that the whole province of Holland contains fcarcely 400,060 profitable
morgens of land (downs and heath being excluded). And that there-
for the eighth part of its inhabitants cannot be fufiained by what h
raifed in it ; and they are therefor indebted for their bread to the prodi-
gious granaries of Amfterdam. On this fubjecT: the anonymous author of
the Happy future ftate of England, [p. 10^, fo/io, 1689] obferves ' how
' meanly the achievements of Venice, and the efforts to aggrandize
' their republic appear in hiftory, notwithftanding the longevity of that
* ftate, when compared with thole of Holland ; feeing from the fame
' great author (De Witt) it appears, that in the year 1664 the province
' of Holland alone paid near one million and an half ilerling to the
' public charge of the whole feven United provinces, over and above
' the cuftoms and other domains :' and ' that the very religion of
' popery occafions the Venetians to be more circumfcribed with regard
' even to their regulations of traffic than the Hollanders are.' Yet this
author, in m.aking fuch a parallel, might have more minutely confidered
the very different circumftances and fituation, &c. of thofe two famous
republics. Venice fhut up in a deep gulf, remote from the main ocean,
bordering for above three centuries pafl: on the Turkifh empire, during
which it has thereby been kept in perpetual alarm, as well as by the
Earbary corfairs in the Mediterranean. Holland, on the other hand,
placed as it were in the very midll: of Europe, and therefor much bet-
ter iituated for correfponding, both by fea and land, with mofi: countries
of the world, as well as happily fituated alio for its immenfe fifheries ;
whereas Venice has no fuch advantages.
The Caribbee ifland of Anguilla was now firffc fettled on by fom^e Eng-
liOi people, whofe poflerity ftill hold it. It is reckoned of much the
lame nature with Barbuda, viz. cliiefly for breeding cattle and raifing
com. The people are reckoned few in number, poor and lazy, with-
VoL. II. c; K
442 A. D. 1650.
out government, laws, or clergy. Yet in the year 1745 they, with only
about 100 men, repulfed 60Q French invaders with great bravery, and
killed 150 of them.
About this time the French made a great fettlement on the great
-ifland of Madagafcar, (to which they gave the name of I'ifle Dau-
phin) and ereded a fort near the fouth-wefl point of the ifland. Yet,
after keeping pofleflion of it for many years, they at length, abandoned
it ; its commerce not anfwering the charge of keeping up the forts,
garrifons, &c.
The favourers of the new EngUfli commonwealth, obferving the great
conveniency of the banks and lumber offices of the free flates of Italy,
and of thofe of Amfterdam, fir ft began, about this time, to publifh fe-
veral projedls for thole purpofes in London ; and one Samuel Lamb, a
merchant, in the year 1657, addrefTed a lai-ge folio pamphlet to Crom-
well the protedor on this fubjed, though nothing was done in confe-
quence thereof.
1651. — In the year 1651 the rump parliament, taking into their con-
fideration, that the interelTt of money in fundry parts beyond fea was lower
than the legal interefl of it in England, whereby thofe Englifh mer-
chants^ who carried on their commerce on credit with other men's
money, undoubtedly traded to difadvantage in refped to the merchants
of other countries ; and that high interefl keeps down the price of land,
prudently reduced the legal interefl of money from eight to fix per
cent ; {fthurhe, V. \, p. 472] which rate of interefl was confirmed after
the reftoration.
Sir Thomas Culpepper fenior, in the preface to his fecond trad againtl
the high rate of ufury, publifhed in 1641, remarks that ' within half
' an age we have feen many improvements of land, and a vafl increafe
' of the bulk of trade, by the abatement of interefl.' He farther re-
marks, ' that it will feem incredible to fuch as have not confidered it,
' but to any that will caft it up, it is plainly manifefl that Lioo, at 10
' in the hundred, in 70 years multiplies itfelf to Lioo.cco. So if there
* fhould be Lioo,oco of foreigners money now managed here at 10 per
' cent interefl, (and that doth feem no great matter) that L 100,000 in
' 70 years fpace would carry out ten millions of money !' As in our
prefent times Britain is obUged to pay to foreign nations the annual
interefl of many millions of our national debt, the above remark is an
ufeful argument in favour of the prefent low interefl thereon.
The rump parliament of England now made another mofl excellent
and memorable law for the advancement of our fhipping, navigation^
and plantations. It had been oblerved with concern that the merchants
of England, for feveral years pafl, had ufually freighted Dutch fliipping
for fetching home their own merchandize, becaufe their freight was at
a lower rate than that of EngHlh fhips. The Dutch fhipping were there-
by made ufe of even for importing our own American produds ; whilfl
A. D. 1 65 1. 44-5
our own fliipplng lay rotting in our harbours : our mariners alfo,
for want of employment at home, went into the fervice of the
Dutch. To thefe confiderations were fuperadded the haughty carriage
of the flates of Holland upon the parliament's demand of fatisfac-
tion for the murder of their envoy, Dr. Doriflaus, at the Hague ; and
for the infult put upon the ambaflador they fent afterwards, whole pro-
pofals the ftates alio had received very coldly : all which jointly con-
fidered determined the parliament to enaft, that no merchandize, either
of Afia, Africa, or America, including alfo our own plantations there,
fhould be imported into England in any but Englifh-built fhips, and be-
longing either to Englifli or to Englifh-plantation fubjeds, navigated
alfo by Englifli commanders, and three-fourths of the failors Englifli-
men : excepting, however, fuch merchandize as fhould be imported di-
redly from the original place of its growth or raanufadure in Europe
folely. Moreover, no fifh fhould thenceforward be imported into Eng-
land or Ireland, nor exported from thence to foreign parts, nor even
from one of our own home ports to another, but what is caught by our
own fifhers only. This was the firfl famous general ad, commonly called
the aB of navigation : and as it was nine years after confirmed (like
the preceding one for the redudion of intereft of money) we fliall then
be more particular in relation to the benefits arifing therefrom. Yet it is
highly proper here to obferve that this law grievoufly affeded the
Dutch, who till now had been almofl the fole carriers of merchandize
from one country of Europe to another ; the greatefl part of their im-
ports into England being thereby cut off: for till this law was enaded,
all nations in amity with England were at liberty to import what com-
modities they pleafed, and in what fhipping they pleafed. By authority
therefor of this law, the Englifh frequently feaixhed the Dutch fhips,
and often made prize of them : whereupon the ftates fent over four am-
baffadors to expoflulate with the rump and Cromwell; who in their
turn made five feveral demands on the ftates, viz. ' firft, the arrears of
' the tribute due for fifhing on the Britifh coafts ; fecondly, the re-
' ftoration of the fpice-iflands to England ; thirdly, juftice on fuch
' as were flill alive of thofe who committed the cruelties at Am-
* boyna and Banda ; fourthly, fatisfadion for the murder of their
' envoy Doriflaus ; and fifthly, reparation for the Englifh damages fuf-
* tained from the Dutch in Ruflia, Greenland, &c. amounting to fo
* great a fum as Li, 700,000.' Thus it is plain that the navigation-
ad proved the occafion of the cruel naval war, which broke out in the
year following : for thefe five demands were made with fo much pe-
remptorinefs as convinced the flates, that it was time to prepare for a
war with England.
In the mean time the novelty of this navigation-ad, and the igno-
rance of fome traders, occafioned at fiift loud complaints, that though
q K 2
■^#«-
444 A. D. 1 65 1.
our own people had not fliipping enough to import from all parts what-
ever they wanted, they were neverthelefs by this law debarred from re-
ceiving new fupplies of merchandize from other nations, who only
could, and till then did, import them. Thofe complaints were however
over-ruled by the government, who forefaw that this ad; would in the
end prove the great means of preferving our plantation trade intirely to
ourfelves, would increafe our fhipping and failors, and would draw the
profit of freights to ourfelves*.
In this fame year a project was laid before the Englifli commonwealth
for obtaining of the court of Spain the pre-emption of all Spanifh wool.
The projeclor obferved, that this propofed pre-emption would totally
diilblve the woollen manufacture of Holland, which, by means of that
wool, hath of late years mightily increafed, to the deflrudion of the vent
of all fine cloths of Englifli manufadure in Holland, France, and the
Eaft country; and hath drawn from us confiderable numbers of weavers,
dyers, and clothworkers, now fettled at Leyden and other towns in Hol-
land ; by whole help they have very much improved their ikill in cloth,
and have inade in that one province, one year with another, 24,000 to
26,000 cloths yearly. That the Dutch have of late years bought and
exported from Bifcay four fifth parts, at leafl, of all their wools, and
have fold there proportionably of their own country fi:ufFs and fayes.
That the French have alfo confiderable quantities of wool from Bifcay,
which they work up into cloth at Rouen and other parts. The projed-
or propofed a joint flock to be raifed for engroffing all the Spanifh
wool, whereby to compel the French alfo, who had already prohibited
our cloths, and alfo the Dutch and all other nations, to take of us all the
cloths they had need of. But this projed did not take places and was
indeed a piece of fine-fpun theory fcarcely reducible to pradice. [Thur-
be, V. i, />. 201.]
Although the Portuguefe firfl, and after them the Englifh, had, in
their voyages to Eafl-India, vifited the harbours and country about the
Cape of Good Hope, with an intent to make a fcttlement there ; yet
neither of thofe two nations had hitherto had courage enough effedual-
ly to fettle amongfi: fo barbarous a people as the Hottentots were, who
had formerly killed a number of Portuguefe on fome fuch attempt.
Neither indeed were there found any good harbours for the fecurity of
fliipping in thofe tempeftuous feas. But the Dutch having more perfe-
verance, and obferving the country to be fruitful, and that its fituation
• The advantages of incrcafing the number of 4 Hen. VII, c. 10]; in 154,1 [32 Hin. VHI, c,
homc-biiilt vtdcls and native feanicn were under- 14]; and in 1593, when Q_Meen Elizabeth reftrid-
ftood fo long ago as the year I 38 1, as appears by td certain privileges to goods carried in Englillu
an aft of parliament, 5 Ric. II, c. 3. The fame veflels. King James I, in his commiirion ot in»
meafure of policy has been frequently refumed, quiry in 1622, direfted the attention of the com-
(though, indeed, not perfevered in) particularly in miliioners to the fame objeft. ^^Faiicra, V. xvii,
the year 1,440, when it was propofed by the com- p. 414.] And Charles I alfo confirmed and re-
raons, but rejefted by King Henry VI; in the vived the laws in favour of Engliih (hipping. [i%i-
years 1485 and 14B9 \^Ads I Hen. VII, c. 8; dera, A^. xix, />. 119.] M.
A. D. iCi^i. 445-
Tvoiild prove very commodious for the fupply of water and provifions
for their Indian voyages, they are faid, in this year 1651, to have {irft
fettled at the Cape, vhere they built a good and fpacious fort, and con-
tradted friendihip with the Hottentots, or rather rendered thenifelves
formidable and alfo neceflary to them ; whereby the Dutch have cftab-
lifhed a noble colony there for many miles north and norch-eafl; of the
cape, where they have planted the Madeira grape, producing there a
much nobler and richer wine than the original grape. Yet fome will
have it, that their vines came from Perfia, and others fay from the
Rhine. Thither alfo have the Dutch tranfplanted cinnamon trees from
the ifle of Cylon. They are alfo faid to raife there confiderable quan-
tities of hemp, &c. So that the duties and the revenues which their
Eaft-lndia company raifes there (for they all belong to them) are faid
to be more than equals their expenfe for this colony. There the com-
pany have warehoufes and houfes for their officers within the fort, and
employ a great number of officers, fervants, and negro flaves. They
have alfo an hofpital for their fick failors, &c. with an excellent garden,
wherein all the curious and ufeful herbs, plants, &c. of Europe, Afia,
and Africa, are fuccefsfully cultivated. It is, in fliort, a very hopeful
profped for the Dutch republic and their Eafl-India company, who-
have greatly augmented the number of its plantations, by means of the
French proteflants, who emigrated to it upon the revocation of the edid:
of Nantes. So that it will be no wonder if, in another age, this Dutch
colony vies with the finefl countries, and proves the envy of the reft of
the nations, of Europe. The Dutch company having hereupon aban-
doned St. Helena, our Englhh company took poiTcflion of that ifland.
The Englifli commonwealth teftifying a great inchnadon for the ad-
vancement of commerce, we find in this and fome following years,
abundance of printed projecTs for promoting particular branches there-
of; fome of which have been adopted, and fuccefsfully put in pradice,
in our own times : others, indeed, though well enough fuited to cer-
tain free cities in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Poland, &c. where-
in fuch projedors had refided, did not, however, fo well fuit wiiti a
great nation. Such, of the former kind, were the propofed projeds of
charity banks, and lorabards, or lumber houfes; of the later the mak-
ing transferable all promiflory notes between man and man, fo as to
circulate as our modern bank notes do ; fuch was alfo the plaufible pro-
jeds of one William Potter, in his Key of wealth, and of Henry Robm-
"fon, &c. long fince forgotten, who urged the eredion of a land bank,
wherein all payments above Lio or L20 fliould by law be direded to
be made in bank credit ; and that, btfides the principal bank in Lon-
don, there fhould be, perhaps, 100 fubordmate barks in different parts
of England, all centering in the capital bank of London : wherein, for
the fupport of the credit thereof, a general mortgage of lands was pro
3
.446 A. D. 1651.
pofed, for which each mortgager fhould have credit in bank to the vaiut
of his land. The condition of fuch mortgage to be, either to pay fo
much money, with interefl; at 6 per cent, within a year from the day
that bank-credit fhould any way fail to be current ; or, in default of
fuch payment, the faid mortgaged lands to be forfeited, without re-
demption, and to be divided amongft the proprietors of the credit in
bank. Other projectors propofed banks on the plan of that at Amflerdam.
Others propofed a general regifter of houfes and {hips, as well as of lands.
A court-merchant, for the fummary recovery of all debts, &c. Alfo
fome very ill-judged projeds for uniting into corporations all merchants
trading into any one country, for the fake of what they called uni-
formity in trade. Mofl of thofe projeds, after the reftoration of Charles
II, and fome after the acceflion of William III, were again propofed to
the public, with fome variation iti their form, merely for concealing
their being only old projeds palmed upon men for new ones. Such,
for inftance, was Dr. Chamberlain's land-bank projed, which was car-
ried fo far as to have an ad of parliament in its favour in the year
1696.
The magiflrates of Bruges again wrote to the Englifh merchant-ad-
veturers company, to remind them, that in the days of Philip the Good,
and Charles the Bold, dukes of Burgundy, and alfo of the archduke
Maximilian, their city greatly flourilhed in commerce and in the greatefl
plenty of all kinds of merchandize, fo as to obtain the reputation of the
greatefl emporium in all Europe I but as nothing fublunary is perma-
nent, all thefe advantages are withdrawn, and adverfe fortune is come
in their place : fo that this city, once the feat of wealth, riches, and
honour, has fince been the feat of war, which obhged the foreign
merchants to abandon it, as did alfo the faid fociety with their com-
merce in woollen cloths, &c. But now a fettled peace being eftablifh-
ed between the Belgic provinces and foreign flates, fome foreign mer-
chants are preparing to refettle at Bruges : and as they are informed of
the willingnefs alfo of this fociety to refettle there, they are hereby in-
vited to come to the port of Oftend, and thence by water-carriage to
Bruges, with their cloths, &c. to be afterwards difperfed throughout
Flanders, Brabant, Liege, Lorrain, &c. by mofl commodious naviga-
tions, by rivers and canals. To this the company courteoufly anfwered,
that, as their letters were intirely filent in the two mofl material articles,
viz. the free exercife of their religion, and the duties to be paid, they
defired a peremptory anfwer thereto ; fince the Englifh parliament, out
of their zeal for the worfliip of God, arid for the honour of their nation,
could never admit of a treaty for refidence, till thofe two articles be firfl
agreed to. [Thurloe, V. '\, p. 198.] bo we heard no more of this refi-
dence : and we apprehend that it was now, or foon after this time, that
A. D. 1 65 1. 447
this fociety began to make Hamburgh their principal, and foon after
their fole, refidence and ftaple for the woollen manufadure.
1652. — ^We now come to the commencement of the firfl: very bloody
naval war between the two mofi: potent republics which the world had
ever feen fince thofe of Rome and Carthage. We have obfcrved, that
the new Englifh ad of navigation of laft year had curtailed the bulk of
the commerce between England and Holland, confiding principally in
foreign merchandize imported into, and Englifh merchandize exported
from^ England in Dutch vefTels. In vain, as we have alio feen, did the
Dutch remonftrate againfl; the adl, the Englifh commonwealth being-
bent on a war with the Dutch: for befides the five former demands of
the EngliPa commonwealth, fatisfadion was now inlified on for the
Dutch ambaflador's having held a private correfpondence v/ith King
Charles II, and alfo for not giving the honour of the flag to all Englifh
fliips of war. The ftates-general therefor prepared for war by fitting
out a vaft fleet of 150 warlike fhips, great and fmall, though certainly
not equal to fhips of war in our days. De Witt^ in his Intereft of Hoi
land, [part iii, c. 6] fpeaks of it as a thing incredible, ' that the fiates
' of Holland, during the chargeable war againfl England, from 1652
' to i6j4, fliould be able, in the fpace of two years, to build 60 new
' capital fliips of war, of iuch dimenfions and force as were never be-
' fore ufedin the fervice of the flate.' AH our hiftories- are full of the
particulars of this war, which is therefor fuperfluous for us to enlarge
on. On the fide of the Dutch were the great admirals, Van Tromp,
De Ruyter, and De Witt ; the firfl of whom, upon his gaining fome
advantage by the accidentally great fuperiority in the Channel over
Blake, in contempt of England's pretenfions to the fovereignty of the lea,
failed down the Channel wiih a broom at his main-top-gallant-mafl;
head, to fliew he would fwcep the feas ; for which he paid dearly next
year : and on the Englifh fide were the great Blake, with Monk anil
Deane. It is fufficlent to obferve, that in this and the following year
almofl incredible deftrudion and captures were made of merchant fhips,
as well as of lliips of war and Tailors, on both fides ; there having been,
in only nine months of the year 1652, four general naval engagements,
befides leller ones. Whilft all the great popifh potentates, and particu-
larly France, were pleafed to fee the two mod powerful proteftant ones
deflroying each other.
This year Mr Edwards, an Englifli Turkey merchant, brought home
with him a Greek fervant who underftood the roafiing and making of
coffee, till then unknown in England. This man was the firfl who fold
coffee, and kept a houfe for that purpofe in London. Profper Alpinus,
a learned phyfician of Venice, who flouriflied about the year 1591, was
the firfl who wrote of the nature of the coffee plant and berry : our
great Lord Bacon, in his Natural hifiory, was the next ; and the inge-
4
448 A. D. 1652.
nious Mr. John Ray afterwards. Some relate, that coffee has not been
generally uled in Arabia, where it grows, and in Turkey, much above
200 or at mofl 250 years. It was firfl brought to Holland from Mocha
in the year 161 6, though it did not come into general ufe there for many
years after. About the year 1690 the Dutch began to plant it at Ba-
tavia in the ifland of Java : and in 171 9 it was firfl: imported thence
into Holland. Since then the Dutch have planted a great deal of coffee
in Ceylon as well as in Java ; infomuch that in 1743 they imported
into Holland 3,555,877 pounds of it from Java, and at the fame time
but 12,368 pounds from Mocha: fo greatly had they improved their
Java coffee. The Englifli and French have of late years fuccefsfully
planted coffee in their Weft-India iflands, as the Dutch have alio at Su-
rinam, &c. although ftill inferior to that of Mocha in Arabia, from
whence all coffee originally came. If the European nations Ibould con-
tinue, as of late years, to naturalize in their own weftern plantations
the fine productions of China, Perfia, Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Tur-
key, it will in time bring the direft commerce to the Levant to a very
narrow compafs. The coffee plant is laid nearly to refemble the jeffa-
mine tree ; bearing a fruit reiembling a cherry, within which is inclof-
ed a fort of kernel which, when ripe, opens and divides into what are
ufually called coffee berries. All the coffee brought home by our Tur-
key fhips comes only from Arabia, there being no coffee growing in
Turkey properly fo called, and is the very fame which is brought home
by our Eaft-India fliips who trade up into the Red fea. But as the
former is brought over land from Arabia into Syria or Egypt, it is
therefor faid not to be efteemed quite fo good as what is brought di-
rectly by fea from Mocha in our Eaft-India ftiips. Coffee was unknown
to the antients, although, doubtlefs, it grew always wild in Arabia. Mr.
Wotton, ia his Refledions on antient and modern learning, conjeclures
that the prohibition of wine, by the law of Mahomet, made the Arabs
find out its virtues for fupplying the place of wine.
Tobacco being about the middle of this century grown into much
greater efteem than formerly in England, confiderable quantities there-
of were planted ia feveral counties, which throve exceeding well, and
proved very good in its kind : but as this not only lefl'ened the duty on
the importation of tobacco, but likewife greatly obftrufted the fale of
that commodity from our own colonies in Virginia, &c. which had coft
fo much expenfe in planting them, the loud complaints of the planters
occafioned an acl of parliament abiblutely prohibiting the planting of
any in England. Cromwell and his council in 1654 appointed com-
miffioners for ftriitly putting this ad in execution: and (that we may
nor have recourfe again to this fujed) it was again legally enacted, [12
Car. 11. c. 34] that from the ift of January i66c-i, no perfon whatever
A. D. 1652. ^^g
ffioukl fow or plant any tobacco in England, under certain penalties.
So that an end was effedually put to that praclice.
We may clearly obferve the late great increafe of England's wealth
by commerce, when in this year, as well as in the fucceeding year, the
nation was able to bear an afTeflment of Li 20,000 per month, befide
other great fixed taxes.
In this year the ifland of Granada was firfl planted on by the French
from Martinico, after fome ftruggle with the natives. It is faid, by the
French hiftorian of the Caribbee iflands, to produce fugar-canes, gin-
ger, indigo, and excellent tobacco.
Hackney-coaches were limited to 200 in number, dayly plying in
London ftrects.
We find that the Swedes at this time had a fettlement on the gold
coaft of Africa, managed by an African company : for Queen Chriflina
of Sweden made a complai^it to the parliament of the Englifh common-
wealth, that their fhips of w^ar had taken two of that company's fhips
homeward bound, and feized all the gold, 8cc. in them. [T'burloe, V. '\,
/>. 219.]
A virulent pamphlet was now written againft the Englifh Eaft-Tndia
company, intitled Strange news from India, calculated for favouring
the folicitations of Sir William Courten's heirs, acting under a feparate
patent of King Charles I, for trading to India. It is therein alleged,
that whereas our people, in the beginning of the Eafl-India trade, had
made particular running voyages thither, only to enrich a few ; they
were afterward united in a joint-ftock company ; and fince then they
(being a deftrudive monoply) have mifemployed or misfpent in one joint
flock, Li, 600, 000, and in feveral joint flocks L3, 600,000, impoveriiliing
our nation by exporting much bullion. Yet, which is wonderful, not
yet provided with one port or place of their own in India for a rendez-
vous *, whereas the Dutch company had 30 impregnable cities in India,
and employed 250 fail of fhips : that by the old Englifh company's nc-
gledl of Ormus and the Portuguefe prizes f their trade continued decay-
ing from 1617 to 1634; inibmuch, that their actions or fhares were
frequently fold from party to party, at 30, 2,S/) to 40 per cent lofs, and
and fome much more. That the lofs of the Ipice iflands, feized by the
Dutch, is valued at Li 00,000 per annum confequence to the nation.
That about the year 1632, and fince, a treaty was on foot between
King Charles I and our company on the one part, and the Dutch com-
pany on the other part, touching our claim to thofe fpice iflands : but
that although L8o,ooo was agreed to be paid by the Dutch company,
yet King Charles and our company could not agree or fettle their re-
fpedtive fhares thereof; and fo the matter was dropped, and the Dutch
* The author elfewhere owns that the company pofTflTed Madras, whch IndeeJ is not a good poi t. A, -
f He (hould have added, — by their difference with the Dutch Ealt-India co nprny. A.
Vol. IT. 3 L
450 A. D. 1652.
have kept pofTeflion of thofe ifles. That this lanerui{hing condition of
our company incHne<l the king and council in 1635 to grant a pa-
tent to Sir William Conrten to trale to, and plant in, fuch places only
where the old company d; I not trade. That Courten's enterprife great-
ly alarmed the Dutch company, who feized one of his fhips bound
from Goa for China. &c.
In this and other wri'ines, in behalf of Courten's reprefentatives, our
compaiiy is accufed of having combined with the Dutch company to
ruin Courten's projed. Mr. Courten, fon and executor of Sir William,
continued the trade till 1646, when, as he alleges, by the cruel ufage
of the Englifh and Dutch companies, he was forced to abandon it, to
the damage of feveral hundred thoufand pounds. His complaint was
revived after the reftoration of King Charles II ; yet we do not find
that any redrefs was ever obtained : and indeed it was not much to
be wondered at, when it is confidered that Courten's original grant was
made in prejudice of our Eafl-India company's exclufive charter.
1653. — In the year 1653, the treaty concluded between Denmark
and the United provinces in 1 649 for farming the toll in the Sound was
refcinded, and a new one was concluded at Copenhagen, whereupon
the Dutch advanced the fum of 525,000 gilders to the crown of Den-
mark, by way of anticipation : the Danifh court agreeing to repay that
fum in annual payments, with 5 per cent interefl:. [Thurloe, V. i,
p. 482.]
The portage of a great trading nation's letters is undoubtedly, in fome
degree, a kind of political pulfe whereby to judge of the increafe or
decreafe of the public wealth and commerce : yet it would be more
efpecially fo, where franking of letters by members of parliament did
not take place, which, it is apprehended, was not the cafe as yet in
England, whofe council of (late this year farmed the poftage of England,
Scotland, and Ireland, to John Manley, Efq. for Lr 0,000 yearly, which
was confirmed by the protector in 1654. By this fettlement fingle let-
ters carried as far as 80 miles paid 2d, and double ones ^d ; beyond 80
miles o^d, and double ones 6^'. We fliall hereafter fee this revenue great-
ly increafed, in confequence of the increafe of our general commerce,
and alio by additional poftage.
The naval war between the two firfl republics of the univerfe ftill
,continued very fierce. In June this year happened off Dover the fifth
general engagement : Monk and Deaue commanded the Engliih fleet of
100 fail ; and Van Tromp, De Witt, De Ruyter, and the two Evert-
fens, commanded the Dutch one of above 100 fhips of war. Afrer
continually fighting for two days, the Dutch were difcomfited, eleven
of their fliips being taken, fix funk, and two blown up, with but little
lofs on the fide of the Englifh. From this difafl;er Van Tromp, in a
memorial to his maflers the ftates-general, fet forth, that the fhips and
A. D. 1653. 451
guns of the Dutch fleet were too flender in comparifon with thofe of
the Englifh ; and Admiral De Ruyter exprefsly declared, that he would
not return to fea, if his fleet were not reinforced with greater and better
fliips. For (as appears by intercepted letters for Holland), the Englifli
commonwealth had then actually 204 fliips of war, great and fmall, and
35,000 feamen ; and in October this year, the principal terror of the
Dutch was from our great fliips. The Englifli fleet lying on the Dutch
coafts during mofl; part of this year, was very grievous to their merchants,
their homeward-bound fleets and convoys being in continual danger of
falling into our hands. Their fifliing fliips alfo were kept from going
out, which brought immediate calamity on their people. \Thurloe, V. \,
pp. 290, 514.]
The Dutch fleets, however, when joined, made 130 fliips, fome of
which indeed were Eafl-India fliips fitted up for war. Yet fuch was
then the naval ftren2;th of Holland, that in little more than a month
they fitted out 125 fliips of war under Van Tromp, who, in July this
fame year, had another great engagement with Monk on their own
coafl, when there were 27 Dutch fliips either funk or burnt, but none
taken, occafioned by Monk's orders, neither to give nor take quarter.
Here alfo they loft their great Admiral Van Tromp. Ker of Kerfland's
fecond volume of memoirs fays, that great admiral's fliip, the largeft in
the Dutch navy, carried no more than 66 cannon ; but the ftates quick-
ly difcovered their want of great fliips, and therefor, in this fame year,
built twenty fliips of from 50 to 80 guns : yet we fliall fee, by a much
better authority, that three years after their largefl fliip carried but 76
guns. On the Englifli fide there were many men flain, though only
one fliip loft.
So great was the naval power of England at this time, that it appears
by Thurloe, \ibide7n\ that the Venetian ambaflador in England came
to folicit the continuance of fome Englifli fliips of war in that republic's
fervice fome time longer: a fu re mark, however, of the feeblenefs of
Venice's naval power.
This year an attempt for a north-eaft paflage was made by order of
King Frederic III of Denmark, who fent out three veflels, who it feems
adually pafled through Waygatz ftraits, which neither Englifli nor Dutch
had been able in former attempts fully to accomplifli. Yet in the bay
beyond thofe ftraits they found infurmountable obftacles from the ice
and intenfenefs of the cold, fo that they were obliged to retuai unfuc-
cefsfully : and fo, probably, will every one, who may hereafter attempt
what, from repeated trials, has been found fo impracticable. Yet, even
fubfequent to this date, the Dutch in their northern voyages, are laid
to have again tried for this paflage, but without being able to proceed
fo far eaftward as was done in this Danifti attempt.
Notwithftanding what we have related concerning the Dutch fettle-
3.L 2
452 A, D. r653.
inent on the Cape of Good Hope in the year 1651, others relate, that
it was not till this year that the Dutch Eaft-India company, who had
before been more accuftomed than other European nations to flop at the
Cape of Good Hope in their India voyages for refrefhments, which they
purchafed of the Hottentots for mere trifles, determined to make a fet-
tlement there. Voltaire, in his General hiflory of Europe, will have
it, that they, in this year, feized on a Portuguefe fort there, although
it does not clearly appear from other accounts, that the Portuguefe ever
had any fort or fettlement on that cape. Yet, as it is frequently con-
venient, and not feldom abfolutely needful, to flop at that place, it was
a very wife meafure in the Dutch company to fecure a good refrefliing
flation there. Others make their firft fettlement here to be ftill five
years later, viz. 1-658.
1654. — In the year 1654 a fleet of Englifli merchant fhips failed to
Archangel, and with them William Prideaux, who, in his letter to the
governor of Archangel, ftiled himfelf only mefl'enger of his highnefs
the lord protedor to his imperial majefly, the czar : wherein he wrote,
that whereas there hath been a diftance from commerce for fome
time by the Englifli merchants to the faid port of Archangel, they
are now come thither with their fliips laden with goods. So it is
required of the governor, in the name of the lord protedor of the
commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to know if trade
fhall be permitted with freedom, and if granted, on what terms. To
which the governor anfwered, that the Englifli company is licenced, by
his imperial majefly of all Ruflia, to trade in Archangel in all unprohi-
bited goods, they paying the fame cuftom as other flrangers do. And
that as foon as the Englifli have done trading at that port, they muft go
beyond fea, i. e. home, and not be permitted, as antiently, to go up to
Mofcow, nor to any other part of Ruflia : but what goods fliall be left
unfold may either remain at Archangel, or be carried back to England.
Mr. Prideaux, however, is permitted to go to Mofcow to acquaint his
imperial majefly with his commiflion from the protedor. [Tljurloe, V.
ii, p. 558.] We need here only to remark, that the protedtor, doubt-
lefs, knew beforehand, on what terms his meflage and fliips would be
received ; and in order to foften the czar, he now gives him the title
of emperor, which title, however, has not been generally recognized
till our own times.
A letter of intelligence in this fame year, from the Hague, relates.,
that the czar had baniflied the Englifli from Archangel, at the requeft
of the Lord Culpepper, agent for King Charles : and that the king of
Poland, in this fame year, had fent a minifter to the protedor to infti-
gate him againft Mufcovy, infinuating that it would be no hard matter
for our fleet to take Archangel. [T'hurloe, V. iii, p. 50.]
Mr. Prideaux, in his letter this year to the council, complains of the
A. D. 1654. AC-y
badnefs of trade at Archangel, partly occafioned by the Rufllans not
permitting any foreigners to trade up into the country from Archan<^el,
and partly becaufe of the Dutch fliips coming thither, which kept up
the prices of Ruflia goods, and partly alfo by the czar's war with Po-
land. '
Whitelocke, the Enghfh ambafllidor in Sweden, complained to that
court, that the Swedes had feized an Engliih Guinea company's fort on
that coaft. The Swedes, in excufe, alleged, that it was only a little
lodge with two chambers : and they infilled on a prior grant thereof
from the prince of that part of the country. [Thnrloe, V. ii, pp. 266,
280.] Whatever might be the ifTue of this trifling matter, it is plain
that Sweden at this time had fome trade to the coaft of Guinea, although
they at prefent have no fetdement any where v/ithout the Baltic fea.
The war between the two repubUcs of England and Holland was car-
ried on in fuch a manner as rendered it abfolutely irapoffible for either
nation to hold it out much longer, without reducing one of the parties
to abfolute fubjedion. It was fo extremely vilible that England had the
fuperiority, that De Witt himfelf, though a foe to the Englifh name,
in his Interefl: of Holland, [p. 314] declares the great fuperiority of the
Englifh in flrength of fhipping, (for it was merely a naval war) and that
they VN^ere now become mafters of the fea. Not only men and money
muft: foon have been wanting, but one would think that even fhip-tim-
ber itfelf fhould foon have failed for fupplying the lofs of fo many large
fhips : fince, befide the many fhips of war deflroyed, the Dutch had
lofi: 700 merchant fhips in the years 1652 and 1653. NecefHry there-
for compelled them to fend ambafTadors to the protector to fue for
peace, and to accept fuch terms as he thought fit to grant. It was con-
cluded on the 5th of April 1654, whereby mutual friendfhip and com-
merce were re-eftabhfhed between them. The mofl remarkable com-
mercial articles were in fubftance as follows, viz.
Article XIII) That the fhips of the Dutch, as well fhips of war as
others, meeting any of the fhips of war of the Englifh commonwealth
in the Britifh feas fhall flrike their flag and lower their topfail, in fuch
manner as hath ever been at any time heretofore pradiied under any-
former government *.
XXVII) The ftates-general fhall fee jultice done on the authors and
abettors of the barbarous murders committed on the Englifh at Am-
boyna, anno 1622-3, if any of them be yet alive.
XXVIII) Certain EngUfh fhips and goods having, by the influence of
the Dutch, been feized and detained within the dominions of Denmark
fmce May 1652, the ftates-general oblige themfelves to make rellitution
* This was the firft formal eftabhfhment of the right of the flag. Perhaps the Englifh republic,
fufpedling that the Dutch might fcruple paying tlie honours to the flag of a commonwealth, which had
icen paid to that of a king, were the more determined upon making an exprefs article for u. yi.
454 ^' ^' 1654.
to the proprietors, with damages, &c. for detention. And two arbitra-
tors from each commonwealth are to meet in Goldfmiths-hall at London,
and to take an oath, to proceed without refped or relation had to either
flate, or to any particular interefl whatever, for the adjuftment of this
matter : and, unlefs they agree upon fentence before the ifl of Augufl
1654, the aforefaid arbitrators fhall from that day be {hut up in a cham-
ber by themfelves, without fire, candle, meat, drink, or any other re-
frefhment, till fuch time as they fhall come to an agreement concerning
the matters referred to them.
XXX) In cafe the commiflioners to be appointed by both republics,
to meet at London, for adjufting all damages and injuries which either
nation may allege to have fuflained from the other from the year 161 1
to the 1 8th of May 1652, as well in the Eaft-Indies as in Greenland,
Mufcovy, Brafil, &c. do not, within three months after their firft meet-
ing together, come to an agreement, then their differences are hereby
fubmitted to the arbitration of the proteftant cantons of Switzerland,
who fhall appoint like commiflioners to give final judgment within fix
months following : which judgement fhall bind both parties.
Befide thefe there was a fecret article, v>7hereby the ftates promifed
Cromwell, the protedor, not to choofe the prince of Orange for their
fladtholder or captain-general.
At the fame time, the Englifh Eafl -India company exhibited at large
all their claims for damages fuflained in India by the Dutch company
from the year 161 1 to 1652, amounting to the vaft fumof L2,695,99o :i5
principal, flerling money : and the interefl, fay they, if computed to
this time, will amount to a far greater fum : even exclufive of the iflands
of Poleroon and Lantore.
This vafl fum is made up of feventeen articles of damages and lofles,
which, the Englifh company alleged, they had fuflained from the frauds
and violences of the Dutch company in the Molucco ifles, at Jacatra,
Bantam, Poleroon, Lantore, Perfia, Surat, Sumatra, and the Cape of
Good Hope ; where our company, fay they, in the reign of King James I,
(but they name not the year) took poffefTion of thofe lands at that cape,
and caufed a rampart to be call up, called James's-mount, on which they
planted the Englifh colours. And they therefor now demanded, that
the inheritance of thofe territories might always remain in the power
of the Enghfh, and that they might be free to colonize and fortify there,
and to trade thence at pleafiire. Thefe feventeen articles of claim may
be feen at large in the Colledion of treaties of peace and commerce in
four volumes 8vo, printed in 1732, on which therefor we fhall not here
be more particular.
On the other fide, the Dutch Eafl-India company exhibited, by way
of counter-demand, eleven articles, for t-xpenles by them contributed
beyond their quota, by reafon of a deficiency on our company's part
A. D. 1654. 4^ J
during feventeen years ; the Englifli company's half of the expenfe of
defending Fort Geldres in Palecat, and at the fiege of Bantam ; their
one third of the fums laid out in the Molucco';, Amboyna, and Banda,
after February 1622, when the En.'lifh left off paying their quota in.
thofe parts * ; for the Dutch comp:my's lofs by the feizure and deten-
tion of three of their fhips at Portfmouth, bound to Surat ; for their
half fhare of the lofs of the pepper trade to Bantam for iix years, com-
puted to be as great as that of the Englifh demanded in their before-
named articles, viz. L6oo,ooo flerling ; for the extra charges of the
Dutch company for convoys for the merchant fliips returning from In-
dia by the north feas for twenty years, and for wages extraordinary for
the failors ; for provifions lent to the Englilh company ; for wages of
the company's fundry lliips and pinnaces, and the coft of others em-
ployed in the fervice of the joint trade, &c.
And, in fine, the Dutch company determining to outdo the demands
of the Englifh company firft exhibited, they made the whole amount to
no lefs than L2,9i8,6i i : 3 : 6 flerling.
Thus the two companies made demands on each other, more like
mighty potentates than focieties of merchants : yet we are not to be
furprized thereat, when we confider their immenfe trade to and from
India and Perfia, and that the feveral fpices of thofe days were in much
greater requeft than they are in our time. Ic is, however, more than
probable that the pretentions of both were exaggerated, although, by
the iffue, the Dutch much more than the Englifli. So their vouchers
and documents were referred to four commiflioners appointed by each
company, who doubtlefs found it difficult enough to adjuft Inch intri-
cate accounts and demands to the mutual fatisfadion of their conflitu-
ents. Their award is dated 30th Augufl 1654, as in the third volume
of the Colledion of treaties, not only by virtue of powers from their
refpedive companies, but likewife by the authority of the protedor and
of the ftates-general : being in fubflance.
That, being defirous to reconcile and re-eflablifli a perpetual agree-
ment between the two companies, they have decided and determined as
follows, viz.
I) We hereby make void, extinguifh, obliterate, and altogether wipe
out, and commit to oblivion, fo as never to be revived at any time, and
upon any pretence, by any perfon whatever, all the complaints, pre-
tenfions, and controverfies, above mentioned, and all others whacfoever
which either company may have made on each other, of what kind lo-
ever they may be.
II) We decree, that the Dutch Eafl-India company fliall reftore to
* This was a mod impudent dcMiancI, it being known that in the > e^r 1622 he ^intch company
had completely expelled the Englilh from thofe iflands. Tlie demand was for no iefa tuan L5io,cco
ilerling. A.
45^ A. D. 1654^
t
the Englifli Eafl-India company the ifle of Poleroon in the ftate it is
now in.
III) We decree and ordain, that the Dutch company (hall pay to the
EngUfh company here in London LSjjOOO fterUng.
IV) As to the complaints and demands made in the name of fome
private EngHflimen, who complain of having received injury and dam-
age at Amboyna in the years 1622-3, after having heard and confider-
ed the matters which have been alleged and exhibited by the above
mentioned deputies of the Dutch company in their own defence ; and
we being defirous that no relids of complaint fhould remain, do, by
virtue of the full powers and authority aforefaid, appoint and ordain,
that all complaint, adion, and damage of the Englifh whomfoever,
whether public or private, on the fcore of any injury or damage which
they pretend to have fuffered at Amboyna in the year 1622 of the
Englifli flile, and 1623 new ftile, may be made void, terminated, and
committed to oblivion. And that no perfon fhall enter any adion on
that account, nor moleft, difturb, or vex, the faid Dutch company, nor
any Dutchmen on that pretext. And, on the other hand, we alfo de-
clare and ordain, that the faid Dutch company fhall pay here at Lon-
don, before the firfl of January next, the fum of L3625 fterling, viz.
to the nephew and adminiftrator of the effeds of Gabriel Towerfon, late
of Amboyna, deceafed, L700. And in like fort to the reprefentatives
of the other fufferers in the cruel mafiacre and tortures at Amboyna,
fundry different fums to make up the fum total of L3625. And on this
confideration we iniifl that their adions or fuits be altogether fet aiide
and cancelled, fo as never to be revived hereafter by any perfon whom-
foever.
In witnefs whereof we have fubfcribed thefe prefents, and lealed them
with our feals, the 30th of Augufl, Englifh ftile, 1654.
jfobn Exton, &c. (L. S.)
Andrian Van Aelmonde, 8tc. (L. S^)
Upon this famous award, very little remark is neceffary. Certainly
Cromwell had the Dutch at this time very much in his power : yet, on
the other hand, it is certain, that the Dutch Eaft-India company had
committed many outrages on the Englifli company, to their very great
damage, whereby they had brought our company into very low cir-
cumftances. It is moreover but too evident, that even fuppofing the
fads alleged againft the Englifh at Amboyna had been all clearly made
out, yet the barbarities and cruelties committed there againfl: them by
the Dutch were abfolutely unjuftifiable in the higheft degree. But as the
bufinefs of Amboyna has been fo frequently and unreaibnably brought
on the flage againft: the whole Dutch nation, it is but reafonable it
fliould be hereafter buried in oblivion.
This year an ad of the protedor's parliament limited the number of
A. D. 1654. ' 4^7
hackney coaches within the cities of London and Weftminfter, and fix
miles round the late lines of communication, to 300, and the hackney-
coach horfes to 600 ; the government and regulation of them with re-
fpe6t to their ftands, rates, &c. to be in the court of aldermen of Lon-
don. Every fuch coach to pay 20/" yearly, for defraying the expenfe of
regulating them.
The fame year Cromwell and his parliament, confidering how incon-
gruous it was, that vaflalage and fervile fuperiorities fhould remain in
one part of the republic, whilfl freedom, wealth, and commerce were
fo much boafted of in the other part of it, enadted the total abolition
thereof in Scotland. Had this been confirmed after the refloration, and
a law made for obliging landlords to grant, and for enabling tenants to
take, by certain encouragements, long leafes of their farms, that coun-
try would long before now have worn a more favourable afpect. But,
at the refloration of King Charles II, fome evil-minded perfons about
the king poflelfed him with a notion that the fuperiorities, &c. were far
from being a grievance to the crown, which might, by means of a few
penfions, fuccefsfuily make ufe of the vaffal clans for keeping the reft
of Scotland in fubjedion : in which they were not greatly miftaken.
Cromwell now concluded a treaty of peace and alliance with King
John IV of Portugal, wherein were fundry advantageous articles with
refped to England's freely trading to Brafil, &c. much more than fince,
viz. the manner and times of unloading their cargoes, and of difpofing
thereof, as well as of purchafing and loading their homeward-bound
cargoes, as alfo for their freedom from troubles and lofFes upon account
of the inquifition there ; the freedom alfo for the Englifh to trade to
the Portuguefe colonies in India : and the fecurity of the goods of the
Englifh dying in Portugal : which, being in part confirmed by fubfe-
quent treaties, we need not now enlarge upon. [General colkdion of
treaties, V. iii, p. 97.]
Cromwell alfo this year concluded a treaty of peace and commerce
with Denmark : whereby England was to be favoured as much in the
cuftoms, tolls, &c. as the Dutch, or any other nation, the Swedes only '
excepted, who at this time paid no toll in palling the Sound. Neither
were the Englifh fhips failing up the Elbe to Hamburgh to pay any toll
or cuflom, nor to be fearched or flopped at Gluckftadt, nor at any other
fort or place on the Elbe belonging to Denmark. \General colleStion of
treaties, V. iii, p. 136, ed. 1732.]
Although England long before this time had been in pofleflion of the
greateft woollen manufadure of any nation whatever, and adually made
the very fineft cloth as well as fluffs, &c. yet fuch was the induftry and
application of the Dutch, that they had flill the credit of dying and
drelTing our tine cloths better than our people could as yet do. Our tine
white cloths were therefor for the mofl part flill fent over to Holland
Vol. II. 3 M
45 8 A. D. 1654.
for that purpofe, and returned back to England dyed and drefled. This
accounts for an affertion in an ingenious and judicious pamphlet, entitled,
the Intereft of England coniidered, [p. 5, ed. 1694] viz. ' that not above
' 40 years before, our nobility and gentry were furnifhed from Holland
' with the fineft cloth.' Yet, foon after, our dyers and cloth-dreiTers got
the better of this defect, although the Dutch fcarlets and blacks are faid
by fome dill to retain a fuperior credit even to this day.
- In this fame year fome of Cromwell's fhips reduced the forts in Nova-
Scotia in the bay of Fundy, &c. which, in his treaty with France in the
following year, he could not be brought to reftore. Yet upon a re-
monftrance to him from Monfieur de la Tour, fetting forth, that he had
before made a purchafe of Nova-Scotia from the earl of Stirling, Crom-
well confented to its being given up to him. In our times, fuch bar-
gains of a fubjeft to alienate to one of another nation any fuch con-
fiderable part of the crown's territory would not be deemed legal : but
that country's great importance was not well underftood till long after
this time. Monfieur de la Tour, however, foon after fold Nova-Scotia
to Sir Thomas Temple, who was both proprietor and governor of it till
the refloration of King Charles II.
In the fame year Cromwell concluded a treaty of peace with Chriflina
queen of Sweden at Upfal ; which, relating folely to the general free-
dom of commerce and navigation on both fides, requires no particular
recital. \Gene?-al colle£lion of treaties, V. iii, p. 89.]
This year Cromwell, for the fupport of his own peculiar interefi,
though much againfi; the true interefl: of England, joined with France
in a war againfi: Spain, which by this time had been already too much
deprefled. This ill-advifed v/ar occafioned large feizures of our effeds
in Spain, with great lofies at fea, and interrupted our profitable com-
merce with that country, thereby alfo enabling the wifer Dutch to get
furer footing in the Spanifli trade ; and moreover, introducing into
England a relifli for French frippery, and, which was worfi; of all, de-
flroying ftill more, in favour of France, the jufi: equilibrium of power
in Europe.
In this remarkable year, after the Dutch Weft-India company had
gradually loft all their other ftrong holds in Brafil, their capital fort and
port of the Receif was taken from them by the Portuguele, whereby,
after 30 years pofi'eflion of a great part of that country, they wei'e now
quite expelled from it. Yet this fame lofs bringing on a war between
thofe two nations till the year 1661, the Dutch Eaft-lndia company's
iliccefi'es againft the Portuguefe in India more than countervailed the
other company's lofies : they having defpoiled the Portuguefe of almoft
all their valuable pofiTefiions in India. By thofe conquefts in Brafil,
Angola, St. Thome, Sec. which the ftates and the prince of Orange
perluaded the Weft-India company to xindertake, the greateft part of
A. D. 1654. 459
their capital was exhanfled, they having fpent thereon in all 16B millions
of gilders, or about 16 millions fterling. Yet their remaining conquefts
on the Guinea coafl have proved of infinite benefit to the Dutch com-
merce, and would be ftill more fo, had they more colonies in Ame-
rica.
By the eredtion of this exclufive Weft-India company, fays De Witt
in his Intereft of Holland, we have quite lofl our open trade to Guinea,
and that of fait in the Weft Indies. In another place he obferves, that
vvhilfl the Dutch were at war with Spain, the eredion of their Eaft-In-
dia and Weft-India companies was a nectfTary evil, becaufe our people,
fays he, \_part i, c. xix] would be trading; to fuch countries where our
enemies were too ftrong for parricu'ar adventurers, in order to lay the
foundation of thofe trades by powerful armed locieties. But thofe trades
being now well fettled, it may be juftly doubted whether the exclufive
companies ought any longer to be continued. In Niewhoflf's fecond vo-
lume of voyages it is afl'erted, that, when the Dutch in the year 1660
yielded up all Brafil to Portugal, the Dutch were to receive eight millions
of gilders, and alfo to be allowed a free trade to Portugal, Guinea, and.
Brafil, paying only the fame curtom as the native Portuguefe : but this
treaty is not now in force, and perhaps never exifled wiih all thefe ad-
vantages.
In the fame year a number of perfons of diftindion in London feem-
ed earneftly to let about the herring-fifhery : and for their encourage-
ment the Englifh commonwealth granted them an exemption from the
duties on fait and on naval llores to be uied in their filhery. Colledions
were likewiie made 'at London and other parts for eredting wharfs,
docks, and ftorehoufes, and for purchafing ground for making and tan-
ning their nets. Yet this attempt proved unfuccefsful.
The expenfe of the Englilh navy for the winter and the enfuing fum-
mer was eftimated by the commiflioners of the admiralty to amount
to - - L85o,6io o o
More for the fea ordnance - - 63,208 13 8
And if Admiral Blake's and Admiral Perm's fhips,
&c. are to be kept up till the ift of Odober, it will
farther cofl - - - - 108,919 o o
More for the additional provifions of 1000 men
more - - - 26,000 o o
Total - Li, 048,737 13 8
[T'burloe, V. iii, p. 64.]
1655. — The merchants of Amflerdam having heard that the lord
protedor would dilfoive the Eall-india company at Loudon, and declare
the navigation and commerce to the Indies to be fr.e and open, were
3 M 2
460 A. D. 1655.
greatly alarmed, confidering fuch a meafure as ruinous to their own
Eaft-India company. [Letter i^tb January, 1654-5, in "Thurloe^ V. iii,
p. 80.]
This it feems was adually done about this time, but the damage
thereby done to that trade obliged the protedor to reinflate the com-
pany, as we fliall fee, three years after this time.
The Dutch, who had fo great a fhare of the commerce of the coun-
tries bordering on the Baltic (hores, frequently interpofed in the quar-
rels between the northern crowns, the conllant policy of the republic
being to preferve an equilibrium between thofe northern potentates, as
the beft means to fupport the freedom of their great commerce to thofe
countries. Particularly in the year 1655 the Dutch, jealous of the
great fuccefs of the Swedes againft Poland, ftirred up the king of Den-
mark againft them. But the Danes being worfted in this war, the
Dutch fent a fleet, firfl: to the afliflance of the city of Dantzick, infult-
ed by the Swedifh fleet, and next to relieve Copenhagen, befieged by
the Swedifli fleet, with which the Dutch had a fea-fight, wherein they
lofl two admirals, but gained their main point of raifing the fiege of
Copenhagen. The Dutch alfo were aflifliing to the Danes in the follow-
ing year, in a fea-fight againfl: Sweden near the Sound, which, in the
end, brought about a peace between thofe two kingdoms. [^Puff'eiidorfs
IntroduElion, c. vi, § 16.]
It is undoubtedly the intereft of all Europe, but more efpecially of
the free commercial ftates of it, that a juft balance be preferved between
the northern potentates, fo as no one of them be permitted to fwallow
up, or even to be greatly fuperior to, the refl:.
We find by a book entitled, England's grievance difcovered in rela-
tion to the coal-trade, publiflied this year, that coals from Newcaflile
were ufually fold at above acythe chaldron. The fcope of this author
was, that the coal-owners of Northumberland and of the bidiopric of
Durham might have liberty to fell their coals diredly to the mailers of
fhips, and have a free market at Shields, with leave to lay ballad: there,
whereby, fays he, coals would be brought down to 20/" the chaldron all
the year round : whereas now the owners of coaleries mufl; firfl. fell their
coals to the magiftrates of Newcaftle, the magiftrates to the mafters of
fhips, the mafters of fliips to the London wharfingers, and thele laft to
the confumers ; every change of the property enhancing the price of
the coals. By having a free market at Shields, our author alleges, that
proviiions would be had cheaper for the, multitude of fliipping, being
above 900 fail, and alfo for the inhabitants there : and that coals being
bought directly from the firft hand, there might be as many more voy-
ages to London in a year as now they make. That there are account-
ed at Newcaftle 320 keels, or lighters, each of which carries yearly 800
chaldrons of coals, Newcaftle meafure, on board the fliips ; and that
A. D. 1655. 46f
136 chaldrons of Newcaflle meafure are equal to 217 chaldrons of Lon-
don meafure.
To what this author fo plaufibly alleges we need only to add, that
the enhanced price of coals fmce his time is really become a great bur-
den to our commercial and manufacturing people, and to all the in-
duflrious poor in and near London, and that it would be doing very
great fervice to trade, if a method could be found out for reducing it,
and even for fixing them to a ftandard price if poflible ; which, with
certain necellary regulations therein, fome have been of opinion might
be effeded in peaceable times at leaft. It feems indeed worthy of our
legiflature's confideration, that two millions at leaft, of people fnould no
longer have fo grievous a monopoly lying upon them, and on com-
merce, merely for aggrandizing a few families : and this of late years a
fhamefully-increafing monopoly too.
While Cromwell was deliberating on the different propofals of France
and Spain to gain him to their fide (fays the author of his life, publilh-
cd in 1 741), one Gage, who had been a Romifh prieft, but now was
become a proteftant, returned from the Spanifli Weft-Tndies, where he
had refided many years, and gave the protector fo particular an account
of the wealth, as well as feeblenefs, of the Spaniards m thole parts, as
ir^duced him to determine on an attempt to conquer both the iflands of
Hifpaniola and Cuba; as his fuccefs therein, according to Gage, would make
the reft of Spanifti America an eafy conqueft : and as, moreover Simon
de Cafferes, a Spaniard, had alfo been confulted in it. Vice-admiral Penn
was thereupon fent out with 30 fliips of war and about 4000 land forces ;
but neither France nor Spain could penetrate into its deftination. The
troops landed on Hifpaniola, near St. Domingo, but in an improper part
of the ifland ; and marching without proper guides through thick woods,
&c. 600 of our men were llain by the Spaniards, with Major-general
Holmes; whereupon they embarked v/ith the remainder, and failed for
Jamaica ; ' a place, as Colonel Modyford writes from Barbados, {T^burloe,
' V. iii, p. 565J far more proper for our purpofes by fituation than either
' Hifpaniola or Porto-Rico ; far more convenient for attempts on the
' Spanifti fleets, and more efpecially for the Carthagena fleet.' Crom-
well's intention was not abfolutely fixed to any particular place in the
Weft-Indies : his inftrudions to General Venables being difcretionary.
It was even left to his judgment, whether to attempt Carthagena, the
Havannah, or Porto-Rico, or to fettle on fome part of the Terra Firma
to the windward of Carthagena. They arrived at Jamaica on the 3d of
May i6<;6, and marched diredly to its capital St. Jago, from whence
the Spaniards fled to the mountains and other inacceflible places with
their beft effeds, and after fome time retired to the ifland of Cuba,
leaving their flaves in the woods to harafs the Englifli, till they ftiould
return and relieve them. But the Englifta at Jamaica being recruited
462 A. D. 1655.
with fhlps and troops from England, the Spaniards, after fundry con-
flicts, were obliged to abandon the ifland entirely. Wht.a this conqiicfl
was firft undertaken, the Spaniards at Jamaica did not exceed 1500 prr-
fons in number, with about as inany negros. Columbus in the year
1494 found it a pleafunt and populous ifland ; but the Spaniards are
faid (even by their own authors to have put to dearh no fewer than
60,000 of the natives of that ifland, and rooted out the remainder be-
fore the Englifli conquered it.
Simon de CafFeres alfo laid before the protedor the following
fcheme, viz.
* With four men of war only, and four fliips with provifions, ammu-
nition, and I ceo foldiers., to fail into the South fea, round Cape
Horn, and fo pafling by Baldivia in Chili, (from which port the Spa-
niards had long bef )re been driven) the kingdom of Chili m'ght be
conquered from Spain. Our people to rendezvous at the ifle of La
Mocha, where they might vidlual and water, as there were none but
Indians there ; and as Chili abounds more with gold and pro\ ilions
than any other part of America, and has a wholelome climate ; as
moreover the Chilians are the mofl: warlike of any American people,
and are mortal foes to the Spaniards, by reafon of their former cruel-
ties, they probably would gladly fide with any people inchnable to
drive the Spaniards quite out of their country. That if this projedt
fliould fucceed, it would diftrefs Spain in the mofl: fenfible and leaft-
guarded part. That the fliips of war above mentioned would lerve to
ieize on the Spanifli treafure going annually from Chili to Arica, and
thence by Lima and '- uyaquil, to Panama, and lo o\er land to
Porto-Bello in the Weft-Indies, as well as to ieize on the two yearly
rich Acapulco fliips. Cafteres for thefe purpofes undertook to engage
in Holland fome of thofe v/ho went in Brouwer's expedition agamfl:
Baldivia.' \\thiirloe, V. iv,p. 62.] Neverthelels this, like all our for-
mer propofed expeditions into the South fea, was not tound likely to
anfwer : partly on account of the great dangers in a moft tempeftuous
ocean; the inconftancy of the climate when there; and the aimoft in--
fuperable difficulties which would be occafioned by bemg quite out of
the reach of friendly ports.
Cromwell appointed his ion Richard, with many lords of his council,
judges, and gentlemen, and about twenty merchants of London, York,
Newcaftle, Yarmouth, Dover, &c. to meet and confider b^ what means
the traffic and navigation of the republic migtit be beft promoted and
regulated, and to report, &c. * [^Thu/loe, V. iv,/. 177. J
* A letter from t'ne Hague in the year 1653 ' glad to fee, that it was only nomiral. So that
lias the following remark upon a former committee : ' vvc hope, in time thnje of London ivill forget that
' A committee for trade was fome time fince ereft- * ever they tvere merchants' \ffhurloe, V \, p. 498. J
' cd in England, which, we then feared, would have On fome oci alions tins it vtre remark tias beea r«-
' proved very prejudicial to our ftatc ; but we arc tl;tr too mucli veriticd. y/.
A. D. 1655. 46^
The Swedifh refident in Holland this year reprefented, that the com-
miflioners of the Dutch Weft-India company in New-Netherland (now
New-York) did in this fummer afTault the Swedifli colony there by
force of arms; took their forts, drove away the inhabitants, and wholely
dilpofleffed the Swedifli company of their diftrid: ; although it be true and
without diipute, that the Swedes did acquire that fort which they pof-
fefled by the jufteft title (opt'imo titulo juris ) , and did buy it of the na-
tives ; and in confequence have had poITeflion of it for feveral years,
without the Dutch Weft-India company ever before pretending any
right thereto. Therefor the refident, in his mafter's name, demanded
that the Swedifli company might have it reftored to them, &c. [T'hur'
he, V. \y,p. 599.]
Among Cromwell's inftrudions in this year for the council of Scot-
land, we find the following very good one, viz. ' that in regard there be
' a great many hofpitals and other mortifications (mortmains") in Scot-
' land, you are therefor to take fpecial notice and confideration of the
' fame; and fee them particularly employed for the benefit of the poor,
* and other pious ufes for which they were firft appointed ; and to obey
' every other thing for the relief of the poor in the feveral parifhes, that
' fo none go a-begging, to the fcandal of the chriftian profefllon : but
' each parifli to maintain its own poor.' [Thiirloe, P\ \\i,p. 497.]
The ftates of Holland this year reduced the intereft of money due by
them, from 5 to 4 per cent, whereby they faved 1,400,000 gilders per
annum. And De Witt on this very point obferves, that by the zeal of
their good rulers an expedient was found to difcharge the province of
Holland of 140 millions of gilders, (or nearly about 14 millions fter-
ling) by reducing the yearly intereft thereof from 5 to 4 per cent, and
employing the yearly advance of it toward difcharging the principal,
which hereby will all be paid off in twenty-one years, \_lntereji of Hol-
land, p. 466.]
This was probably the firft national finking fund ever fet on foot in
Europe. De Witt adds on this fubjed, ' that what is moft to be gloried
' in is, that though the greateft part of the regents of Holland had lent
' a confiderable part of their property to that province, neverthelefs,
' the confideration of their own profit did not hinder them from cut-
' ting off a fifth part of their revenue for the neceflary fervice of the
' public.' Here that able author was perhaps fomewhat miftaken in his
great glorying ; fince poflibly thofe felf-denying regents couid not well
tell where to get an higher intereft for their money ellewhere, had they
been inftantly paid off, s was afterwards the parallel cafe of the pope's
finking fund, in the year r 686, (of which in its place) and of the ftveral
branches of our own national finking-fund from 171 7 downward.
Mr. Prideaux, the Englifli Ruflia company's agent at Archangel, fenf
to Cromwell an accoimt of the exports from Archangel in that fame--
464 A. D. 1655.
year, 1655, fo far as the date of his letter, Augufl:T5, amounting to
'660,000 rubles, valuing two rubles, (then) equal to Li flerling, though
at this day of a much fmaller value. The principal articles then export-
ed were potafhes, caviare, tallow, hides, fables, and cable-yarn. The
reft were coarfe linen, bed-feathers, tar, linen-yarn, beef, rhubarb, Per-
fian-filk, cork, bacon, cordage, fkins of fquirrels and cats, bees-wax,
hogs briflles, mice and goats Ikins, fwan and geefe down, goofe and
duck feathers, candles, 8cc. \_Thurloe, /^. iii, />. 713.] It is probable
that the rife of the new city of Peterlburg, and the fubjeclion of the
ports of Livonia to Ruflia, have contributed to diminifh the trade of
Archangel.
This fame year Cromwell concluded a treaty of peace and commerce
with the minifters of King Lewis XIV of France, a minor. What re-
lates to our main fubjed follows, viz.
Article V) The people of England, Scotland, and Ireland, may im-
port into France all their manufaftures of wool and filk, and may fell
them there without forfeiture or penalty. Provided, cloths ill-made or
tmfan^ionable be carried back into England, v^^ithout paying any duty
for the lame. Provided alfo, that the fubjeds of France may as freely
import into England, and fell their wines and manufadlures of wool and
filk : and that the fubjeds of both contrading parties fliall be kindly
treated, and enjoy like privileges with other foreigners.
XXIV) Relates to prizes taken at fea, on both fides, fince the year
1 640, the determination whereof, if not finifhed by commiflloners
within fix months and a fortnight, fhall be referred to, the arbitration of
the republic of Hamburgh.
XXV) And whereas the three forts of Pentacoet, St. John, and
Port-Royal, lately taken by England in America (i. e. in Nova-Scotia)
would be reclaimed by the French ambafTador, and the commiflloners
of his highnefs, the protedor, would argue, from certain reafons, that
they ought to be detained, it is agreed to refer this point likewife to
the commiflloners and arbitrators in the preceding article. [Ge/ieral
collePiion of treaties, V. ill,/. I49']
Againft the conclufion of this treaty. King Philip IV of Spain had
flrongly remonflrated by two ambafTadors to the protedor, fhewing that
France had fecretly fomented all the confpiracies againft his life and go-
vernment ; while on the contrary, Spain had been the flrft potentate
which recognized the Englifh republic : and his catholic majefly per-
ceiving that the treaties with Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal,
were concluded, that with France fo forward, and the treaty with him
the only one deferred, at which all mankind were furprifed, the faid
ambafladors had orders to prefs the conclufion of it. And that in cafe
his highnefs inclines to recover Calais, Spain will join her forces to thofe
of England, both by fea and land, for that end. Provided Englaiad will
3
A. D. 1655. 465
affirt; the prince of Conde with fhips and troops to land him at Bordeaux
or elfewliere, fo as he may have footing in France, &c. [General coll
of treaties, V. \\\, p. 146.] But Cromwell's particular intereft, as before
noted, outweighed his concern for the true intereft of England : for the
fecret article in the above treaty with France overbalanced all other
confiderations, viz. France's engaging that King Charles II and his bro-
thers the dukes of York and Gloucefler, the marquis of Ormond, Sir
Edward Hyde, and fifteen more lords and gentlemen therein named,
fliould be obliged to leave France within forty days after the ratification
of the treaty. Thus did Cardinal Mazarine meanly abandon the Eng-
lifh royal family and their friends, purely to enable France farther to
weaken Spain, already too much enfeebled, and the balance of power in
Europe thereby farther endangered. Upon this treaty the king of
Spain feized upon all the effeds of the Englifh merchants in his domi-
nions, to a confiderable value ; and by this war with Spain the Dutch
obtained a valuable commerce with that country, formerly enjojed by
the Englifh.
In proportion as the Spanifh monarchy declined, the French increafed
in power, riches, commerce, and territory. France hitherto found it
her intereft to keep fair with the Dutch, as well on account of their fhip-
ping, which was undoubtedly very great at this time, as for the incre-
dible quantity of French manufadures and produd which the Dutch
took off, and difperfed all over Europe. But when Cromwell had now
entered into clofe meafures with the cardinal-minifter Mazarme, France
then began to treat the Dutch with lefs ceremony, and to eftablifh com-
panies of merchants at home for the herring, cod, and whale fifheries;
and to prevent the importation of whale-fins and tr^in-oil by foreigners.
France alfo laid a duty of fifty fols per ton on all foreign fliips, both
coming into and going out of her fea-ports.
This year the Jews found means to perfuade Cromwell to re-admit them
to fettle in England (although the long parliament had before refufed
it) being juft 365 years fince their expulfion by King Edward I. The
protedlor it is faid had been perfuaded by them and their friends, that
commerce, by their re-adraiflion, would be fo far improved as to in-
creafe his revenue Lico,ooo per annum. On the other hand, the fa-
mous William Pryun, and feveral others, at this time pubiilhed treaties
againft re-admitting the Jews, (hewing the raifchiefs which that un-
happy people have occafioned in all the countries wherein they have been
tolerated. In their favour Menaffeh Ben Ifrael, an eminent Jew, who
filled himfelf a divine and a dodor of phyfic, addrefled the protector
and commonwealth in this fame year, in the following artful ftrain :
' Our people did in their own minds prefage that the kingly government,
' being now changed into tliat of a commonwealth, the antient hatred
* towards them would alfo be changed into good-will; and that thofe
Vol. II. 3 N
466 A. D. 1655.
*' rigorous laws made under the kings again ft fo innocent a people would
* happily be repealed: fo that we hope now for better treatment from
* your gentlenefs and goodnefs ; fince, from the beginning of your go-
*■ vernment of this commonwealth, your highnefs hath profefled much
' refpect and favour towards us. Wherefor, I humbly intreat your
' highnefs that you would, with a gracious eye, have a regard to us and
' our petition, and grant vmto us, as you have done unto others, the free
' exercife of our religion ; that we may have our fynagogues, ancl'
' keep our own public worfliip, as our brethren do in Italy, Germany,
' Poland, and many other places ; and we fliall pray for the happinels
* and peiice of this your much renowned and puifiant commonwealth.'
He proceeds to fliew, that other ftates have thought it their intereft to
encourage the Jews in their dominions; as, for inflance, the king of
Denmark invited them to fettle at Gluckftadt in Holflein ; the duke of
Savoy, at Nice ; the duke of Modena, at Reggio ; and in India there are
four fynagogues at Cochin for the ufe of the Jews, a fourth part of
whom are of a white complexion, and the other three quarters are
tawny. That in Perfia there are great numbers of Jews, and many of
them in great favour at court. That in Turkey they are moft numer-
ous, many of them living in great ftate, and in favour with the fultan
and his bafhaws ; there being in Conftantinople alone 48 fynagogues ; in
Salonichi 36; and above 80,000 Jews in thofe two cities. That in ail
the Turkifh dominions their number amounts to many millions of
people. Next, he refutes all the accufations againft the Jews, and fliews
the damage which accrued to Spain and Portugal by banifhing the Jews
out of their dominions ; and the great benefit, in point of revenue, to
the public, and in refpedl to the increafe of commerce and manufac-
tures, which would accrue by re-admitting them : fo that in conclufion
they were re-admitted, and have remained in England, ever iince, though,
not in fuch great numbers as in fome other parts.
The republic of Tunis not only refufed to comply with Admiral
Blake's jufl: demands in behalf of the Englifh commerce, (who was then
with a fquadron in the Mediterranean for watching the motions of the
French fleet) but even treated his propofals with much infolence and
contumely ; and we learn by that great admiral's letter to Secretary
Thurloe, that he failed with his fquadron into the harbour of Porto-Fa-
rino, and burnt all their fliips, being nine in number, with the lofs of
only twenty -five men killed ; and then, having reduced them to reafon,
he returned to Cagliari in Sardinia, whence he dates that letter. [T/jur-
he, V. iii, p. 390.] He afterwards brought Algiers and Tripoli alfo to
terms of peace.
In India the Dutch this year took the city of Calecut from the Portu-
guefe ; and in the following year (1656) they alfo deprived them of
Columbo, their capital fettlement in Ceylon, and thereby became mal-
A. D. 1656. 467
ters of the coafls of that fruitful ifland, and of the whole cinnamon
trade; as they before were of the nutmegs, mace, and cloves. Pepper
was now the only fpice that remained uningrofl'ed by them, becaufe it
grows in too many diftant parts of India to be ingrofled by any one
potentate. In 1658 the Dutch took Manaar and Jafnapatnam from the
Portuguefe, by which, and other conquefts needlefs to be enlarged on,
the Portuguefe were foon confined to their fettlements on this fide of
cape Comorin. And thus the Dutch made themfelves ample amends
for their Wefi:-India company's lofi^es at Brafil.
The old ftadthoufe at Amfterdam being thought too mean for the
grandeur of that mofl opulent city, the two great commercial compa-
nies of the Eafi: and Weft Indies undertook to ered a new one : it was
begun in 1648, and. completed in this year 1655 ; and may truely be
termed the pride and glory of that city and province, being by far the
mofl; noble and fuperb ftrudure in all Europe of that kind ; ferving for
a fenate-houfe and bank. Whole volumes have been employed in the
defcription of its architedure and beauty.
1 6^6. — Charles Guftavus king of Sweden, being now at war with
John Cafimir king of Poland ; the ftates-general of the United pro-
vinces, apprehenfive of the difidvantage of that war to the commerce
of their fubjeds in the Baltic, fent thither Admiral Opdam with a fleet,
which, over-awing both thofe kings, brought on the treaty of peace at
Elbing in Prufiia. This condud of the Dutch was agreeable, as we
have before noted, to the general tenor of their politics, with regard to
preferving an equilibrium between the potentates bordering on the
Baltic fhores.
The commerce of Amfterdam was by this time fo much increafed
that, for the enlargement of that city, a great fpace of ground was now
inclofed and built on. And the whole city, thus enlarged, was now
furrounded with new walls of brick with ftone gates. This, it is ap-
prehended, is the laft great enlargement of Amfterdam, in refped of
private buildings ; but it received a great addition to the ftrength of its
fortifications when the French invaded Holland in the year 1672.
No marvel then if the Grand-penfionary De Witt, in his book of the
Intereft of Holland, in the year 1669, obierves ' that Amfterdam is a
' city of greater trafhc, and Holland a richer merchandizing country
* than ever was in the world. Their fi.tuation for an eafy and quick
* communication with all the coafts of Friefeland, Overyflel, Guelder-
' land, and North-Holland ; their fituation alio for receiving the
' fifliery, and for a repofitory for all forts of merchandize to be after-
* wards re-fhipped to all parts of the world, as demands may offer, and
' for fetting out fliips to freight, are great advantages. Then their ac-
' quiring the whole fpice trade of India, and a great Weft-India trade ;
' the whale fiftiery ; die trade in Italian wrought filks, which the Ger-
3N2
468 A. D. 1656.
' mans were wont to bring by land-carriage from Italy, until the Ger-
' man wars loft them that trade ; and afterwards their manufacturing
' the raw lilk themfelves ; their woollen manufadure : and in fliort, he
* obferves, the Hollanders had at this time well nigh beaten all nations,
' by traffic, out of the feas, and become the only carriers of goods
* throughout the world.' [Part i, c. 13.] How exultingly was all this
faid, even by the great, and otherwife cool and moderate, De Witt !
And, indeed, it is a mori: fhining pidure of their mercantile grandeur,
long lince in its wane, as we have elfewhere noted.
We have alfo, in this fame year, an authentic ftatement of the public
navy of the Dutch, in a letter from Sluyce in Dutch Flanders, in April
1656, importing, that they had lor fhips of war in their feveral ports,
including 8 fhips with Admiral de Ruyter at Cadiz. That their firft-rate
fhips had 72, 74, 76 port-holes ; the fecond-rates 60 ; and the third-
rates 52 port-holes or guns, [Xhurloe, V. iv, p. 732.] This is an unde-
niable proof that fhips of war in thofe days were confiderably inferior
to our modern floating caftles. We are here alfo to note, that, fmce the
Dutch admiral's remonftrances to their mafters, that in their laft war
with England their fhips were too fmall, they were built confiderably
larger.
We find alfo a ftatement of the naval ftrength of Spain, in a letter of
intelligence dated in January. It fays, ' that they are now preparing
' at Cadiz for a war againft England ; that they have there from 50 to
' 60 fhips of war, 30 gallies, and 30 fire-fhips ; but the want of money
' doth much hinder and trouble them, which they endeavour to bor-
' row of merchants, &c. to pay when the galleons arrive ; but if thefe
' do not foon arrive, the kingdom will be in a miferable condition.'
['Tbur/oe, V. iv, p. 419.] This is a true, but melancholy, pidure of the
ftate of Spain fo early as at that time ; yet its mifery gradually increafed
till the death of King Charles II in the beginning of the eighteenth
century.
Although Jamaica had been fo eafily won by the Englifh, yet, on the
return of the fleet, the protedor, provoked at the difafter at Hifpaniola,
fent both Penn and Venables to the tower. On the other hand, Spain,
refenting this attack, declared war againft England. Hereupon the
brave Englifh admiral, Blake, attacked the Spanifh plate fleet near the
port of Cadiz ; and burnt or funk all of them, excepting only one which
efcaped, and two which were taken and brought to Portfmouth, in
which were found upwards of two millions of dollars.
In a Brief narrative of England's rights to the northern parts of
America, written this year, it is observed, ' that the Dutch, under co-
' lour of a claufe in their Weft-India company's charter, enabling them
' to conquer what they could in America from their enemies, (i. e.
' Spain) had fettled in the north part of Virginia j that at ftrft they
A. D, 1656, 469
* called their fettlement New Virginia ; but becaufe they would make
' it as much Dutch as they could, they had but very lately called it New
' Nedderlandt, and fo named it in all their new maps *. It is com-
* monly reported, that, by the permiflion of King James T, they had
* granted from him, to their Hates only, a certain ifland ; called there-
* for by them Staten (or States) ifland, on that coafl, as a watering
' place for their Wefl-India fleets.' \Thurloe, V. v,p. 81.]
From hence, it is natural to conclude that this fuppofed allowance of
that king (of which, however, we can nowhere find a proper evidence)
to water at Staten ifland, encouraged fo adventurous a people to take
the liberty of fettling on the neighbouring continent, from whence they
Were not quite expelled till the year 1667, when it was exchanged for
the colony of Surinam.
The protedor and his parliament now ereded a new general pofl-
oiBce for the commonwealth of the three kingdoms, on much the fame
plan as three years before, and in the main, as till lately in our days.
Single letters as far as 80 miles for twopence; farther threepence; to
Scotland fourpence ; and double letters twice as much. Thefe regula-
tions were confirmed at the reftoration of King Charles II.
The humour of reftraining the increafe of buildings in and near
London on new foundations, begun by Queen Elizabeth in the early
times of commerce, and continued in the two next reigns, was now re-
vived by the protestor and his parliament, by their ad: [c. 24] the preamble
of which runs thus : * Whereas, the great and exceflive number of houfes,
' edifices, out-houfes, and cottages, ereded and new-built in and about
* the fuburbs of the city of London, is found to be very milchievous
' and inconvenient, and a great annoyance and nuifance to the com-
' monwealth, &c, they now lay a duty of one year's rent on all houfes
* and edifices ereded on new foundations in the fuburbs, or within ten
* miles of the walls of London, fince the year 1620, not having four
' acres of freehold land laid to the fame. And a fine of Lioo is alfo
' hereby laid on all new edifices which fliall, from 1657, be ereded
' within the faid limits, on new foundations, not having four acres laid
* thereto, as. aforefaid. Moreover, all houfes, within the fiid limits,
' fliall hereafter be built of brick or flone upright, and without butting
' or jetting out into the ftreet.' Out of this ad were excepted, the build-
ings belonging to the feveral city hofpitals ; the earl ot Clare's new
market (now called Clare-market) in Clement's-inn-fields, juft then
built ; the flreets about Lincoln's-inn-fields, then alfo in hand ; Horfley-
down buildings, for the benefit of the poor of St. Olave's parifli in South-
"wark ; Bangor-court, in Shoe-lane, then about to be built upon the fite
of the bifliop of Bangor's houfe and garden, Stc. ; and all buildings be-
• Ic is now called New- York. A.
47® A. D. 1656.
low London bridge, and within two furlongs of the river Thames, be-
longing to mariners, fhip-builders, their wives and widows ; and fome few
other places. By this adl we find that Clare-market in the fields, then call-
ed Clement's-inn-fields, was but jull finiftied ; and it is hereby declared to
be a common and free market on every Tuefday, Thurfday, and Satur-
day: but part of Stanhope-ftreet adjoining was not yet quite built on, nor
were all the buildings adjoining to Lincoln's-inn-fields as yet finifhed.
By Scobel's CoUedion of adls and ordinances of parliament, (from
■1640 to 1656) we learn, that the whole charge of the public in this year,
1656, in England [c. 6] was fixed at Li, 300, 000, viz. Li, 000,000
for the navy and army, and L300,ooo for the fupport of the civil go-
vernment. No part of this fum was raifed by a land-tax.
And the parliament [c. 4] abolilhed all tenures in capite by knights-
iervice, and by foccage in chief, and laid afide the courts of wards and
liveries. They alfo enaded [c. 5] that none fhould dig within the
houfes or lands of any perlon for faltpetre, without leave firft obtained.
This a6l relating to digging for faltpetre removed a grievance which
King Charles I impofed on his fubjeds, throughout his reign, of enter-
ing and digging for it everywhere, without afking leave.
There had been a general treaty of alliance concluded between Crom-
well and Queen Chriftina of Sweden, in the year 1654. But matters
relating to commerce and navigation were then deferred to a more con-
venient time : fo Cromwell's commiiTioners in this year figned a treaty
with the minifters of King Charles Guftavus of Swxden, wherein what
relates to commerce is as follows.
Article IX) ' As to commerce to be carried on in America, it is ex-
* prefsly provided by law, that the fubjeds of no other ftate or republic
* befides fhall be impowered to trade there in common, without a fpe-
' cial licence ; but if any of the king of Sweden's fubjeds, furnifhed
' with his recommendations, ihall privately folicit fuch licence of the
' lord protedor to trade to any of thofe (Englifh) colonies, he will, in
* this refped, comply with the defire of his Swedifh majefty, as far as
' the ftate of his affairs will permit.
X) ' It fhall be free for the fubjeds of Sweden to fifh and catch her-
* rings, &c. in the feas and on the coafts which are in the dominion of
' this republic ; provided the fhips fo employed do not exceed looo in
* number : and no charges fliall be demanded, of thofe Swedifh filhers,
' by the fhips of war of this republic ; but all fliall be treated courteoufly
' and amicably, and fhall be even allowed to dry their nets on the fhore,
* and to purchafe necefTaries there at a fair price.'
The reft of this treaty relates chiefly to a mutual liberty of hiring
jhlps of war and troops in each others country, and againfl Sweden fup-
plying Spain with naval ftores during England's war with that crown-
^General coll. of treaties, V, m, p. 163. J
A. D. 1656. 471
Upon this treaty and fome prior ones we may here briefly remark,
tliat Cromwell and the parliament afFeded to be as punctilious and pe-
remptory, in refpedl to their dominion in the four feas lurrounding
Great Britain and Ireland, as even the mofl pofitive and determined of
the Englifh monarclis.
1657 — All that part of Pruflia lying eafl of the Viftula, which till
lately was called ducal (in contradiflindion from the other part called
royal, as being immediately under fubjedion to the crown of Poland)
had, ever fmce the year 1525, been vefted in the houfe of Brandenburg,
with the title of a dukedom, though fliU owning fome kind of vailalage
to the king and republic of Poland, till the year 1657, when the later
gave up all kind of claim on it; and the eledor of Brandenburg was
now veiled with fovereign and independent dominion over that duchy,
fince erefted into a kingdom in the perfon of Frederic I.
In this lafh year of the renowned Admiral Blake's life, he deftroyed a
fecond Spanifh plate fleet, (faid to be much richer than that of the pre-
ceding year) at Tenerif, one of the Canary ifles, burning, finking, &c,
every (hip of that fleet. This great admiral's death was reckoned an ir-
reparable lofs to the protedor and to his country. Amongfl; feveral other
great things- faid of him, even by the earl of Clarendon, his following
encomium on him is well worth our notice, viz. ' that he was the firfl:'
' man who brought (hips to coiitemn cafties on fliore, which had been
' ever thought very formidable, and were diicovered by him to make a
' noife only, and to frighten thofe who could rarely be hurt by them.
'■ He was the firfl; that infufed that proportion of courage into the fea-
' men, by making them fee by experience what mighty things they
' could do if they they were refolved, and taught them to fight in fire
' as well as- upon water. And although he had been very well imitated'
' and followed, he v/as the firft that gave the example of that kind of
' naval courage, and bold and refolute achievements.'
From March 1638 to May 1657, (according to the author of the
Happy future (late of England) there was coined in the tower of Lon-
don, in gold and filver, the fum of £7,733,521 : 13 : 4 ; ' En^^^land alone
' (fays that author) having, till the peace of Munfter, in 1648, enjoyed
' almoft the whole manufacture, and the befl: part of the trade, of Eu-
' rope.''
In a letter written by General Monk from Scotland, to Secretary
Thurloe, in September 1657, there is the following memorable para-
graph: ' I underfliand the Portugal amballador is come to London ; and
' I make no queftion but he will be defirmg fome favour from my lord.
* protedor. There is a caflle in the ftraits mouth which the Portugals
' have, called Tanger, on Barbary fide, and which if they would part
• withal, it would be very ufeful to us ; and they make little ufe of it,
- unlefs it be for getting of blackamoors j for which his highnefs may.
472 A. D. 1657.
* give them leave to trade for. An hundred men will keep the caftle,
* and half a dozen frigates there would flop the whole trade in the Straits
* to fuch as fhall be enemies to us.' [Thurloe, V. vi, p. 505.] So it ap-
pears that a fortified poft at the entry of the Mediterranean was then
thought a dcfirable objed: for lingland : and this pfopofal of General
Monk's very probably occafioned the ftipulation for this port and caftle
five years afterwards, to be a part of Queen Catharine's marriage por-
tion, as it accordingly was. Yet this fame General Monk afterwards
found a confiderable garrifon little enough to defend it againft the con-
tinual attacks of the Moors.
De Witt, in his Tntereft of Holland, juftly remarks, ' that although
* their fhips trading into the Mediterranean fhould be well guarded by
' convoys againft the Barbary pirates, yet -it woiild by no means be pro-
' per to free that fea of thofe pirates ; becaufe (fays he) we ftiould here-
* by be put upon the faine footing with the Eaftlanders, Englifti, Spa-
* niards, and Italians: wherefor it is beft to leave that thorn in the fides
* of thofe nations, whereby they will be diftrefled in that trade; while
* we by our convoys ingrofs all the European traffic and navigation to
' Holland.'
By the experience of the ill effe6i;s of former negligence, and the help
of the port of Gibraltar, we have in our own times greatly gained ground
upon Holland in this particular refped. Fas eft, et ab hojle doceri*.
Secretary Thurloe received a letter from Leghorn, acquainting him
that the Hollanders were making a plantation between Surinam and
Carthagena in the Weft-Indies, aiming chiefly to trade with the Spa-
niards; for which purpofe they were fending thither twenty-five fami-
lies of Jews. ' If (fays this letter-writer) our planters at Surinam took
' the fame courfe, it would be much to their advantage ; for the Span-
' iards there are in moft extreme want of all European commodities.'
{Thurloe, V. vi, p. 825.] This was probably a projedt for fettling on the
Terra firma, from which they were laid to be afterwards driven. Unlefs,
perhaps, Curayoa be hereby meant, which is a fmall ifle near that coaft,
poflelfed bjt'the Dutch, and very commodioufly fituated for that Imug-
gling trade, the Jews there being faid to be both rich and numerous ;
and the Dutch colonies extremely populous and well fortified. It was
probably fettled before this time, as were alfo, above 25 years before,
a fomewhat fmaller ifle near it, named Aruba; and Bonaire, another ifle
on that coaft, which produces plenty of cotton ; and the other two pro-
duce fome fugar : and though Cura9oa be but about i 3 leagues in cir-
cuit, and barren, yet its merchants are faid to be very rich by their
trade with the neighbouring Spaniards for European goods and negroes,
fo that it is deemed one of their beft colonies in America.
* It is right to karn even from an enemy.
A. D. 1657, 4y^
The following is the eftimate of the public expenditure and revenue
of England, Ireland, and Scotland, for the year ending i ft November
1657-
The charge of the fea - . _ L994,5oo o o
Ditto of the army in the three kingdoms 1,132,489 o o
Ditto of the civil government - - 200,000 o o
Total
The prefent revenue, viz.
The aflefTment in England, Scotland, and Ireland
The excife and cuftoms, eftimated at
The other revenue, payable on the receipt of the
exchequer, eftimated at _ _ _
Total 2,362,000 4 o
The revenue of Ireland for two years, ending lil
November, 1657. - . - 137,558 13 3
Ex'penfe of ditto for faid two years - 142,509 11
2,326,989
0 0
1 ,464,000
4 0
700,000
0 0
198,000
0 0
o
Expenfe more than the revenue - - 4.959 17 9
Scotland's revenue for one year - - 37,690 19 o
But Scotland's expenfe is not mentioned. \jThurke, V. vi, p. 825, and
P- 444-]
What De Witt has faid of his nation's wifdom in fecuring their mer-
cantile ftiipping trading into the Mediterranean by proper convoys, and
the negled; of England in that refpedt, is in part confirmed, and partly,
alfo, contradided, by a pamphlet addrefled to the protedor this year,
by Samuel Lamb, a merchant, entitled Seafonable obfervations for the
encouraging of foreign commerce : wherein he fpeaks ' of our mer-
' chants' ftiipping as having been of late the beft in the world ; witnefs
' the many fingle fights at fea againft the Turks, to whom, it is be-
' lieved, the Dutch lole ten ftiips for our one ; and the remarkable
' fea-fights againft the Hollanders themfelves in the late wars ; wherein
' many merchant fliips, from about 300 to 500 tons, did engage againft
* the enemy with the ftates ftiips, to our great advantage ; the enemy
' notwithftandhig exceeding us in every fight in ftiips and tonnage.'
This (though perhaps fomewhat exaggerated) ftiews the ftoutnefs of our
trading ftiips in the Mediterranean in thofe times, as well as the bravery
of our failors ; of which fundry old fongs and ballads alfo give teftimony,
in their encounters with the Barbary pirates.
Before the commencement of the civil wars in England we find, by
the Eaft-India company's account, that they alone employed 15,000 tons
Vol. II. ' 3 O
474 ^' ^' ^^57'
of fliipping, which were accounted to be the befl trading' fliips belong-
ing to England, (as indeed they continue to be to the prefent times)
from 300 to 600 tons each fhip. But the Eaft-India fliipping fell off
very much, by the general difcouragements in their trade, and the un-
derminings of the Dutch ; and now they had fcarcely one good fliip re-
maining. Moreover, from the year 1653, or 1654, to this year 1657,
by means of the multitude of interlopers, there was a fort of open trade
from England to India : ' in which time (fays our author, who in 1681
' wrote in defence of the joint-flock company) our nation had well
' nigh lofl all their privileges in India, which are many.' There were
alfo grievous loffes to private traders by depredations, ' a great lower-
* ing of Engliih commodities, and advancing of Indian commodities,
' an increafe of prefents to governors, &c. to fuch odious excefs, that at
' length the very private traders themfelves, being without, union and pro-
* tedion, were the forwardeft petitioners for a return to a joint-ftock/
Yet, on the other hand, the ingenious author of a treatife intitled Brk~
tania languens, [p. 76, ed. 16 So, 8to] affirms, ' that during the years
' 1653-4-5-6, when the Eaft-India trade was laid open, they afforded
' the India commodities fo cheap that they fupplied more parts of Eu-
' rope, and even Amfterdam itfelf, therewith, than ever they did after;
"• whereby they very much funk the Dutch Eafl- India company's
' acliojis.' Yet, it is generally faid, that even the interlopers or fepa-
rate traders were lofers in the end, having alfo endured many indigni-
ties and injuries from the Indians. So difficult is it to come at the real
truth where interefl: is nearly concerned on both fides.
Upon the whole, the protector now re-eflablifhed the old company, with
a joint-{l:ock of L739,782, though only 50 per cent, or L369,89i, was
called in, or was flridly (at that time) cU'emed their capital flock. Yet,
by the late laying open of thcvt trade, fo many leffer fliips had been em-
ployed in it, that the company, though now again refbored, could find
few or no merchant fhips large enough for their purpofe. And the
author juft now quoted alleges, ' that although in former times the
' Englifli trade into the Mediterranean did by eftimation employ 80 or
•^ 100 fail of fliips, from 300 to 400 tons each, yet fince they employ
' fmaller ones, which are fo often taken by the Spaniards,' &c. And he
fays, ' he has formerly known m.any fhips of the above, or a greater
' burden, built and equipped in England, purpofely to be fent to Ve-
*■ nice, to be let out to that flate for fnips of war, to ferve them againfl
* the Turks : but the Hollanders foon cut us out of that employment
' alfo, by ferving them cheaper.''
On the 9th of May this year Cromwell concluded another felf-inter-
efled treaty of alliance with France againft Spain and Holland, and
againfl the Iblid interefl of England. And as fome of the fecret arti-
cles have a relation to commerce, we fhall remark on the following,
©nes, viz.
A. D. 1657. 475
It feems the Dutch admiral De Ruyter had taken two French {hips of
war in the Mediterranean ; to revenge which France engaged Cromwell
by the TVth and Vth fecret articles to fit out, at the expcnfe of France,
from 30 to 40 fhips of war ; part of which were to cruife before Otlcnd
and Dunkirk, and the reft in the Channel, to take all the fliips of Hol-
land and Zealand in the French king's name. And article IX and X,
that an Englifli fleet was to block up Oftend, Newport, and GravcHng,
whilft Louis did the fame on the land fide. And Louis promifes to
leave thofe ports (when taken) in the full poflefiion and property of the
protedor : as on the other hand (article XI) Louis was to enjoy all the
other towns, harbours, and places, which fliould be conquered in the
feventeen provinces of the Netherlands, none excepted, whoever is or
has been the pofl^efibr. Article XV and XVI, both parties agreed to
afllll the king of Sweden in his intended conqueft of the city of Dant-
zic, Louis alfo promifing to furnifli money for the conquefi: of the
Danifh forts in the Sound ; and the protector engaging to fend a fleet
with land forces to block up the paffage of the Sound, to the end that,
with Sweden's afliftance, he might be enabled to keep the trade with
thofe countries and thofe of his allies free and undifturbed. The plau-
fible or probable ground for thefe two remarkable articles of this
alliance and enmity againft Denmark was, becaufe Chriftiern IV
had increafed his toll on foreign fliips pafllng the Sound : which toll
(we have feen) having been farmed to the Hollandeis in 1649, it was
probable they and the crown of Denmark had jointly aimed to make
the moft of againft all other nations, though contrary to former ftipu-
lations.
By article XVII the protestor was to have the difpofal of any coun-
tries and forts which fliould be taken from Denmark, according to his
good pleafure : but the fliips and merchandize of the French king's fub-
jeds fhould pafs and repafs the Sound as freely as thofe of England.
1658. — Cardinal Mazarin (the prime-minilter of France) having got
intelligence that the court of Spain, in order to gain Cromwell, had fome
time before propofed to aflift him in the conqueft of Calais for England,
took pains to convince the protedor, that Dunkirk would be of much
greater importance to England, as really is known to be true: and as
Cromwell's main dread was left France fliould be alfifting in King Charles's
reftoration, he, after fom.e deliberation, agreed to Mazarin's propolal.
Whereupon, on the 23d of March 1658, new ftile. Sir William Lock-
hart, Cromwell's ambaflador at Fans, figned a convention with the
French court, whereby it was ftipulated that Dunkirk, Mardike, and
Ciraveling, (when taken) fliould be put into the protector's hands;
which was confirmed by a fecond convention live days atter. ^\llere-
upon Dunkirk was attacked by the joint forces of England and France,
and furrendered on niidfummer-day 165b, to the French, who, the day
3O2
47 6 A. D. 1658.
following, delivered it up with all its forts into the hands of Sir "William
Loclchart, for the protedor. This great acquifition occafioned no fmall
jealoufy in the Dutch, who were very far from being pleafed to fee
England thereby rendered mafters of both fides of the Channel. More-
over, though France at this time yielded it to Cromwell for the fake of
his prefent friendfhip, in affifting to the greater enfeebling of Spain, and
the confequent raifing of her own power, yet the French court foon
forefaw how dangerous Dunkirk would prove in other hands than their
own, and more efpecially in the pofFelTion of England, even then the
firft maritime potentate of Europe ; wherefor they foon found means,
(four years after) to get it furrendered to them.
Though clocks and clock-makers were introduced into England at
ieafl; as early as the year 1368, yet we have not difcovered either the
time or the certain place in which they were firfl made ; as is alfo the
cafe of feveral other inventions. Nurenberg in Germany has often
been named as the moft probable place of the invention of watches, (or
rather the revival of them about 70 years ago) though I do not find any
certainty thereof. The firft pendulum clock is faid to have been in-
vented by Huygens in the preceding year, 1 657 ; yet others afcribe it
to Galileo. Be this as it may, we may be aflhred that the prefent
watches are of a much later invention than clocks, though they, in faft,
were but a neceflary confequence of the other. The Emperor Charles V
was the firft who had a watch ;^ though fome fay it was only a fmall
table clock. Others fay, that emperor had a watch, of fome kind or
other, in the jewel of his feal-ring. Spring pocket watches were the
production of this century. Foreigners afcribe the invention to Huy-
gens, but the Englifh to Dr. Hooke, about this year. It has fince been
brought to greater perfedion in England than anywhere elfe.
This year the Swedifti fleet befieging Copenhagen, where the Danifti
king then was in great diftrefs, the Dutch fleet under Admiral Opdam
defeated that of Sweden, and thereby feafonably relieved the Danifti
king and his capital city. The next year Admiral De Ruyter joined
the Danifti fleet, and defeating that ot Sweden, brought about a pacifi-
cation at Rofchild between thefe two northern crowns, through the me-
diation of England and France.
1659. — Yet in the following year (1659) the Swedes, under their king
Charles Guftavus, were fo fuccefsful in a frefli war againft Denmark as
to oblige that crown to reftore the fine province of Scania, or Schonen,
to Sweden, after Denmark had been in pofleflion of it for three cen-
turies. This conceflion threw much weight into the fcale of Sweden ;
but feems, however, to have reduced both crowns nearer to an equili-
brium than before, with reference to the European ftates trading into
the Baltic fea.
The Danifti court having farther diftrefled the trade of other nations
A. D. 1659. 477-
by increafing the tolls in the paflages into the Baltic, called the Sound,
and greater and lefler Belt ; the two commonwealths of England and
Holland, and the court of France, had entered into a joint treaty at the
Hague, not only for obliging Denmark and Sweden, tlK^n at war, to
agree to the above peace, but by the YIth article of that treaty it was fti-
pulated, ' that no new duty, toll, or other import, on account of beacons, .
* light-houfes, anchorages, or any pretences whatever, be for the future
' railed in the Sound or the two Belts, by any perfon whatfoever, upon
* the faid three ftates, or either of them, or upon their fubjeds. And
' with refped to the duties or tolls which are paid there by virtue of
' the treaty made at London between the late proteclor (Oliver) and
' the crown of Denmark, and of another treaty made between the faid
' crown and the United provinces in 1645, they fhall never be augment-
' ed upon the three ftates, nor on any of them, for any caufe or pretext
* whatever. And if it happens that there are more favourable and ad- •
' vantageous conditions in one of the faid treaties than there are in the :
* other, with regard to the toll, or the manner of raifmg it, the faid
' three ftates, and each of them, fliall for the future enjoy the more fa- -
■* vourable conditions equally ; as alfo all other privileges and exemp- -
* tions ; and (hall be guarantees thereof one to the other.'
It feems that, before this definitive treaty, the Danes often varied the ;
tolls they exaded from ftiips pafling the Sound. Sometimes they laid a 1
rofe -noble on every ftiip, belide one per cent for laftage ; fometimes ■
three and one-half per cent ; and at other times a thirtieth part of all '■
the cargo was demanded and taken. Queen Elizabeth fent four folemn .
embaffies to Denmark in order to get thofe tolls moderated, and fixed at
fome certainty; though all to very little purpofe. The Swedes like--
wife had fometimes pretended to a toll for their caftle of Helfingburg, on
their fide of the Sound : but now this joint treaty and mutual guarantee
of the three potent ftates before mentioned feemed to put an end to all ,
new demands or impolitions whatever.
The advantageous peace concluded this year at the Pyrenees with the ■
declining kingdom of Spain gave the French full leifure to improve their .
foreign commerce, and more efpecially their trade to Turkey for
woollen goods; which, by the help of Spanifli wool, they foon after
brought to fuch perfeftion, that they have long fince been enabled, in a
great meafure, to get ground of the Engliih Levant, or Turkey com-
pany, as well as of the Dutch and Venetians ; their very able ftatef-
man Colbert having foon after this time moft afliduoufly applied himfelf .
thereto, without fparing any expenfe for the improvement of every
branch of commerce ; fuch, for inftance, as premiums, remiflion of
cuftoms and taxes, warehoufes rent-free, &c. \et in order to get their
woollen cloth at firft introduced into Turkey, they are faid to have
made ufe of the names of the Engliih traders thither, and of the repu.-.-
^47^ -A- ^' 1659.
tation of Englifli cloth, calling their cloth by the name of drap de
Londres.
By the Pyrenean treaty Spain yielded to France fo much territory
and fo many ftrong fortrefles in the Netherlands, and on the fide of Ca-
talonia, Burgundy, and Lorrain, as made the fcale of France flill much
more preponderate ; the enumeration of which countries and fortrefles
-may be feen in all the accounts of that peace ; which was indeed a very
unfortunate one for Spain, and much altered the balance of power in
refpedt of thofe two nations, and in iome mealure therefor affefted the
fafety of the reft of Europe.
The ifland of Barbados was by this time become rich and populous ;
for, in a pamphlet, entitled Trade revived, printed this year, the au-
thor, treating of the value of our American plantations, defcribes ' Bar-
' bados as having given to many men of low degree exceeding vaft for-
' tunes, equal to noblemen. He fays, that upwards of 100 fail of fliips
' there yearly find employment, by carrying goods and paflengers thi-
' ther, and bringing thence other commodities : whereby feamen are
' bred and cuflom increafed, our commodities vended, and many thou-
* fands employed therein, and in refining fugar at home, which we for-
* merly had from other countries. And all this out of that very fmall,
^ dry, and rocky ifland.' By this account it fliould feem, that our other
Caribbee ifles had fcarcely begun to cultivate fugar. This alfo feems
to be the firft account of fugar-refining in England, though probably
earlier in fome other countries, (for which fee the year 1503.)
According to Dodor D'Avenant, who was infpedor-general of the
cuftoms of England, the entire coinage of England for a complete cen-
tury of years, taken from the regifters of ihe royal mint, viz. from 1558
to 1659, was as follows.
Gold coined in Queen Elizabeth's reign - Li ,200,000
In King James I's reign, about - - 800,000
In King Charles I's reign - - 1,723,000
Total gold, - L3,723,ooo
Silver in Oiieen Elizabeth's reign - L4,632,932
In King James I's reign - 1,700,000
In King Charles I's reign - - 8,776,544
By the parliament and Cromwell - 1,000,000
Total filver, 16,109,476
Total gold and fllve-r, - Li 9,832,476
' Yet,' adds the dodtor very properly, ' all this money was not co-
e;i:ifting in this year 1659. For Queen Elizabeth not only called in
A. D, 16^59. /i^jcj
* and recoined all the debafed filver coin of the three preceding reigns,
' but, by varying the ftandard, there were frefh fabrications occafioned,
' fo that the fame bullion was coined over and over.' And this able
author conjedures, that in the year 1600 our whole gold and filver
coin together did not exceed 4 millions ; and that at the time he wrote
(1711) there might be 12 millions of gold and filver coin in being.
[New dialogues on the prefent pojlure of affairs, p. 71, ed. 171 1, 8t'o.]
This very curious account is well worth our obiervation : and as our
commerce is allowed by all men to be very confiderably increafed fince
the year 171 1, being the fpace of fifty-one years, I conceive we may
ipeafonably conclude, that the prefent gold and filver coin of Great Bri-
tain adually exifting cannot be lefs than 16 millions: although it be not
fo eafy to determine the proportion between the quantity of the gold
and the filver coin.
Having nothing firther to add of the times preceding the reftoration
of King Charles II, we mufi: do the rump parliament and Cromwell the
jufi:ice to remark, by way of recapitulation, that they certainly made"
fundry very good and fuccefsful regulations and laws for the improve-
ment and increafe of commerce and fifipping, moll of which were con-
firmed by the parliament immediately after the reftoration: which plain-
ly evinced the public fenfe of their utility, viz.
1} The reduction of the legal interefi: of money from 8 to 6 per cent,
greatly to the advantage of the landed and trading interefls.
II) The navigation ad, whereby not only the trade to and from our
American plantations was fecured to ourfelves alone, but likewife our
mercantile fliipping was confiderably increafed, as was alfo the number
of our failors, and of- all trades depending on fhipping.
III) Tenures by knights-fervice, wardlhips, and all other kinds of
fervile tenures, were for ever aboliflied in England.
IV) All kinds of monopolies were likewife quite aboliflied.
V) Their granting full liberty of confcience to all peaceable people,
inviting multitudes of fuch to return with their families and fortunes-
from New-England, Holland, Germany, &c. whither they had. been
driven by Laud's unchriftian and mad perfecution, &c. and hereby not
only the number of indufl:rious people was increafed, which is the moft
folid wealth of any nation, but likewife new manufadurcs were intro-
duced, and the old improved and increafed.
This meafure was, however, not agreeable to the zealous royalifts,
and therefor it was not confirmed till the acceffion ot William and
Mary, when the nation's eyes were fully opened to fee the prejudice and
folly, as well as wickednefs, of denying that freedom of confcience to
others which we ourfelves would think we had a right to in like cir-
cumftances.
VI) Vaflalage was aboliihed in Scotland, and better order was efia-
480 A. D. 1659.
blifhed in that country for providing for the poor, punifliing vagrants,
and fupprefling robberies, than had before been in ufe.
But this benefit to Scotland was far from being confirmed after the
reftoration, though fo reafonable and beneficial. The firfl four, how-
ever, were wifely confirmed, as what the nation could not have been
eafy without, having before fo fully experienced their beneficial and
moft falutary effeds.
1 660. — On the 3d of May 1 660, a final peace was concluded at the
monaftery of Oliva in Polifti Pruflia, between John Cafimir king of
Poland, and his confederates the Emperor Leopold, and Frederic Wil-
liam eledor of Brandenburg, on the one part, and Charles XI, king of
Sweden, on the other part, Louis XTV, king of France, being guaran-
tee. What is neceflary for us to obferve, is, the great additional weight
thrown into the fcale of Sweden, by Poland yielding to her the large,
fair, and fruitful, province of Livonia, moft of which, however, had
been long before conquered and poflefled by Sweden. On the other
fide, Sweden yielded to Poland the cities and forts flie held in Polifti
Pruffia. The emperor yielded to Holftein all that he held in that duchy,
and the eleftor of Brandenburgh yielded to Sweden all that he had held
in weftern Pomerania.
We are now again returned to the legal conftitution of England, of
king, lords, and commons, by the reftoration of King Charles II on
the 29th of May, in this year 1660 : and the firft ad of parliament re-
lating to our fubjedl, is that for a fubfidy granted to him of tonnage
and poundage, and other fams of money payable upon merchandize
exported and imported : the preamble to which a&. runs thus, viz.
' The commons afi^embled in parliament, repofing truft and confidence
' in your majefty, in and for the guarding and defending of the feas
' againft all perfons intending, or that fliall intend, the difturbance of
•' your faid commons in the intercourfe of trade, and the invading of
' this your realm, for the better defraying the necefiary expenfes there-
' of, which cannot otherwife be eflfefted without great charge to your
' majefty, do, by and with the advice and confent of the lords *, in
' this your prefent parliament afiembled, and by the authority of the
' fame, to the intent aforefaid, give and grant imto you, our fupreme
' liege lord and fovereign, one fubfidy called tonnage, that is to lay, of
' every ton of wine of the growth of France, that fliall come into the
* port of London, by way of merchandize, by your natural born fub-
' jeds, L4 : 10, and by ftrangers and aliens L6, and into the outports
' L3 by natural born fubjeds, and by aliens L4:io; and for every
' butt or pipe of mufcadels, malmfeys, gites, tents, alicants, baftards,
' facks, canaries, malagas, maderasf, and other wines whatfoever, com-
* The birtiops were ii'jt yet reiiiftated. yf.
f Tin's is the firll time th's wine is mentioned by that name. >7.
X
A. D. 1660, 481
monly called fvveet wines, of the growth of the Levant, Spain, and
Portugal, or any of them, or of the iflands belonging to them, or elfe-
where, that fhall come into the port of London, brought by Englidi
fubjed's, L2 : 5, and by aliens L3, and into the outports, by Englifli
fubjeds Li : 10, and by aliens L2 : 5 ; alfo for rheniili wines, by
natural born fubjeds Li per aum, and by aliens Li : 5, as in a book
of rates herein after i-eferred to : and alfo one other fubfidy called
poundage, i. e. of all manner of goods and merchandize exported or
imported, either by denizens or aliens, 1 2d for every 2of, as in the
book of rates valued, or ad valorem : and for Englifh produdt or ma-
nufadure exported by aliens, i2ii more for every 20/ over and above
the firft 2of ; excepting, however, all manner of woollen cloths, com-
monly called old draperies, and all wines which fliall have paid the
above named tonnage, and alfo fifh brought by Englifhmen, and all
frefli fi(h and beftial imported, and all other goods mentioned to be
cnftom free in the faid book of rates *. And we do hereby grant to
our liege lord and fovereign another fubfidy, i. e. on every lliort
woollen cloth exported by Engliflimen, called broad cloths, not ex-
ceeding twenty-eight yards in length and fixty-four pounds weight,
the fum of '^f\, and proportionably if of greater length or weight :
and of leffer lengths and weight, exported by Englifhmen, alfo ^5/4,
and by aliens 6/B. Englifh merchants fhipping goods, &c. in foreign
fliips from England fhall pay double duties, as if they were foreign-
ers. But herrings and other fea fifh exported fhall be duty free. And
it is hereby enaded, that no rates fhall be impofed on Englifhmen
without the authority of parliament. No king's colle<flors, &c. fhall
take more fees than were cuftomary in the fourth year of the late King
James.'
Other goods, when at certain prices, may be exported, viz. gun-
powder, when not exceeding Lfthe barrel; wheat L2 per quarter;
rye, beans, and peas, Li : 4; barley and malt 20/" per quarter; oats 16/;
beef, per barrel, L5 ; pork L6 : 10; bacon, per Jb. 6,/; butter, the
barrel, L4:io; cheefe, the hundred, Li:io; candles, the dozen
pounds, 5/]
' Provided always, that his majefly may, by proclamation, at any
' time when he fhall fee caufe fo to do, and for fuch time as fliall be
' therein expreffed, prohibit the tranfportation of gun-powder or any
' fort of arms or ammunition.
* And be it farther enaded, that over and above the rates herein be-
* fore mentioned, there fhall be paid to your majefty on every ton of
' v^ine of the growth of France, Germany, Portugal, or Madeira, brought
* Neither tea, cofTce, nor chdcolate, are mentioned in tliis new book of rates, thoagli they a'l oc
cur in an acl of parliament of this fame year. A.
Vol. II. ' 3 P
482 A. D. 1660.
' into the port of London, or elfewhere, L3 within nine months after im-
* porting ; and of every ton of all other wines L4. The importer to
* give fecurity for payment. Yet if any of thofe wines fhall be re-ex-
' ported within 12 months after, then the aforefaid additional duty fhall
* be returned ; and the importer, paying ready money, fhall be allowed
* 10 per cent difcount.
* Provided, that the prifage of wines, or prife-wines, fhall pay no ton-
' nage, cufloms, nor fubfidy, in virtue of this aft, nor of any thing
* therein contained.' [12 Car. II, c 4.]
As the lafl redudion of interefl from eight X.0J1X per cent was enabl-
ed by an ufurped power, the prefent parliament could not confiftently
take direct notice of it by way of confirmation, though in efFe6t they
do it by the preamble to the ad, [c. 1 3] that none fhall take above L6
for the loan of an hundred pounds for a year ; thus exprefled : ' and
whereas, in frefh memory, the like fall from 8 to 6 in the hundred,
by a late conftant pradice, hath found the like fuccefs to the general
contentment of this nation, as is vifible by ieveral improvements :
and whereas neverthelefs it is the endeavour of fome at prefent to
reduce it back again in pradice to the allowance of the ftatute ftill in
force,' (i. e. to 8 per cent) ' to the great difcouragement of ingenui-
ty and induflry in the hufbandry, trade, and commerce of this na-
tion : be it therefor enaded, that from and after the 29th of Sep-
tember 1660, none fhall take above 6 per cent, as above, and that
all bonds and alTurances whatever made after the time aforefaid, for
payment of any principal money to be lent or covenanted to be per-
formed, upon, or for any ufury, whereon there fhall be referved or
taken above the rate of L6 in the hundred, fliall be utterly void ;
and the taker of any higher interefl or ufury, fliall forfeit for every
* fuch offence the treble value of the money fo lent, &c.' [12 Car..
Jh c. 13.]
. Two things are worth remarking in this ad, viz. firfl, that the word
ufury was ftill the legal term for the lawful intereft of money ; fecond-
ly, that it does not take the leaf! notice of the unlawfulnefs, in point of
religion or confcience, or the fin of taking ufury or intereft for the loan
of money, as has been exprelTed in the preceding ads for redudion there-
of. Upon this redudion, Sir Jofiah Child remarks, as he alfo did in
'treating on the two former redudions, that in about 20 years after the
like redudion by the rump parliament in 1651, notwithftanding the
long civil wars and the great complaints of the deadnefs of trade, there
are more men to be found upon the exchange now (1688) * worth
Li 0,000 than were then worth Liooo ; and that L500 fixty years be-
* His Brief obfervattor.s concerning trade and intereft of money were fii ft publiftied in 1 688, 410. He.
made a (hort nddition to it in the fame year, and by degrees his judicious writings on commerce have
fwcllcd to a liveable 8vo vo'.umc, vf.
A. D. 1660. 483
'fore with a daughter, was efteemed a larger portion than L2000 in his
time ; that gentlewomen in thole days elleemed themlelves well cloth-
ed in a ferge gown, which a chambermaid now would be aOiamed
to be feen in ; that, beiide the great increafe of rich clothes, plate,
jewels, and houfehold furniture, there were 100 coaches now to one
kept formerly ; all which, and much more, he folely ai'cribes to the
abatement of intereft, which he calls the caufa caiifans of all the other
caufes of the riches of the Dutch as well as of ourfelves, increafed to
fix times what it then was : ' hereby alio,' fays he, ' we are enabled to
' pay a greater tax in one year than our forefathers could in twenty.'
' I can,' fays he, ' myfelf remember, fince there were not ufed in Lon-
' don lo many wharfs or quays for landing of merchants goods, by at
' leaft one third part, as now there are, and thofe that were then
' could fcarce have employment for half what they could do. Lands
* in the country now yield twenty years purchafe, which would not
* then have yielded above eight or ten at mod. The llime farms or
' lands to be now fold would yield treble,' and in fome cafes fix times,
' the money they were fold for fifty years ago. Ireland has alfo been
* vaftly improved in its lands, fince great part of it has been lately pof-
* fefled by the induftrious Englifii, who were foldiers in the late army.'
In brief, he lays it down as a conflant rule to judge whether any coun-
try be rich or poor, to know what intereft they pay for money. ' Near
* home,' continues he, ' we fee it evidently in Scotland * and Ireland
' where, lo and 1 2 per cent being paid for intereft, the people are poor,
* deipicable, ill clothed, and their houies worie provided, money in-
' tolerably fcarce, notwithftanding their great plenty of all provisions.
' In France, where money is at 7 per cent, lands yield about eighteen
' years purchafe. In Italy, money will not yield above 3 per cent up-
' on real fecurity, and there the people are rich, full of trade, well at-
* tired, and their lands will fell at 35 to 40 years purchafe : and that it
« is fo, or better with them in Holland, is too manifeft. In Turkey 20
« per cent is their intereft, which makes commerce there to be en-
* grolled by a few, as is always the cafe where intereft is very high, and
* was the cafe in England in EHzabeth's and James I's time, when in-
' tereft was at 10 per cent. In Spain, the ufual intereft is 10 and 12 per
« cent ; and there, notwithftanding they have the only trade in the
' world for gold and filver, money is nowhere more fcarce ; the people
* poor, defpicable, and void of commerce, other than what the Englifii,
' Dutch, Italians, Jews, and other foreigners bring to them, who are to
t them, in effect, as leeches who fuck their blood and vital fpirits from
t them.' Our author, however, feems to have been aware of a very
* He miift be miftaken with lefpeft to Scotland, where intereft was reduced by aft of parliament
to 8 per cent in the year 1C33. A.
3P2
484 A. D. 1660.
ftrong objection againft a precipitate redadion of the legal interefl: of
money in a nation, without duely attending to what may very properly
be termed the natural interefl: of money in luch a nation, i. e. at what
interefl: m.oney may generally be borrowed on good fecurity, i'o that
fuch propofed legal redudion of interefl fliould not be very different
from the natural interefl of money at the time : wherefor he obferves,
' that the m.atter in England was, at that time, prepared for an abate-
' ment of interefl ; for, lays he, the Eaft-India company do now bor-
' row what they want at 4 per cent.'
Yet notwithflanding all that this able and experienced gentleman has
faid upon this favourite fubjed of his, it feems to us, that he has not
fufEciently confidered another point, viz. that low interefl for money
in any country, is at leafl as much the effed, as the caufe, of wealth and
commerce. An increale of commerce brings an increafe of wealth,
which is ever attended with an iiicreafe of money, and luch increafe of
money will naturally and neceflarily produce a low rate of interefl, as
plenty of any thing whatever necefllirily caufes its cheapnefs. A wile
nation may indeed facilitate the redudion of their legal interefl, by
good and prudent preparatory regulations, and thereby contribute to
the increafe of commerce and to the encouragement of agriculture ,
but fuch redudion of the legal interefl is to be done with great circum-
fpedion, and ever with a due regard to the current natural interefl of
money at any fuch propofed time.
In this fame feflion of parliament the firfl legal ad was pafled for the
general encouragement and increafe of fliipping and navigation. ' Where-
' in,' fays its preamble, ' under the good providence and protedion of
' God, the wealth, fafety, and ftrength of this kingdom are fo much
' concerned.'
The principal enading claufes are,
I) ' No goods or commodities whatfoever fliall be imported into, or
exported from, any of the king's lands, iflands, plantations, or territories,
* in Afia, Africa, or America, in any other than Englifli, Irifli, or plan-
' tation built fliips, and whereof the mafter and at leaft three-fourths
' of the mariners Ihall be Englifliraen, under forfeiture of fliip and
' goods.'
II) ' Noiie but natural-born fubjeds, or naturalized, fliall henceforth
*■ exercife the occupation of a merchant or fador in thofe places, under
* forfeiture of goods and chattels *.'
III) ' No goods of the growth, produd, or manufadure, of Afia,
*• Afiica, or America, fliall be im-ported into England, but in fuch fliips
* as do truely belong to Englifli people, either here or in the king's lands
* Tliis is an imprnvcniciit upon tlie nft of navigatlcn of i6ji. It was common to have Dutcli
iBer.c;ba.iits afting as fr.ftors andn^culs in Eiiglilh colonics. ^
A. D. 1660.
485
or plantations in thofe parts, and navigated as in the firfl claufe
above *.' '
IV) ' No goods or commodities of foreign growth, produdlion, or
manufadure, which fliall be brought into England, Ireland, Jerfey, or
Guerniey, &c, other thai:i in fliips built and navigated as aforefaid,
fhall be {hipped from any other place but the place of their growth,
producftlon, or manufafture, or from thole ports where they can only
be, or ufually have been, brought, under forfeiture of fliip and
goods -|-.'
V) ' Such faked fifli, train-oil, and whale-fim, (as have been ufually
caught, &c. by the Englifh or Irifli) not caught, cured, &c. by Eng-
liHi or Irifh, nor imported in veilels truely Englifh, and navigate as
above fhall pay double aliens cuftoms.'
VI) ' No goods or pro\ ifions fliall be carried coafl-wife, from one Eng-
lifl) port to another, in vt-fTels whereof any ftranger, not naturalized, is
owner, in whole or in part, and which flaall not be navigated as be-
fore.'
VII) ' No goods of the growth, &c. of Ruflia, as alfo no mafl?, timber,
or boards, foreign fait, pitch, tar, rofin, hemp, flax, raifins, figs, prunes,
olive-oil, corn, lugar, por-afli, wines, vinegar, and ipirits, fhall be im-
ported in any fliips but fuch whereof the true owners are Englifli, and
navigated as aforefaid : nor any currants, or other goods, of the
Turks dominions, but in Engliih-built fliips, and navigated as afore-
faid ; excepting only fuch foreign Ihips as are of the built of that coun-
try of which the fald goods are the growth, &c. or of fuch port where
the forefaid goods can only be, or moft ufually are, firft lliipped for
tranfportation ; and whereof the mafter and three fourths of the mari-
ners at leal! are of the faid country or place.'
VIII) ' To jjrevent the colouring or concealing of aliens goods, all
the foreign goods before-named, which fliall be henceforth im-
ported Into England in fliips not belonging to England, and not navi-
gated as aforefaid, fliall be deemed aliens goods, and ihall pay all llran-
gers cuftoms and port-dues.'
IX) ' Fo prevent the like frauds In colouring the buying of foreign
fliips, no ix)relgn-built fhip fhall enjoy the privileges of one belonging
to England, till firft the owners make it appear that they are not aliens:
and they fhall fwear that they gave a valuable confideration (to be
then fpecified) for fuch fliip, and that no foreigner has any fliare
* This claufe feciired the Eail-Indla, Guinea,
and Levant companies, and alf i the American co-
lonies, from foreign fhips. A.
f So lately as about the year 1755, twelve
fhips trom Appcnradc in Denmark were guilty of
» breach of this claufe, i^y iiringing timber to
iuYerpouI, not of the growth of Denmark, and
v/ere oblli'td to compound for their delinquency :_
as Wire alio two otiicr fhips from the fame port-
next year for timber brought into L,eith. So ne-
cefTury is it for merchants to be acquainted with:
th,: mercantile l.uvs of the countries they ptO£o!e;
to trade to. A.
486
A. D. 1 66c
' therein. Of all which a certificate fliall be produced, and a rcgifler
* kept *.'
X) * This acl fhall not extend to merchandize from any place within.
* the flraits of Gibraltar, if they be brought from the ufual ports there,
' though not from the place of their growth, produdion, or manufac-
' fadure, fo as the (hip and crew be qualified as above. The like as to
* all Eaft-India commodities brought from any place call of the Cape of
.' Good Hope. Moreover, Englifli lliips, navigated as above, may im-
' port from Spain, Portugal, the Canaries, Azores, and Madeira, all
* forts of goods of the plantations of Spain or Portugal.'
XI) ' Bullion, prize-goods, corn, and fait, and fifli from Scotland, in
' Scotch-built fliips, and three fourths of the mariners the king's fub-
' jecis, are excepted out of this ad ; and feal oil from Rulfia, in Eng
' HHi fillips, with three fourths Englifli mariners.'
XII) ' French fliips in our ports fliall pay 5/ per ton, fo long as Eng-
* lifli fhips in French ports pay 50 fols per ton f .'
XTIl) ' No fugar, tobacco, cotton-wool, indigo, ginger, fuftic, or
' other dying woods of the growth or manufadure of our Afian, Afri-
' can, or American, colonies, fliall be (hipped from the faid colonies to
' any place but to England, Ireland:}:, or to fome other of his majefly's faid
' plantations, there to be landed ; under forfeiture as before. And to
' make eflx^dual this lafl claufe, (for the folc benefit of our own naviga-
' tion and people) the owners of the fhips fhall give bonds, at their fet-
' ting out, for the due performance thereof.' [12 Car. II, c. 18.]
Thefe were called enumerated commodities ; and by the ads of the
15th, 2 2d, and 23d of this reign (the firft for the encouragement of
trade, and the others for preventing the planting of tobacco in England,
and for regulating the plantation-trade) the enumerated commodities in
the firfl; ad were exprefsly prohibited to be carried to Ireland till
firfl landed in England. By the 3d and 4th of Queen Anne, rice
and melafles are made enumerated commodities ; but by the 3d
of King George II, rice is again rendered unenumerated. By the 8th
of King George I, for encouraging the filk manufadure, beaver,
and other peltry of America, are made enumerated. And by the 2d of
King George II, pitch, tar, turpentine, marts, yards, andbowlprits, from
our plantations are alfo made enumerated commodities ; and all other
plantation goods are called unenumerated. And by the 8th of George
I, f. I 8, copper ore of the plantations was made an enumerated commo-
dity ; i. e. fuch a one as mufl be firll landed in England before it can be
* Ever dice this aft paffcd, there is an of- council of trade affirm in their report in 1701)
ficer ellabh'flied at tlie cullom-houfe, caWcA the fur- fince that duty, which before produced from 6 to
■veyor oj the ,iff of navigation, who keeps a regifter 700,000 livres, now ( 1 701 ) produces but 1 00, COO.
of all Britilli-built vefTels. ^. J.
f The Dutch were exempted fiom this impofi- \ Ireland is left out in all fubfequent afts, and
tion of 50 lols per tun by the treaty uf Ryfwick, exprefsly excepted in that of 22, 23 Car. II, c, 2.6.
niuch to the damage of France, (as the French y/.
A. D. 1660. ' 487
landed in foreign parts. Thefe enumerated commodities will probably
1)6 hereafter found neceflary to be altered with the unforefeen changes
neceflarily happening in our American and European commerce.
This is the fubftance of this very long ad, here fo neceflary to be in-
ferted, as being perhaps the moft important fl:atute in behalf of com-
merce, that ever was enaded in this, or poflibly in any other, nation:
infomuch that Sir Jofiah Child, in his Dilcourfe on trade, thinks it de-
ferves to be called our Cbarta mantima. There wanted not, however,
authors who at firfl (as in a former one, enafted by the rump) found fault
with it, affirming that it would be deflrudive to our commerce, &c. In
Roger Coke's Difcourfe of trade, publilhed even fo late as 1 670, he affirms,
* that in two years after the navigation-ad of the rump parliament, in
' 1 65 1, the building of fhips in England became one third dearer than
' before, (at which none but fuch a head as his would have wondered)
' and that feamen's wages became fo exceflive dear, that we have wholely
' lofl the Mufcovy and Greenland trades, whereby we gave the Dutch
' and other nations the power of driving the trade of the world.' Yet,
quite on the contrary, we, by this navigation-ad, have gradually obtain-
ed a vaft increafe of fliipping and mariners : for by patience and fl:eadi-
nefs we have, in length of time, obtained the two great ends oi this
ever-famous ad, viz.
The bringing our own people to build fliips for carrying on fuch an
extenfive commerce as they had not before. Sir Jofiah Child was of
opinion, ' that without this ad we had not now (in 1668) been owners
' of one half of the fl;iipping or trade, nor Ihould have employed one
' half of the feamen we do at prefent.' So vafl: an alteration had this
ad brought about in a few years ; infomuch that we are at length be-
come, in a great meafurc, what the Dutch once were, i. e. the great car-
riers of Europe, more efpecially within the Mediterranean fea.
By this ad we have alDfolutely excluded all other nations from any
dired trade or correfpondence with our American plantations ; and
were it not for this ad (fays that able author) we fhould fee 40 Dutch
fhips at our own plantations for one of England. That, before the paff-
ing of this ad, and whilft our American colonies were but in childhood,
the fhips of other European nations, more efpecially of the Dutch, reforted
to our plantations both to lade and unlade ; and their merchants and fac-
tors neflled themfelves amongfl our people there, which utterly fruflrat-
ed the original intent of planting thofe colonies, viz. to be a benefit to
their mother-country, to which they owed their being and protedion. It
could not therefor be thought ftrange that, when our planters were become
able to ftand on their own legs, and to fupply confiderable quantities of
materials for exportation, (as was now the cafe of Virginia for tobacco,
and of Barbados for fugar, ginger, cotton, &c.) our legiflature thought
it high time to fecure to ourfelves alone thofe increafing benefits which
had been produced at our fole charge and trouble. And in this reiped;
A. D. 1660.
Spain had long before fet us a juft and laudable example, fince followed
by the other principal European nations who have planted in America.
"We may here alfo note, that, till this a6l took place, the Dutch in a man-
ner engrofled the whole trade to Sweden ; whereas hereby our Englifla
fhips have fmce got a fliare of the trade thither.
Such immenfe benefits obtained by this adl may well be our juftifi-
Cation for enlarging fo much on it : lince the hifiory of our commerce
niuft have been left very imperfect, without duely illuftrating what
has been one great means of increafing our commerce and naval
power. De Witt in his Intereft of Holland, [part i, c. 22] treating of
the expediency of Holland's eafing their own, and charging foreign, ma-
nufadures with duties, obferves, ' that in this fame year, 1660, the
' Englifli fettled their rates of cuftoms and convoy-money fo well, to fli-
' vour their own people as much as poflible, and to burden all foreign
' mailers of fhips and merchants, (he meant by this navigation-aft) that
' it is to be feared the Englifh merchants may in time bereave the
' Dutch of much of their trade ;' than which, there cannot be a ftronger
approbation or commendation of our navigation laws.
We have feen, under the years 1645 and 1656, that wards, liveries,
and tenures in capite and by night's fervice, were abolifhed by the long-
parliament, and alfo by the rump. And the people of England having
enjoyed the benefits thereof for fifteen years, it could not but be very
acceptable to them to have it confirmed after the refloration. The
preamble to the ads fhews, what opinion this parliament had of thofe
old flavifh dependencies of the people on the crown and on the great
lords, viz.
' Whereas it hath been found, by former experience, that the court of
wards and liveries, and of tenures by knight's- fervice, either of the
king or others, or by knights-fervice in capite, or foccage in capite of
the king ; and the confequents upon the fame have been much more
burdenibme, grievous, and prejudicial, to the kingdom than they have
been beneficial to the king. And whereas, fmce the intermiflion of
the iaid court, anno 1645, many perfons have, by will and otherwife,
made difpofal of their lands held by knight's-fervice, whereupon di-
verfe queftions might poffibly arife, unlels fome feafonable remedy be
taken to prevent the fame: be it therefor enaded, that the court of
wards and liveries, and all wardfliips and liveries, premier-feizens,
and alfo voyages-royal, and oufler-le-mains, values and forfeitures of
marriages, by realbn of any tenure of the king's majefty, or of any
other knight's fervice, fines for alienations, feizures, and pardons
for alienations, efcuage, tenures by homage ; and alfo aide pur
filemarier, and purfaire fitz chevalier, be taken away and dif-
charged. And that all tenures before mentioned be utterly abo-
' lifhed, and all tenures of any honours, manors, lands, or any efi;ate
' of inlieritance at the common law, held either of the king or
A. D. 1660. 489
* of any other perfon, be hereby turned into free and common foccage,
* from that time for ever.' By this ad alfo, purveyance of provifions,
&c. for the king's houfehold was taken away, fo as * no money or other
' things fhall be taken, impofed, or levied, for any provifion, car-
* riages, or purveyance for the crown. Nor Ihall the fubjed's timber,
* fuel, corn, cattle, hay, ftraw, vidual, carts, carriage-horfes, &c. be
* taken away without their free and full confent : neither fhall the
* crown hereafter have any pre-emption, in market, or out of market;
' but the fubjeds fhall freely buy and fell how, and to whom, they
* pleafe, under proper penalties and forfeitures..' This famous law,
which took away all fervile tenures and dependencies on the king and
great lords, and abfolutely prevented the arbitrary treatment of the
people by the king's officers, under pretence of purveying or providing
for his table, journies, &c. was looked on as a fecond magna charta for
the people of England. It was therefor judged but reafonable that the
crown, which had hereby lofl many emoluments and much power and
influence, fhould be recompenfed fome other way : by this fame ad
therefor the duties of excife on malt-liquors, cyder, perry, mead, fpirits,
or ftrong waters, coffee, tea *, fherbet, and chocolate, were fettled on the
king during his life, by way of additional revenue to the tonnage and
poundage ad already recited. [12 Car. II, c. 24.]
The parliament again prohibited the exportation of live Iheep, wool,
woollen yarn, and fullers' earth, of the produce of England and Ireland,
upon the forfeiture thereof, and of the fhips carrying them, and alfo a
penalty of 20/" for every fheep, and "^f for every pound of wool, and
three months imprifonment for the mafter of fuch fhip. A claufe was,
however, added in behalf of the ifles of Jerfey and Guernfey, Alderney,
and Sark, allowing them annually to export thither 3300 tods of un-
kemed wool, each tod not exceeding 32 pounds. [12 Car. II, c. 32.]
This licence, it is faid, gave birth to the great flocking-trade of thofe
illes, and thereby funk the flocking manufadure of Somerfetfhire, and
fome other parts of England. This was the firfl legal ad for the ex-
prefs and general prohibition of the exportation of wool by Englifli
fubjeds. Sundry additions and penalties have iince been enaded for
corroboration thereof; yet fuch is the force of the temptation to gain,
that to this day the complaints of exportation to France and Holland
are as loud as ever : and though numberlefs fchemes and propofals for
new laws and penalties have fo often been oflered to the public, yet
none of them have been hitherto judged pradicable in every refped.
In this memorable year the parliament paffed an ad againft planting
* According to an author quoted by Dr. John- ' tiiiued the fame till 1 707.' [Juln/on's Worts, V.
ion, ' Tea was firll imported tVoni Holland by the x,^. 261, ed. 1787.] The afl of parliament lliewt
' carls of Arlington and Oflory in 16S6. From that this author was miflakcn ; but it may be pre-
' their ladies the women of quality learned its ufe. fumed, that the ufe of tea was very rare at ihis
' Its price was then three pound a uound, and con- time. M.
Vol. II. * 3 0^
490 A. D. 1660.
tobacco In England or Ireland ; which firfl takes notice * of the great
* concern and importance of the colonies and plantations of England in
' America : and that all due and poflible encouragement fhould be given
' to them ; not only as great dominions have been added thereby to the
* imperial crown of England ; but alfo, that the ftrength and welfare
* of the kingdom very much depend on them, in regard to the employ-
' ment of a very confiderable part of its fliipping and feamen, and of
' the vent of very great quantities of its native commodities and manu-
' failures ; as alfo of their fupplying us with feveral commodities for-
' merly furniflied us by foreigners. And forafmuch as tobacco is one
* of the main produds of feveral of thofe plantations, it is hereby pro-
' hibited to be planted in England or Ireland ; as depriving the king of
' a confiderable part of his revenue by cuftoms : befides that, tobacco
' of our own growth is, by experience, found not to be fo wholeforae
' as our plantation tobacco.' [12 Car. II, c. 34.]
The earl of Clarendon (lord chancellor) in his own defence, upon his
impeachment in parliament, obferved, that foon after King Charles's
refloration, he ufed all the endeavours he could to bring his majefty to
have a great efteem for his plantations, and to encourage the improve-
ment of them : and that he was confirmed in his opinion and delire by
the entries at the cuftom-houfe, by which he found what a great reve-
nue accrued to the king from thofe plantations : infomuch, that the re-
ceipts from thence had repaired the decreafe of the cuftoms, which the
late troubles had brought upon other parts of trade.
As the ingenious author of the Prefent ftate of England, \Fart iii,/).
259, ed. 1683] obferves, that afparagus, artichocks, oranges, and lemons,
were then but of a late date in England*; we imagine they may
have been firfl produced with us, about the time of the refloration ; and
probably cauliflower was rather fomewhat, though very little, later than
this time; as were alfo fundry kinds of beans, peas, and lalads, now in
common ufe.
In the fame year, the rates of the pofl-office, for England and Ire-
land, were eflabUfhed by a6l of parliament, letters of one fheet, to any
place not exceeding 80 miles, to be charged 2d ; above the diftance of
80 miles, 3^; from London to Berwick, 3^; from Berwick to 40 miles
diflance, 2d ; from Berwick farther than 40 miles, \d. From any part
of England to Dublin, one fheet, dd ; from Dublin to any part of Ire-
land, 40 miles diftance, 2^, and double for a greater diflance. Letters
of two fheets to pay double, and larger packets in the proportion of
quadruple poflage per ounce. The foreign letters we omit, for brevity's
fake, as they are in every counting houfe. [12 Car. II, c. 35.] This
revenue was found to bring in L2 1,500 when it and the wine licences
were fettled in the year 1663 on the duke of York. All the foregoing
* Have oranges and lemons ever been cultivated in England but as matters of curiofity ? M^\
A. D, 16(30. 491
ac^s being made without the bifhops, and the parliament being diflblved
the 20th of December 1 660, the next parhament thought fit to re-enacl
them all. [13 Car. II, c. 14.]
By a refolution of a committee of the Britifh houfe of commons, on
the 28th of March 1735, it appears that the privilege enjoyed by mem-
bers of parliament of franking their letters, was co-eval with this eftablifh-
ment, viz. ' it is the opinion of this committee, that the privilege of
* franking letters by the knights, citizens, and burgefTes, chofen to re-
' prefent the commons in parliament, began with the creeling a poft-
* office within this kingdom, by ad of parliament. And that all letters,
* not exceeding two ounces, figned by, or dn-eded to, any member of
* this houfe, during the fitting of every fellion of parliament, and forty
* days before, and forty days, after every fummons or prorogation,
' ought to be carried and delivered freely, and from all parts of Great
* Britain and Ireland, without any charge of poftage.'
Soon after the reftoration of Charles II the French began to invade
the ifland of Newfoundland, till then folely polTefTed by England. They
firfl fettled on the fouthern coaft of it, by the help of their colony in
Canada, and flrongly fortified therafelves at Placentia, where they con-
tinued to encroach on the Englifh in the wars of King William and
Queen Anne.
It is certain that there is a vafl profit accruing to the public from the
Newfoundland fifhery. It breeds great numbers of excellent feamen.
It keeps up a great number of fhipping. It employs many various
trades. It perhaps gains us almoft L4oo,ooo per annum increafe to the
national flock of treafure, from Portugal, Spain, and Italy, to which
countries mofl of the fi(h is carried ; what is fliipped for Britain and
Ireland being but inconfidcrable, when compared with what is fent to
thofe countries ; and fome alio is fent to the fugar iflands. Computa-
tions have been made, that a fliip of 1 00 tons uiually carries to market
as much fifh as yields L3000, of which L2000 is faid to be clear gain ;
which fhews, that the fiOiery is of all trades the moll; profitable. There
were ufually two different ways of conducting that trade. Some vidual
and man their fliips from Poole, Dartmouth, Biddeford, and other weft-
ern ports, and refort early to the banks of Newfoundland, to fifli on
their own proper account. Others fail diredly to the land, and pur-
chafe their cargoes of thofe fifliers, or elfe of the inhabitants from off
their ffages. The banks are vaft flioals, or fubmarine mountains, to
which the cod refort in infinite numbers. 1 rain-oil is drawn from
their livers in conliderable quantities. On thofe banks, and on the coafts
of Newfoundland, there have been feen 600 or 700 vefTels of difierent
nations fifhing at the fame time.
This year Sir Thomas Modyford, an eminent planter in the ifland of
Barbados, after acquiring a vail fortune there, removed to Jamaica,
3 0.2
49^ A. D. 1660.
where he inftrufted the planters in the cultivation of the fugar-cane ;
for which, and his other great improvements, he was afterwards ap-
pointed governor of Jamaica, and fo continued from 1663 to 1669.
About this time, the Dutch attempted the conqueft of Goa, the chief
fettlement of the Portuguefe in Eaft India ; but it being then probably
in a better condition than iince, they were not able to take it, although
they blocked up the bar of that city for twelve years together. Goa
was flill a magnificent city, full of churches and monafteries : fome ac-
counts fay, to the number of eighty ; and that its diftridt extended for-
ty miles along the coafl:^ and fifteen miles within land. That there were
then about 30,000 perfons in its diflrid, who lived by the church, be-
ing equal in number to the laity there, (a mofi: wife nation furely !)
befides 50,000 native Indians. Yet it is no wonder that mofi: of the
laity are defcribed to be poor, fince the clergy fwallow up the bulk of
its riches. Goa is, in our time, much decayed, occafioned chiefly in-
deed by the Portuguefe having lofl mofi: of their fettlements and fadlo-
ries in India. Yet it was defcribed fome years ago as having 140,000
people of all forts under the Portuguefe dominion, in the ifles of Goa,
South Salfet and Bardes, whither three or four large veflels went yearly
from Portugal, now probably not fo many.
We may here obferve, that the parliament this year paflled an att in
favour of the Dutch or Flemings at Colchefter, who in Queen Elizabeth's
time brought the manufadure of bayes into England. Hereby the
governor of the Dutch bay-hall in that town, and the Dutch people be-
longing to that community, were confirmed in all the privileges and
immunities which they had at any preceding time enjoyed. And all
bayes made in that town were diredted to be carried to their row-hall,
to be fearched and ftamped, before they be fold. [12 Car. II, c. 22.]
The coins of King Charles II confifted of the fame pieces with thofe
coined in the fecond year of his father, and were all hammered, till the
year 1663, when milled money was coined.
In this remarkable year was the royal fociety of London formed and
incorporated by King Charles II ; of which the author of this work
does not prefume to give the complete and perfed: charadter and eulo-
gium. It is fufficient for his purpofe only to remark, that its improve-
ments in aftronomy and geography are alone fufficient te exalt its repu-
tation, and to demonftrate its great utility even, to the mercantile world,
without infifting on its many and great improvements in other arts and.
fciences, fome of which have alfo a relation to commerce, navigation,
manufadures, mines, agriculture, &c. Voltaire, in his Age of Louis
XIV, obferves, ' that to this illuflrious fociety the world is indebted
' for the late difcoveries relating to light, the principle of gravitation,
* the motion of the fixed fl:ars, the geometry of tranlcendant qualities,
' and an hundred other difcoveries, which, in this refped, might juflly
A. D. 1660. 4^2,
•- denominate the age we fpeak of, to be the age of the Englifh, as well
* as the age of Louis the XIV.'
In 1 666 the great Colbert, emulous of this glory of England, advifed
King Louis XIV, at the requefl alfo of feveral men of learning, to
eftablifli the French academy of fciences, which, in 1669, became an
incorporated body like ours of London, as fundry others have fince been
in other countries of Europe.
So greatly was the commerce, and confequently the wealth, of Eng-
land increafed by this time, that feveral poHtical writers, and particu-
larly the anonymous author of the Happy future ftate of England y
thought by fome to be the earl of Anglefey, are of opinion, that the
revenue of England at the refloration was quintuple of what it was at
the reformation from popery, in the reign of King Henry VIII. This;
we apprehend, may be probable enough, yet no author, that we know
of, has clearly made it out to be precifely fuch a proportion of increafe,
and therefor we fhall leave it as we found it, rather than miflead our
readers by pofltive aflertions, void of abfolute proof, which is not eafy
to come at.
While the Eaft-India trade from England remained, in a manner, fre©-
and open, viz. from 1653 to 1657, ^^ incident in India had almofl; made
an open breach between our two houfes of parliament, after the reflora-
tion, and made a great buflle for fome years.
In the year 1657 Thomas Skinner, a merchant, had fitted out a fliip
for India, where he arrived the next year. At the fame time the Eafl-'
India company had a new charter from Cromwell, and their agents feiz^
ed his fhip and merchandize, together with his houle and ifland of Ba-
rella, which he had bought of the king of Jamby. They even denied
him a paffage home ; and he was obliged to travel over-land to Europe.
For feveral years after the refloration Skinner made lamentable com-
plaints to the king, who at length recommended his cafe to a committee
of the council, and next to the houfe of peers, from whom alfo Skinner
petitioned for redrefs. The peers directed the Eaft-India- company to '
anfwer, who pleaded their exclufive privileges and trade in and to India,
and alfo demurred to the lords jurifdidion, as not coming to them re-
gularly, by appeal from an inferior court. The lords overruled this -
plea, and in 1666 appointed Skinner's cafe to be pleaded at their bar,
yet the company found means to get it poftponed to the year 1667,
when they again demurred as before, and at the fame time petitioned
the houfe of commons againft the proceedings of the houie of lords,
which they alleged to be contrary to law. The lords hereupon were
greatly inflamed, and finally gave Skinner L5000 damages, to be paid
by the Eafl -India company. This inflamed the houfe of commons, who
not only pafled fome very warm votes againft the houfe of lords, but fent
Skinner prifoner to the tower. The lords were thereby farther inflam-
494 A* ^* I ^6 1.
ed, and voted the company's petition to the houfe of commons to be
falfe and fcandalous. The commons thereupon refolved, that whoever
fhould execute the fentence of the lords in favour of Skinner fhould be
deemed a betrayer of the rights and hberties of the commons of Eng-
land, and an inifringer of the privileges of their houfe. Thofe violent
heats obliged the king to adjourn the parliament feven times, and the
quarrel reviving in the feflion of 1670, the king called both hoiifes to
Whitehall, and prevailed on them to erafe all the votes, &c. of both
houfes on this fubjed. Thus it ended, after many elaborate difquifitions
on the jurifdidlion of either houfe of parUament ; nor does it clearly ap-
pear, that Skinner ever had any redrefs at all.
1 66 1 . — In the year 1 661 the king granted a new, or fupplemental, char-
ter to the Englilh Levant, or Turkey, company, which, after ratifying and
confirming that company's firfl charter, granted in 1605, directed, that
no perfon refiding within 20 miles of London, excepting noblemen and
gentlemen of quality, fhould be admitted into the freedom of the com-
pany, unlefs firfl made free of the city of London. So all perfons, who
from thenceforth defired to trade to Turkey, and were not free of the
city of London, were put to a confiderable additional expenfe in taking
up the freedom, which has been fince frequently found fault with.
The Englifh Eafi: -India company, notwithflartding the diforders in it
of late years, being fuppofed flill to exifl, as eftablifhed by Queen Eliza-
beth, King James, and King Charles I, obtained of King Charles II a
new exclufive charter, dated the 3d of April 1661, by the old name of
the governor and company of merchants of London tradmg to the
Eafl-Indies. It was to confifl of a governor, a deputy governor, and
twenty-four committees, (fince called directors) to be annually eleded ;
the limits of their trade the fame as in the former charters. They, their
fons at twenty-one years of age, their apprentices, fadors, and fervants,
employed in this trade, might freely trade to India, in fuch manner on-
ly as a general court fhould direct. The company to have perpetual
fuccefhon, to make bye-laws, and impofe penalties not repugnant to the
laws of England ; might export only L50,ooo in foreign filver annually.
And in time of reflraint to be allowed fix good fhips, and fix good pin-
naces, with 500 mariners, to fail yearly to India, unlefs the king fhould
judge proper to ftop them from going, in order to reinforce his royal
navy for defence of the realm, on urgent occafions. None other fhould
trade to India without their licence, on pain of foi-feiting fhips and
goods, one half to the crown, one half to the company. They might
admit into their freedom all fuch apprentices, fadors, and lervants of
any freeman of the company, and all fuch others as a majority of their
general courts fiiould chufe- The company mufl import, within fix
months after every voyage, at leaf! as much filver as they carried out.
All their gold and filver exported muft be fliipped at London, Dart- -
A. D. 1 66 1. 405
mouth, or Plymouth Adventurers to have vot^s in proportion to their
ftock paid in on the refpedive voyages L500 llock to have one vote ;
and any fuch freemen as have paid in lefs than L500 might join toge-
ther, and make up L500, or one vote, jointly. The company to have
and enjoy all plantations, forts, factories, &c. in Eall: India ; may ered
new fortifications there, or at St. Helena, immediately under their com-
mand ; to have time for the payment of the king's cuftoms, half in fix
months, and the other half fix months after. And if any goods, which
fhall have paid cuftom, are lofi:, the cuftom to be i-eturned to the lofers ;
may appoint governors, judges, &c. thereof, and may judge all perfons
living under them, both in civil and criminal caufes ; may make war
and peace with any prince or people that are not chrifi;ians, (within
their limits) as fliall be moft for the benefit of their trade, and may re-
compenfe themfelves on the goods, efiates, or people there, who ftiall
injure them ; may build, plant, and fortify at St. Helena, and elfewhere
within their limits ; may tranfport fuch numbers of men as they fhall
tiiink fit, being willing thereunto, and govern them there, in fuch legal
manner as the company fliall think fit, and may inflidl punifliment, fines,
8<;c. for mifdemeanours ; may feize the perfons of all Englifii fubjeds,
failing in any Indian or Englifii vefi^el, or inhabiting there without the
company's leave firft obtained, and may fend them to England. Per-
fons in the company's fervice, appealing from the fentence of the go-
vernors, &c. in India, to be fent home to receive fentence of the com-
pany, agreeable to the laws of the land. Governors, &c. in India, may
examine, upon oath, all fadors, mafters, ptirfers, &c. for difcovery of
injuries.
Firfi: provifo, that this company may not trade to any place within
their limits, already poflefled by any chrifi:ian prince or fi:ate in amity
with his m.ajefty, without the confent of fuch prince or ftate.
Second provifo, that in cafe the continuance of this charter, or of
any part thereof, fiiall hereafter appear to the king or his fuccelTors not
to be profitable to the crown or kingdom, then, after three years warn-
ing given to this company by the crown, this prefent charter ihall be
void to all intents and purpofes. The refi; is only a repetition of the
claufes in Queen Elizabeth's charter of the year 1600, to which there-*
for, for brevity's fake, we refer.
Thus the very fame perJons and capital ftock, re-incorporated by
Cromwell in the year 1657, were now again efl:ablifiied and confirmed
by this charter ; in which, however, there were fome powers relating to
punifiiments of delinquents, &c. that were afterwards deemed illegal and
arbitrary.
By this charter it appears that this company had not (in the manner
of our modern Eaft-India company) one fole transferable joint-fiock,
but that every one, who was free of this company, paid in a certain fuiii>'
496
A. D. 1661.
•of money to the company, on fitting out their voyages, for which he
had credit in the company's books, and had his proportionable dividend on
the profits of fuch refpedive voyage ; the whole inveftments being made
by the company in their corporate capacity. And they were not here-
by made an irrevocable corporation, but might be diflolved on three
years notice.
The Portuguefe having recovered the rich and extenfive province of
Brafil from the Dutch, and the Dutch, on the other hand, having ex-
pelled the Portuguefe from their forts and fettlements at Coulan, Cana-
nor, Cochin, Cranganor, and Calicut, on the coaft of Malabar, in Eaft-
India, they now terminated the war by a treaty, whereby each power
retained the dominions and fettlements then adlually in their poffeflion.
About this time many proteflant diflenters in England and Scotland,
to avoid perfecutions and reflraints in matters of confcience, removed
to New England.
By an adl of parliament [13, 14 Car. II, c. 2] for repairing the high-
ways and fewers, and paving and keeping clean the ftreets in and about
London and Weftminfter, and for reforming annoyances and diforders
there, regulating and licencing of hackney coaches, and enlarging fe-
veral flrait and inconvenient flreets and palTages, it appears that many
new ftreets were then fcarcely finiflied in and about St. James's parifh.
The ftreet or way from the end of Petty-france to St. James's-houfe * ;
a ftreet from St. James's-houfe up to the high-way f; a ftreet in St.
James's-fields, commonly called the Pall-mall, and alfo a ftreet extend-
ing from the Meufe to Piccadilly J, and from thence towards the ftone-
bridge, to the furthermoft building near the Bull, at the corner of Air-
ftreet, were hereby direded to be paved, at the rate of 1/4 for every
fquare yard, out from the houfes or garden-walls to the middle of the
way, at the expenfe of the proprietors of the houfes, &c. The other
ways were to be kept in repair out of the money arifing from 400 hack-
ney coaches hereby direded to be licenced, at L5 to be paid annually
for every coach. The rates of the coaches by the day, by the hour,
and by the ground, hereby eftabliflied exadly the fame as at this day.
Candles, or lights in lanthorns, were to be hung out by every houfehold-
er fronting the ftreets, in London, Weftminfter, and fuburbs, from
michaelmas to lady-day, from its being dark until nine in the evening.
The following ftreets and narrow paflliges are alfo direded to be widen-
ed, viz. the ftreet or paflage near Stocks in London ; the ftreet or paf-
fage from Fleet-conduit to St, Paul's church in London ; the paflage
from the White-hart inn from the Strand, into Covent-garden ; the
ftreet and pafllige by and near Exeter-houfe and the Savoy, being ob-
* It is not very dear what ftreet was thus deferlbed. ji,
f Now St. James's ftreet. A.
t Now the Haymarkct. A.
A. D. 1661,
497
flruded by a rail and the unevennefs of the ground thereabouts ; the
pafllige and ftreet of St. Martin's-Iane out of the Strand ; the pafTage
or Itreet of Field-lane, commonly called Jackanapes-lane, going be-
tween Chancery-lane and Lincohi's-inn-fields ; the pafTage and gate-
houfe of Cheapfide, into St. Paul's church-yard ; the pafTage againft St.
Dunflan's church in the weft (being obftrucled by a wall); the flreet
and palTige near the weft end of the Poultry, in London, and the paflage
at Temple-bar. All thefe were deemed very incommodious to coaches,
carts, and paflengers, and prejudicial to commerce and trading. All
which fliew very plainly, how inelegant, as well as inconvenient, a great
part of the city of London was at this time ; and alfo how much the
liberty of Weftminfter was conftantly increafing in new ftreets and
buildings, the confequence of our increafing commerce and wealth. So.
much is the great contiguitv of London altered fince then, that Tome
part of this defcription is difficult to be traced at this prefent time.
An ad for regulating the making of ftufFs in Norfolk and Norwich,
fays, * the trade of w^eaving ftufFs hath of late times been very much
' increafed, and great variety of new forts have been invented ; fo that
* the power given by the ftatute [17 Edw. IV, c. i'\ is not fufficient for
* regulating the fame ; and the wardens by the fame ad appointed, be-
' ing but eight, are too few for governing and ordering the trade ;
' wherefor there fhall be twelve wardens and thirty affiftants for regu-
' fating the manufadure of worfteds and Norwich ftuiTs.' [13, 14
Car. JI, c. 5.] From this ad we may infer that thofe light manufadures-
were much increafed.
The filk manufadure of London was now become fo confiderable,.
that the preamble to an ad for regulating the trade of filk -throwing.
obferves, that the faid company of filk-throwfters fas it is exprefTed
in their petition) employ above 40,000 men, women, and children
therein. It was therein enaded, that none fhould fet up in that trade
without ferving feven years apprenticefhip, and becoming free of the^
company. [13, 14 Car. II, c. 15.]
After this time we find divers ads of parliament in this and fuc- -
ceeding reigns for regulating the filk manufadure at home, and the.-
importation of raw and thrown filk from foreign parts, many of which
were temporary, others have been repealed or altered, and the reft of
little information to the generality of readers, until we come to the year-
1722.
Another ad was pafTed, prohibiting the exportation of \\\e fheep,
wool, woollen yarn, fullers earth, fulling clay, and tobacco pipe clay.-
[13, 14 Car. li, c. 18.] Additional laws have fmce this time been made
for this very important end. But once for all, we fhall take the liberty
to remark, that thev have bv no means anfwered the end, though re—
Vol. IL ' ' 3 R
498
A. D, 1 66 1,
inforced by feverer penalties. So difficult a tafk it is efFedually to
mafler an evil, of which immediate and confiderable gain is the ob-
jed.
An adt of parliament of the 9th of King Edward III having prohibit-
ed the melting of any filver halfpenny or farthing for any purpofe
whatever, and another a6t of the 1 7th of King Richard II having pro-
hibited the like melting down of filver groats and half groats, thofe de-
nominations being the higheft filver coins then in tife, the goldfmiths
and refiners at this time taking advantage of the ftrift letter of thofe
two adls, concluded that there was no penalty for melting the filver
coins of an higher denomination than were then in being. A law was
therefor made this year [14 Car. II, c 31] againfl; melting down any
of our filver coins, upon the penalty of forfeiting the fame and double
the value. Yet in this, as well as in the laws prohibiting the exportation
of our wool, the temptation of immediate profit gets the better of all
refi:raints whatever.
The parliament of Scotland, who in mofl; matters relating to com-
merce, more efpecially fince the union of the crowns, wifely followed the
Englifii, this year pafi^ed a navigation ad, for encouraging of fhipping
and navigation ; but it was not to extend to importations from Afia,
Africa, and America, Ruflla and Italy, till fo declared by a fubfequent
ad:, or by the privy council, or the council of trade, nor to corn in
time of dearth. Goods fhipped in foreign veflels, or belonging to ahens,
were to pay double duty.
They alio pafiTed an ad for ereding companies for the improvement
-of the herring and white fifheries. And in this and fucceeding reigns,
down to the confolidating union of the two kingdoms, they granted
fundry bounties on the exportation of fifli of all kinds, and made fundry
good laws (efpecially fince the refi:oration) for the regulation of their
commerce, and of their linen and woollen manufadures, &c. All
which being now of little or no ufe, we have not thought it neceflary
jto enlarge on them *.
The laws prohibiting the ufe of logwood, which was fuppofed perni-
cious to the goods dyed with it, were repealed, it being now found
(fays the ad, intitled, Frauds and abufes in his majefi.y's cufi;oms pre-
vented and regulated), ' that the ingenious induftry of thefe times hath
' taught the dyers of England the art of fixing the colours made of
' logwood, alias blockwood, fo as that by experience they are found as
' lafting and ferviceable as the colours made with any other fort of
* dying wood.' [13, 14. Car. II, c. 11.]
* The Scottidi pniliament, at the fame time, vcductd the intcreft of money ^o Jx per cs!.t, ' fioe
• of all retention 01 oth'.r pubh'c burdens whatfoev^r.' [P<h-/ /, Car. 11, f- 49-] M.
I
A. D. 1661.
499
At this time King Charles II fhamcfully delivered up to France the
country of Nova Scotia, and i'uch part of Canada as was held by our
people *.
The treaties of alliance made by King CHiarles with Sweden and
Denmark contain nothing new or particular concerning commerce.
[General Coll. of 'Treaties, V. iii, pp. 240, 253, 254, 263.]
Many and lotid complaints had been made by the merchants and
clothiers of Exeter and other parts of the weft of England (whom the
company of merchant-adventurers called interlopers), as particularly
in the year 1638, to the houfe of commons, and alio in the years 1643
and 1645. They now again complained to the parliament, and in their
remonftrance termed that company monopolizers and obftruclors of
the fale of our woollen manufadures. As it is pollible that fome fuch
objedions, ho\Vever flightly grounded, may fome time or other be
hereafter renewed, and as it will alfo throw fome light upon the ftate
of our juftly-favoured woollen manufacture, and will give a diftinct ftate
of that company's condition at that time, we ftiall as briefly as poflible
fet down their objedions, with the company's anfwers.
In general it was objeded.
That confining the whole trade of the manufactures of wool fent to
Germany and the Netherlands, being the greateft ftaple commodity of
England, to one particular company of men, who call themfelves the
only merchant-adventurers, is detrimental to all in general, and parti- -
cularly to thofe of Exeter and Devonftiire : For,
I) They make the clothiers take what price they pleafe, by not buy--
ing their goods brought to market, until neceflity obliges them to fell
even for lofs. They moreover frequently ftint or limit the number of
cloths to be ftiipped, and allot to each merchant how much he ftiall
fliip for his particular proportion ; fo that the governor, deputy, and
committees, may ferve themfelves and friends with the greateft ftiare ;
which is not only prejudicial to the reft, but does alfo hinder the put-
ting off fo much more cloth abroad.
II) The company confine the vent of this great ftaple commodity to
a few places at home, as the trade of all the weft countries to London ;
whereas Exeter and other places ought to have liberty to ftiip oflf their,
goods from the neareft port, whereby much charge might be faved f.
III) By the two refolutions of the houfe of commons in 1624, for •
liberty to all merchants, as well as thole called merchant-adventurers,
to export dozens, kerfies, and new manufadures, as well as dyed,
* I doubt if any part of Canada was then pof- \ The reftrHion of the ftaple for cloths to. one
lefTcd by oar people. Hiftorians are fo carclefs or two towns ii- each foreign country, e.g. Rot-
in their accounts of thofe countries, that they terdam for all Holland, was alfo complained o',
feem not to have thought them wcitliy of their as prejudicial to the manufafturers r.t home and to ,
attention, A. the confumcrs abroad, y/.
3 R 2
500 A. D. 1 66 1.
drefled, and coloured cloths, into Germany and the Netherlands, the
Englifh traders increafed m number, and the Dutch fell ofFfo much, that
they did not make 4000 cloths in the year 1632. But the company
being again encouraged by means of their purfe, &c. the Dutch again
increafed to 20,000 cloths in the year, and many of our manufacturing
people fettled in Holland.
IV) This company make their embarkations but thrice in the year,
which hinders the clothiers from felling their goods but juft at thofe
times, and that only to two towns beyond fea.
V) The heavy impofitions and fines they lay on the manufacturers
amount to near as much as the king's cuftoms, infomuch that from
1616 to 1641, they raifed, as per their own books, Li82,295, befide
what duties they received beyond fea ; whereby the cheapnefs of our
commodities is hindered, and the Dutch are encouraged to improve
their manufacture of woollen goods, as they have greatly done for the
lail forty or fifty years.
VI) The company ItriCtly tie their members to trade only to two
towns, viz. Hamburgh and Dort, the later of which is inconveniently
fituated for vending the goods into the inland parts.
VII) In the company's prefent condition, they are indebted for vail
fums, which cannot be discharged but by raifing it on our manufac-
tures.
VIID The company arrogate powers of impofing oaths, and levying
fines and taxes, on their fellow fubjeCts, though they were never yet
eftabhflied by law, and have been complained of from time to time
thefe 160 years.
IX) This monopolizing company did in all tranfport but 225 pieces
of woollen goods from midfummer to michaelmas 1661 ; and yet five
or fix Exeter merchants, not free of the company, did within the fame
quarter of a year buy and export beyond fea 9254 pieces. The com-
pany employ fliips but feldom, in comparifon of other merchants, nor
the fourth pare of the mariners that other merchants do.
X) The unlimited power given to this company by their charter is a
great inconveniency, and repugnant to the flatute [12 Hen. VlT, c. 6] ;
for they are thereby empowered to make what rules and ordinances
they fhall think fit for the fupport of their privileges, and may not only
compel thofe of their fellowfliip, but even all others ufing trade with
woollen manufactures in their precinCts to obey the fame *.
On the other hand, the company in their vindication replied in fub-
flance as follows, viz.
• Parker (in a pamphlet called Free trade, fell liis own goods, which obliges mevchants not
1645), fays that this fellowfhip in the marts belonging to their fellowfliip to fluin thofe marts.
oollcn
abroad levy a fnie of L40 fterling upon every to the great prejudice of the fale of the vvooll
.Englilliuian on his anival for liberty to buy and cloths of tiiis
I
A. D. 1 66 1. roi
I) The company do not pretend to be the only merchant-adventur-
ers, although their charters flile them the merchant-adventurers of
England : yet they count it their honour, that they are no company of
one city, town, or burgh, but a national corporation, and difperfed all
over the kingdom : that they all meet together in their marts abroad,
where their confultations are for the intereft of the whole kingdom in
the clothing trade, and where a majority of the freemen and traders
prefent governs in all matters. Yet nothing can be concluded in that
chief mart town beyond fea, but by the concurrence of that other court
which refides in the United Netherlands, and of this here in London.
And this court at London maintains a correlpondence all along with all
other their dillindl courts, as of York, Hull, and Newcaflle : and Exe-
ter once had one of their moft confiderable courts in it, though now
there be only one member there.
II) They deny their opponents accufations of ftinting the exporta-
tions, or of diftrefling the clothiers in the fale of their goods ; as alfo
their confining the vent of the weftern counties to London, feeing any
freeman may fhip his goods diredly abroad from the next port, as from
York, Hull, Beverley, Newcaflle, Hartlepoole, Stockton, Norwich, Yar-
mouth, Lynn, Ipfwich,Colchefl:er, and all other ports of England, where
they have members.
III) As the flatute [i 2 Hen. VII, c. 6] relates only to a freedom of
commerce during the four marts, for which alfo they were to pay the
company ten marks, that ad can be of no force at prefent, feeing thofe
•marts are in difufe in the Netherlands. And it is enough that the fel-
lovvfliip fubmits to the parliament's pleafure to admit all men that can
relilli government on fuch conditions and limitations of fines as they
■fhall dired.
IV) In anfwer to the fum of Li 82,295 faid to be raifed on the trade
by the fellowlhip in 25 years time, they fay, that when they were dif-
folved, in order to make room for Sir William Cockayne's project of
dying and drefling cloths before exportation, the fellowfliip was indebt-
ed a good fum of money ; that after their charters were reflored, they
were engaged in feveral iervices to the king and queen of Bohemia, and
to King James and King Charles I ; to which, if the charge of fix feveral
refidences, and of courts abroad and at home be added, it will appear
they were no ill hufbands, and that this fum was not fo burdenfome to
be raifed on the manufadures in fo long a tracl of time. For the im-
pofition laid on cloths is but about i per cent ; and, in recompenfe for
this I per cent, the company's immunities abroad, and their freedoms
there, by treaties, from taxes, tolls, watch and ward, &c. which others
not free of the fellowfliip mull pay in the Netherlands and Germany,
are worth 3 per cent to their members.
502
A. D. i66r.
V) It is true, they owe a large debt, occafioned partly by the misfor-
tunes of the civil wars, &c. and partly by the oppofition of the inter-
lopers, and they think it reafonable that it fhould be paid off, though
very gradually, by contributions or taxes on the commerce.
VI) If the fellowfliip be not as yet eftabliflied by any law, it is now
fubmitted, whether it is not more than time it fhould be fettled by a6l
of parliament.
VII) The fellowHup take care that the rich overgrown traders fliall
not ingrofs the whole traffic, but there {hall be room for younger and
fmaller traders to employ their flocks.
VITI) They carefully infped the true making of cloth.
TX) They have done more, and been at greater expenfe, to prevent
the exportation of our wools and fullers-earth, than all the other corpo-
rations and merchants in England.
Laftly, they infifted, that unlefs their corporation be fupported, and
even legally eftablifhed, all the privileges and advantages, which our
commerce has for many ages enjoyed in foreign parts beyond other na-
tions, muft neceflarily fall with their fellowfhip, and the kingdom at
home be left without a fhadow of regulation in its greatefl; concern-
ment.
After this time we hear no more of this company's complaints againft
feparate traders, nor, on the other hand, of any vmeafinefs of merchants
not free of it, the terms being quite eafy, if they incline fo to be.
They have long fince fixed their refidence folely at Hamburgh, where
they have confiderable privileges, and drive a great commerce for fup^
plying many provinces of Germany with our manufactures of wool,
&c.
Toward the clofe of this year, a marriage treaty was concluded be-
tween King Charles and the Princefs Catherine, fifter to Alphonfo VJ,
king of Portugal. It is faid, that the real fortune which Alphonfo
agreed to give with his fifter was L3oo,coo fterling. It is almoft foreign
to our purpofe to remark, that France greatly forwarded this match for
the farther weakening of Spain ; and that Spain for the prevention
thereof, propofed to our king three feveral proteftant princeffes : but
it is much to our purpofe to note, that Portugal, hoping for great af-
fiftance from England againft Spain, not only agreed to the above large
fum, but likewife to cede to King Charles for ever the town and port
of Tangier on the Barbary ftiore, at the very entrance of the Straits,
and alfo the town, port, and ifland of Bombay, with the reft of the
ille of North Sall'et on the coaft of Malabar in Eaft-India. Tangier had
been poflefl^ed by the Portuguefe ever fince the year 1463, when King
Alphonfo V took it from the Moors. To this port King Charles grant-
ed all the privileges and immunities of a free port, in order to make it
A. D. 1661. ^o^
a place of trade, for which, as well as for the fecurity of our Mediter-
ranean commerce, it was very advantageoufly fituated *.
King Charles at firft propofed to preferve Bombay and Salfet as part
of his royal domain, and therefor fent the earl of Marlborough thither
with five fliips of war and 500 foldiers. But he met with fo many dif-
ficulties from the Portuguele viceroy of Goa, 8cc. that after lofing many
men by ficknefs, &c. he did not get abfolute pofleflion of Bombay till
the year 1664, and even then not all the territory agreed to be yielded'
with it. It was foon after found, that the king's expenfe in maintain-
ing it greatly exceeded the profits of it, and that his people there un-
derfold the Englifh Eafl-lndia company's agents, whereby, and by vio-
lences committed on the natives by the king's foldiers. Sec. great con-
fufions were likely to enfue : thefe confiderations induced him to make
a grant in full property for ever of that port and territory to our Eaft-
India company, by charter dated 27th March 1668, to hold it in free
and common foccage of his imperial crown, on reimburfing the ex-
penfes of it, and paying an annualrent of Lio in gold on the 30th
September yearly, at the cuftomhoufe in London. It has been by de-
grees greatly improved by that and the prefent Eafl-lndia company,
both in flrength, commerce, and healthfulnefs, and fome fay, they late-
ly had 60,000 people on that ille of different nations under our com-
pany's protedion : though the Portuguefe had fcarcely looo people on
it. It is extremely well fituated for the trade of that extenfive coall,
and now enjoys a confiderable commerce.
King Charles, by his commiffion under the great feal, now conflitut-
ed his brother the duke of York, the lord chancellor Clarendon, and
fundry other perfons of diflindion, to be the council of the royal fifhery
company of Great Britain and Ireland ; and mighty matters were ex-
peded from fo pompous a title : yet all came to nothing, though it mufl
be owned, that the king freely granted them all the immunities, and
even more, than were granted by the commonwealth in 1654; with
authority to fet up a lottery, and to have a voluntary coUedion in all
parifh churches. Moreover, all houfes of entertainment, as taverns,
inns, alehoufes, &c. were to be obliged to take one or more barrels of
herrings, at the ftated price of ^o/pev barrel ; and 2/6 per barrel was
to be paid to the flock of this company on all foreign-caught fifh im-
ported.
1662. — The ftatute [13, 14 Car. II, c. 6] for enlarging and repair-
ing common highways, fo as they fiiould all be made 24 feet in
breadth, was become very necefiary, fmce the great increafe of carts,
waggons, &c. by the general increafe of our commerce. This ad, be-
ing only temporary, was revived and farther enforced by an ad [8, 9
* See General Monk's opinion of this place, as noticed ijuder die year 1657. A.
504. A. D. 1662.
Gul. Ill, c. 15] which ordered, that where two or more crofs highways
met, a flone or port fhould be ereded, with an infcription in large let-
ters, directing to the next market town to which each of them leads.
It is much to be wifhed that the ftatute-breadth of the highways was
better obferved than it has beeti hitherto.
It was in the year 1662 that the Englifh from the north continent of
America began to cut down the logwood trees, growing in infinite quan-
tities on the uninhabited coafts of Yucatan, and more efpecially in the
bay of Campeachy, where they made a fettlement for that end, as it
was not near to any Spanifh fettlement or inhabitants. Their firfl fet-
tlement was near Cape Catoche, next at the Laguna de Terminos, which
was found more convenient, and where the Englifh buccaneers were af-
terwards obliged to fettle, upon the treaty of Madrid between England
and Spain in the year 1667 ; which treaty, though it made no particu-
lar mention of America by name, exprefsiy flipulated ' a general firm
* and perpetual amity between the two crowns, as well by land as by
' fea, and between all the countries under the obedience of either of
' the kings.' By the year 1669, that Englilh fettlement was confider-
ably increafed, and much logwood was carried thence to New-England
and Jamaica. In the year 1670, Sir William Godolphin concluded at
Madrid the firfl treaty between England and Spain, which exprefsiy re-
lated to America, and therefor is ufually called the American treaty ;
whereby the then polTellions of both nations in America are confirmed.
This gave encouragement to many more of our people to join the log-
wood-cutters, as it was in a defolate and unplanted country, and the
Spaniards had not hitherto made any complaints about it. For it was
not till the year 1672 that they began to interrupt our logwood-cutters
there, or to make the leafl: complaint to our court againft their fettling
in that bay. Soon after", however, they became fo uneafy at that fet-
tlement and our logwood-cuttin;^, that they adually made prize of all
Englifh vefiels they met in the American feas, which had logwood in
them, of which the earl of Arlington, the Englifh fecretary of ftate, in
the year 1674, complained in a letter to Sir William Godolphin our
minifter at Madrid. For as the fole advantage our court had in view
by-concluding this famous American treaty of 1670, was, that our peo-
ple miglit, without interruption, trade to our own colonies, and peace-
ably enjoy our poflefllons in America, we were therein greatly fruftrated
by the court of Spain's orders to make prize of all fliips having logwood
in them. So that this treaty has ever fince afforded a pretence for the
Spaniards to feize our fhips failing along their American coafts, though
with no intention of carrying on any contraband trade > and on fom€
occafions they have even feized veflels for having a quantity of pieces
of eight on board, if found near their American coafts. Yet, except-
ing two or three months in the year 1680, that the Spaniards, by a conr
A. D. 1662. 505
fiderable force, diflodged our logwood cutters from the Laguna de Ter-
minos and the ifland of Trift, our people, till very lately, have remain-
ed in pofleifion thereof. But as the controverfy remains undetermined
to this day, it is to be feared it may ftill occafion much altercation *.
At this time a ftatute was made [13, 14 Car. II, c. 12] for the better
relief of the poor of England ; whereby a corporation, chofen out of
the magiftrates of London, Weftminfter, and the fuburbs, on both
fides the Thames within the weekly bills of mortality, was eflablifhed,
for ereding work-houfes for employing the poor. A fubfequent ad:
[23 Car. II, c. 18] enabled that corporation to levy a certain aflelTment
on pariflies not exceeding one fourth part of the aflefl'ment to the poor,
for any refpedive year. Yet, to the fhame of the nation, nothing has
been efFedttally done for anfwering that truely great and good end even
to this day, fo many difficulties being ftarted to every fcheme hitherto
propofed to the public.
This year the lord-mayor, aldermen, and common-council, of Lon-
don, petitioned the houfe of commons to erect the merchants trading to
France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, into four new corporations for con-
fining thofe trades entirely to Englifh natives ; the pretext for which
was, that moft part of the trade of exporting the commodities of Eng-
land was in the hands of aliens, whom they would have to be obliged by
law to pay double duties on all draperies exported by them. They alfo,
and fundry merchants of London in behalf of themfelves and the Eng-
lifh merchants of the outports, petitioned that the merchant-adventur-
ers, the Levant, the Eailland, the Ruflia, and the Eaft-India, companies
already eftablifhed, might have further privileges confirmed to them by
parliament, exclufive of foreigners. But the commons were wifer than
to liften to petitions for adding new fetters to our export trade.
King Charles II having lavifhly confumed the large fupplies granted
by parliament, was now put upon the moft pernicious projed that could
have entered into the thoughts of the monarch of the firft commercial
kingdom in Europe, by yielding to France the town and port of Dun-
kirk, with all its fortifications, fluyces, dams, &c. and likewife the fort
of Mardyke, with the wooden fort, and the other great and fmall forts
between Dunkirk and Bergh St. Wynox, together with all the arms,
artillery, ammunition, 8cc. We have feen that Dunkirk had been fur-
rendered by France to Cromwell four years before, by a ftipulated agree-
ment, for the fuccours which that protedor had given to France againft
Spain. Our pafllve parliament feemed to content themfelves with
Charles's poor pretence, that, as it was only furrendered to an ufurper,
he had a right to difpofe of it as he pleafed. It was concluded at Lon-
* A more copious explanation of this fubjeft by the board of trade will be found under the ysar
1717. A.
Vol. II. 38
J
506
A. D. 1662.
don by the French ambarTador, the Count D'liftrades, and by the earl
of Clarendon lord chancellor, the earl of Southampton lord treafurer,
the duke of Albemarle, and the earl of Sandwich, (all EnglKlimen)
under a coaimiffion from the king. As for the price, it was almoft as
fhameful as the delivering up the place was criminal, viz. 5,000^000 of
livres, or about L25o,ooo fterling. Had that number of millions been
flerling money inftead of French, fatal experience has long fince de-
monftrated its being inadequate to fo ineflimable a jewel. We ought,
however, to do juflice, as far as we fairly can, to one of the four commif-
fioners, who, rather than lofe their private emoluments, fo fliamefully
gave up the nation's interefl:, viz. the earl of Sandwich, who at hrft pro-
pofed the abfolute demolition of Dunkirk, and deftroying its harbour
in fuch a manner as to render it for ever ufelefs, which, next to its re-
maining in our hands, was certainly the beft fcheme. For, as to what
fundry writers have remarked, of its being better to have been fold to
Spain or Holland, that might be true with refpedl to the time we are
upon, but who could anfwer for the hurt that place might in future
times have done to us in the hands of either of thofe nations, as power
is perpetually fluctuating ? there was therefor nothing for a wife king
and an honefl; Englifh miniflry to choofe but to preferve, ftrengthen,
and improve, that place, let the expenfe be more or lefs, whereby we
fliould have remained maflers of both fldes of the greateft commercial
thoroughfare in the univerfe. Marflial Schomberg, then in England,
advifed the king to keep it, as his naval flrength would effedually pre-
vent its being taken, and the holding of it would keep both France and
Spain in a dependence upon him : in which opinion, fays Bifhop Burnet,
he was Angular ; and yet there was more truth and judgement in this
opinion than all that was faid and written on this point. For, with re-
gard to the moil folemn treaties, which France's neceflities have fince
obliged that crown to flipulate for the demolition of its fortifications
and the filling up of its harbour, &c. we have more than once feen how
eafy it has been for fuch a powerful nation, void of all fliame and ho-
nour, to reftore both the one and the other *.
Voltaire, in his Age of Louis XIV, informs us that the Fi'ench royal
council of coinmerce was ereded this year ; and that the king himlelf
prefided therein once in every fortnight. Need we to wonder then at
* The price, which however, was a matter of pable of receiving large fliips. As for the poflcf-
liltle confequcnce, was L.400,oco. \_^D'' EJlradcs , iion of it making us mafters of both fides of the
quotccl in Marpherfoii's Hijt. of Great Britain, V. ftrait, it is evident, that our floating caftles may
i, />. 51.] . It is not eafyto give anygood reafon, command the flrait without having forts or har-
vvliy Mr. Anderfon, and many ihoufands befides, bours on both fides, but that both fliores coveral
IhoulJ be fo exceedingly angry at getting rid of with great guns can never command fuch a paf»
the ufelefs expenfe of keeping an indefenfible poll fage without Ihips. M.
in a foreign country, which has not a harbour ca-
A. D. 1662.
507
the progrefs that nation has fince made in commerce, thus fo eminent-
ly encouraged by fo difceming and potent a prince *.
The king in council this year ifTued his proclamation, intimating,
* that notwithflanding the navigation act pafTed two years ago, feveral
' letters or warrants had, through mifinformation, been obtained from
* him, by which the Lubeckers fhips, merchants, and mariners, were li-
* cenced to come into England, &c. freed from the penalties of the a6t,
* upon pretence of a former cuftom. But the council having confider-
' ed the ill confequences of trenching on that adl, and the damages
' which fuch a toleration would bring upon the Englifh owners of fliip-
* ping, and their merchants and mariners, it was ordered by his ma-
* jefty in council, that all fuch letters, licences, or warrants, fhould be
* recalled and declared void.'
The following improvements were made upon the a£l of navigation.
I) No foreign-built fliips fliall enjoy the privileges of Englifli or Irifli
built {hips, even although navigated as that a&. direds ; and although
the owners likewife be Englifhmen, prize fhips only excepted.
II) Whoever fliall export or import goods to or from any port of this
kingdom (capable of a fhip of 200 tons burden) to or from any port
of the Mediterranean beyond the port of Malaga, in any fliip that hath
not two decks, and carries lefs than 16 cannon, fhall pay to the king
one per cent on their ladings, befide all other duties.
III) And in order to encourage the building of good and defenlible
fliips, it was farther enafted, that for feven years to come, whoever
fliould build fhips with three decks, or with two decks, a half deck and
a forecaftle, with five feet between each deck, mounted with at leafl 30
cannon, fhould, for the tirfl two voyages, receive one tenth of all the
cufloms paid on their cargoes exported or imported. [14 Car. 11,
C. II.]
The two laft claufes were defigned by way of precaution againfl the
Barbary rovers.
Other good flatutes were made this year, fuch as thofe prohibiting
the exportation of wool and fullers-earth, yarn, and undrefled hides,
and the importation of foreign bone-lace and other French frippery
wares, which drew incredible fums of money from us, and turned the
balance of the trade with France very much againfl us.
The Englifh American plantations were by this time fo much culti-
vated and improved, that the demand for fervants and labourers was
greatly increafed ; and as their mother country could by no means af-
ford numbers fufficient for their fupply, and they were not then fo
* The new council, or board of commcfce, eftabliHied in the year 1701, is fubordinate to this
roval council. ^.
3 S 2
5o8 A. D. 1662.
well fupplied with negroes from the African coaft as they wifhed for, fince
the trade thither had been laid open, a third exclufive Englifli African or
Guinea company was this year incorporated for that end, at the head of
which was the duke of York, joined with many perfons of rank and
diflindion, who undertook to fupply our Weft-India plantations with
3000 negroes annually. If this new company's accounts ai'e to be re-
lied on, it feems, that while the trade was laid open in the times of the
late civil wars, our forts on the Guinea coaft were demoliflied by the
Dutch and the Danes, by which, and by the capture of fhips belong-
ing to the company, and to feparate traders, to the value of L300,ooo,
the ftock of the fccond company was ruined.
This new company, fupported by the king's brother, &c. and know-
ing the king's inclinations to make war againft the Dutch, afterwards
got Sir Robert Holmes to be fent out with a fquadron of fourteen (hips
to the coaft of Guinea, to attack the Dutch forts, &c. prior to a formal
declaration of war ; of which more in its place.
Toward the clofe of this year. King Charles fent Admiral Lawfon to
Algiers, who obliged that piratical ftate, and alfo thofe of Tunis and
Tripoli, to fign articles of pacification, which they kept juft as long as
they ftood in fear of our fliips of war in the Mediterranean.
The Dutch, according to fome authors, had taken Formofa from the
Portugueie in the year 1635. The ports of that ifland were extremely
commodious for their China and Japan trades : yet Candidius, a Dutch
clergyman (in his account, in Churchill's voyages) fays, ' the Dutch
* had built a fort in one of the iflands called Pehou, near the mouth of
' the great river Chincheo in China, from whence they intercepted the
' Chinefe trading to the Philippines. This obliged the Chinefe tCK
' agree with the Dutch to grant them the harbour of Togowang in
* Formofo, in lieu of the other, where they might build a fort, whence
' they traded with the Chinefe, who, however, this year drove them out
* of the ifland.'
The firft wire-mill in England was fet up by a Dutchman at Sheen
near Richmond.
Connecticut, a province of New-England, had its firft charter dated
23d April 1662. It was one of the fix charter colonies of the continent
of Britifli America.
1663. — We have exhibited under the year 1629 fome fruitlefs efforts
(from England) to plant the country then named Carolana, now Caro-
lina ; but the fucceeding difcontents in England, and the confequent
civil wars, occafioned Carolina to remain unplanted till now, that the
king granted his firft charter (dated the 24th day of March 1662-3) ^^
the Lord-chancellor Clarendon, the duke of Albemarle, Lord Craven,
Lord Berkley, Lord Afliley chancellor of the exchequer, Sir George
A, D, 1663, J09
Carteret vice-chamberlain, Sir William Berkley, and Sir John Colle-
ton, whofe eight names, given to feveral of its rivers and counties, will
probably be remembered there to the end of time. Their limits, by
this charter, run from the 36th degree of north latitude (being the
fouth border of modern Virginia) ta the 31 ft degree, or the fouth
border of modern Georgia, along the Atlantic ocean, and ftretching
weftward without limitation to the South fea. The territory was
granted to them in perpetual property, on payinga n annual quit rent
of twenty marks.
The antient fund for keeping the roads of England in repair v,-as a
rate levied on the landholders in proportion to their rents, together with
the adtual fervice of the men, the carts, and horfes, of the neighbour-
hood, for a limited number of days. But now, by the increafe of in-
land trade, heavy carriages by waggons and pack horfes were fo exceed-
ingly multiplied, that thole means of repairing the roads were found
totally inadequate ; neither was it juft, that a neighbourhood fliould be
burdened with the fupport of roads for the fervice of a diftant quarter
of the kingdom. It was therefor necelTary to devife more effedive,
and at the fame time more equitable, means of fupporting the public
roads ; and the prefent method of making and repairing the roads at
the expenfe of thofe who adually wear them, and reap the benefit of
them, was now firft eftablifhed by an acft of parliament [15 Car. II,
c. 1 ] for repairing the highways in the JlAres of Hartford, Cambridge, and
Huntington, by which three toll-gates (or turnpikes) were fet up ac
Wadefmill, Caxton, and Stilton.
Parliament fettled the revenues of the pofl-office and the wine-li-
cences on the duke of York, the king's only brother, which were after-
wards confiderably increafed. They were now, by moft authors, reck-
oned together to bring in only L2 1 ,000 per annum ; yet the follow-
ing provifo of this fame ad fliews they were much miftaken, viz. ' no-
' thing herein contained fluall make void the grant made by his majefty
' to Daniel O'Neale, Efq. of the office of poftmafter-general, for four
' and a fourth years from lady-day 1663, under the yearly-rent of
* L2 1,500 for all the faid term (except the laft quarter, which is paid
' aforehand), fo as the laid rents be paid unto his faid Highnefs James
' duke of York.' [15 Car. II, c. 14.]
In the year 1653, the poft-office revenue (as we have already noted)
was let to farm for Li 0,000 yearly: yet I cannot perceive upon
what grounds Dr. D'Avenant, in his Eflay on the public revenue and
trade of England {part I, p. 125] could remark, that for fome years
this poft-office revenue hardly bore its own expenie, unlefs he meant
the times anterior to the year 1653. ^'^^ ^^ adds, that when he
wrote (1698), it had been fo much improved under a management,.
^10 A. D. 1663.'
as that its grofs produce, by a medium of three years, amounted per
anmim to about L90,440 : 15 *.
For the encouragement of agriculture and trade, permiflion was given
to export all kinds of grain, when wheat fliould be currently fold in
England at 48/ a quarter, and other grain in proportion ; and they
might be imported when above thofe prices, on paying 5/4 of cufl;om»
with poundage, per quarter for wheat, &c. [15 Car. II, c. 17.]
By this fame fiatuie it was enaded, ' that for the farther improve-
* ment of former navigation ads, no merchandize of the growth, pro-
* dudion, or manufacture, of Europe fliall be imported into any of the
' Englifh plantations or fadories in Afia, Africa, and America, (Tan-
' gier only excepted), but what fliall be laden in England, and in En-
' glifli-built fliipping, and navigated by at leafl three fourths Englifli
' mariners, and fliall be carried to thofe places diredly from England,
' and no where elfe, on forfeiture of fliips and ladings, excepting, how-
* ever, fait for the fiflieries of New-England and Newfoundland, and
' wines frona Madeira and the Azores, fervants, vidual, and horfes,
' from Scotland or Ireland ; and that none of the produft of the Eng-
' lifli plantations (viz. fugar, tobacco, cotton, ginger, fuftic, and other
* drugs) fliall be carried any where (except to other plantations) till
' they be firfl: landed in England, under forfeiture of fliips and car-
* goes.' And here Ireland was firfl left out, though inferted in the 12th
of this king, r. i 8, § 9.
' And for the encouragement of the herring and North-fea, Ice-
* land, and Wefl:raony fiflieries, no frefli herring, cod, haddock, &c.
' fliall be imported into England, but in Englifli-built fliips, navigated,
* &c. as before.'
' And forafmuch as the planting of tobacco in England doth conti-
' nually increafe, notwithflanding the a6l of the 1 2th year of this king,
' [f. 34] a farther penalty of Lio is laid upon every rood or pole of
' land fo planted in England, Ireland, Jerfey, or Guernley, excepting,
' however, tobacco planted in the phyfic-gardens of either univerfity,
' or in other private gardens for furgery, fo as the quantity exceed not
* half a pole of land in any one garden.'
In this act of parliament we have the firfl legal licence for the ex-
portation of foreign coin and bullion for the benefit of commerce, in
the remarkable words following, viz. ' and forafmuch as feveral confi-
' derable and advantageous trades cannot be conveniently driven and
' carried on without the fpecies of money and bullion, and that it is
' found by experience that they are carried in greatefl: abundance (as
* Mana^emen! here means the government making the mod of tlie revenue, in contradiftinftion to
faniti/ig it at a certain fum. In comparing the two Tunis, the charges of management muft be dedufted
from the grofs produce, yf.
A. D. 1663. 511
' to a common market) to fuch places as give free liberty for exporting
' the fame, and the better to keep in and increafe the current coins of
' this kingdom, be it enadled, that it (hall be lawful to export out of
' any cuftomhoufe or port of England, all forts of foreign coin or bul-
' lion of gold or filver, firfl entering the fame at the cuftomhoufe,
' without paying any duty or cuflom for the fame.'
It is llrange our legiflature {lnould have been fo late in coming into
this meafure, though fo much earher praftifed by other wife and mer-
cantile nations, bullion and foreign coin being undoubtedly as much a
mercantile commodity as any other inftrument of commerce whatever.
Mr. Thomas Munn, in his judicious treatife, entitled England's trea-
fure by foreign trade (8vo, 1664) has fully fliewn, of what benefit the
free exportation of money was in Tufcany, under the year 1630. He
has alfo no lefs clearly fhewn the ablurdity of the old Englifl-i laws
for obliging merchants-ftrangers, importing into England, to lay out
their produce in the commodities of our realm ; as alfo the laws for
obliging all merchants exporting corn, fifli, ammunition, &c. to bring
home money or bullion in return : and in fine, ' that nothing but an
' overbalance in foreign trade, or exporting more in value of our own
' produd and manufadure than we import of thole of other nations,
' can either increafe our bullion, or even keep what we have already.'
Mr. Polexfen, however, (an able and ftrenuous opponent of the Eaft-
India trade) in his Account of the Eafl-India trade, 1696, on the other
hand, remarks, ' that till the licence granted by this ad to export fo-
' reign coin and bullion, the Eaft-India company did not export
' above L40,ooo in bullion yearly ; but now it began to be ex-
' ported in much greater quantities, and that it was no lefs than
* L6oo,ooo fterling per annum, taking any number of years, when the
' trade was carried on without any great obftrudion.' Yet poflibly
that company might before have exported much more than L40,ooo,
though they did it clandeflinely till this law gave permilhon.
In the fame flatute there is the following claufe, viz. ' that whereas a
' great part of the richell and bell land of England cannot fo well be
* otherwife employed as in the feeding and fattening of cattle ; and
' that by the coming in of late of vaft numbers of cattle from beyond
* fea already fattened (meaning from Ireland), fuch lands are in many
' places much fallen in rents and values, to the great impoverillnnent
* of this kingdom, it was now enaded, that for every head of great cattle
' imported (except the breed of Scotland) between the ift of July and
* 20th of December in any year, and of the breed of Scotland between
' the 24th of Augufl; and the 20th of December in any year, there fhall
' be paid or forfeited 20/" to the king, and alfo i o/to him that fhall inform
' orfeizethefame,and other lo/to the poor of the parifli where fuch feizure
'■ fliall be made; and for every flicep fo imported 10/, to be recovered and
512 A. D. 1663,
* levied in manner atbrefaid.' This ad was to continue no longer in
force than to the end of the firft feffion of the next parliament, but
has fince been made perpetual. We fliall here only remark, that the
nation, in the opinion of many, has often had ground to repent thofe
reflraints in favour of the grazing countries, and to the prejudice of
the refl of the kingdom.
Two other well-intended ftatutes were made this year for the encou-
ragement of the linen and tapeftry manufadtures of England, and dif-
coLiragement of the very great importation of foreign linen and tapeftry,
and for regulating the packing of herrings. It was alfo thereby enad-
ed, that for the prefervation of the fpawn of fi(h at the ifles of Iceland
and Weftmony, no fliip fhould fail thither until the i oth of March in
any year, neither (hould any toll or other duty be taken at Newfound-
land for any fiflr caught there. [15 Car. II, cc. 15, 16.]
Before we clofe this year, we cannot forget to do juflice to an excel-
lent little treatife on commerce, now publifhed by Samuel Fortrey, Efq.
intitled England's intereft and improvement ; which, in only 43 fmall
i2mo pages, treats moft judicioufly of all the principal branches of our
foreign and domeflic commerce ; of the benefit of increafmg our in-
duftrious people by naturalization; the improvement of our lands by
inclofures, and the breeding of cattle; of the exportation of horfes ; the
improvement of mines ; our manufadures ; our fiflieries ; ofdifcourag-
ing the wear of foi-eign manufactures, more efpecially French ones,
whereby that country gets fo great a balance from us ; of the benefit of
the ad of navigation, and of our foreign plantations ; the regulation of
pur coin ; lowering the intereft of money, &c. : a treatife which, though
written 100 years ago, will well bear reading over even at this day.
Rhode-ifland and Providence plantation, two provinces of New-Eng-
land, had this year a charter to the whole freemen or inhabitants of
each colony, who are empowered to eled their own reprefentatives; and
thofe of the later alfo eled their governor and council. The report of
the board of trade to the houie of lords, in January 1733-4, obferves of
thefe two colonies, and of Connedicut, * that almoft the whole power of
* the crown is delegated to the people ; and, as their charters are
' worded, they can, and do, make laws, even without their governors
' confent, and diredly contrary to their opinions; no negative voice
' being referved to them as governors, in the faid charter.' This was
carelefsly granted by a very carelefs monarch ; and is what no wife mi-
niftry nor council would have deliberately advifed.
1664 — In the year 1664 the Englifh again took pofiTeflion of the ifle
of St Lucia, having previoully treated with the native Caribs for the
purchafe of it (fays the author of the Britilh empire in America, whom,
neverthelcfs ',ve muft very cautioufly truil on many occafions). Five
A. D. 1664. 513
fliips of war carried thither about 1500 men, who, being joined by 6oo
Caribs in their canoes, had the illand and fort yielded to them without
refiftance, on condition that the French governor and his garrifon (of
only 14 men) with their artillery and baggage, {lionld be efcorted to
Martinica. Yet it feems, two years after, the EngliHi, for want of fup-
plies, abandoned it again, and burnt their fort ; though but two days
atter they were gone, a bark, with neceffaries, arrived there from Lord
Willoughby governor of Barbados. In the treaties of King Charles and
King James with the French court, and in thofe of Ryfwick and Utrecht,
there are general ftipulations for reftoringto the crown of Great Britain
all iflands and countries which may have been conquered by France,
and ftich as had been in the pofTeilion of the king of Great Britain be-
fore fuch refpective war began. But fuch general (lipulations iignified
little with the French. This ifland had at fundry times been inhabit-
ed by both Englifh and French planters at one and the fame time in
leveral parts of it: and fo it remained till about the year 1719, when
we fhall again refume its farther hiftory.
In Mr. Munn's valttable treatife, named England's treafure by fo-
reign trade [/». 177] he relates, that there was in thofe times exported,
one year with another, to the value of L2, 200, 000 of our native com-
modities : ' fo that (fays he) if we were not too much affeded to pride,
' monftrous fafliions, and riot, above all other nations, 1,500,000 of
* otir money might plentifully fupply our neceflary wants, (as I may
' term them) of filks, fugars, Ipices, fruits, &c. : fo L700,ooo might be
' yearly treafured up in money, to make the kingdom exceeding rich
' and powerful in a fliort time.' But this was far from being the cafe
at that time ; for by a report of Dr. Charles D'Avenant, iufpedor-ge-
neral of the cuftoms,
Our imports in the year 1662 amounted to - -> . L4,oi6,oi9
Our exports to - - _____ 2,022,812
So that the balance agalnfl us was no lefs than - Li, 993, 207
A mofl melancholy account truely, more efpecially as coming from this
able author, who polfelled that important office in the reigns of King
William and Queen Anne.
This year King Charles entered into a treaty with James duke of
Courland concerning Tobago, one of the Caribbee ifles in America *.
* In the title of the treaty Tobago is faid to after took poflefiion of Tobago, and retained it for
have bccK difeovered, fortified, and cultivated, by fonie years.
the duke's fubjefts, till thev were driven o\it by the This treaty is rather curious than ufef.-:!, as
Dutch, whereupon the diike fubmitted it to the fliewing that a duke of Courland attempted to bt-
kin-r's protection, and iield it by a giant from tlic co:ne a commercial potentate.
crown of England. Tiie Dutch, however, foon
Vol. II. 3 T
514 A. D. 1664,
I) ' The king grants to the duke and his fucceilbrs full libeny oF
' trade and commerce for fuch fliips as properly belonged to liirn and
*.,his heirs (but not to thofe of his fubjeds) in any rivers or havens
' within his raajefiY's dominions on the coafl of Guinea, for goods not
' exceeding Li 2,coo in value : and he may build ftorc-houfes, under
' proteftion of the king's forts there.
TI) ' In confideraiion whereof, the duke makes over to the king his
' fort of St. Andrew, on the Guinea coafl, and all his other forts there,
' together with their guns and ammunition ; the duke paying 3 per cent
' on all goods imported or exported.
III) ' On the other hand, King Charles grants to the duke and his
■ ' heirs the ifland of Tobago, to be enjoyed by him under the king^s
* protedion : provided, the duke fliall fuflfer none others but the king's
* and his own fubjeds to remain on that ifland.
IV) ' The duke farther agrees, that neither he, nor his heirs, nor his
' fubjeds, fliall export any of the produd of that ifland, nor import,
' otherwife than out of, or into, fome ports belonging either to Eng-
' land or to Courland, or the port of the city of Dantzick.
V) ' And, in return for the protedion of England, whenever the
'■ king fliall be at war with any nation but Poland, the dukes of Cour-
' land, when required, fliall, at their cofl, furnifli one good fliip of war
' of 40 cannon, to be fent to fuch port as the king fliall name, for one
' year at a time, to be manned, vidualled, and paid by his majefty.'
[General coIIcBio?! of treaties, V. iii.]
In this year the Enghfli clergy voluntarily refigned the power, they
had enjoyed for fo many ages, of taxing themfelves in their own convo-
cation. In the troublefome times preceding the reftoration, the clergy,
having no proxies nor regular convocations, fubniitted to be taxed with
the laitv : and the court, finding that method eafier, (and perhaps too
bringing in a better revenue) v/as glad to accept of this refignation : and
fo it has continued ever fince ; whereby, however, the convocations of
the clergy have greatly loft their former weight with the crown.
King Charles, on making war with the Dutch, intended to drive them
out of New-Nidderland and New-Belgia, (fince called New-York and
New-Jerfey) both which they had greatly improved. He therefor mide
a grant of them to the duke of York; and even fome months before
the formal declaration of war he fent thither Sir Robert Carr with a
fquadron of fliips and 3000 land forces. They landed at the entrance
of Jrkidfon's river, and immediately attacked the town of New-Amfler-
dam (now New-York) and reduced it without any difBculty, the Dutch
there not knowing of any rupture with England. The Englilh found
the houfes of that city handfomely built of brick and ftone : and its
fituation being on an ifland before the entrance of the river, on an high
land, ^t makes a beautiful appearance from the fca. It has fince been
A. D. 1664. 5^5
much enlarged and improved, fo as to be juftly deemed one of the fir{l
cities of Britifn America. The major part of the Dutch at New- York
remained there, as the great number of Dutch names to be found even
at tliis day in that city and province fufficiently teflify ; and thofe who
delired to remove were permitted to take their eifeLT:s with them, the
province being foon repeopled with Enghfli. Fort-Orange (fince named
New-Albany, from the duke of York's Scottifli title) a great way up
Hudfon's I'iver, was foon reduced, as were alfo Staten-ifland, Long-
ifland, &c. And the firfh Englifh governor, Colonel Nichols, is laid to
have been the tirfl who concluded a league with the famous Indian na-
tions of the Iroquois, behind this province ; in confequence of which
league France, at the treaty of Utrecht, engaged to obferve peace v/itli
thofe Indian nations as inviolably as with the Englilh of this province,
which extended north-weftward into the country, for 2CO miles, to
Lake-Champlain, although the French afterward encroached on our ter-
ritory, by building forts near that lake : but its breadth on the fea-coail
is not above 30 miles. New-York has long been one of the mofi: proi-
perous colonies on that continent, which feme, in part, afcribe to thac
fpirit of frugality which the Dutch carried thither, and which is laid to
be feen amongft them in fome degree even at this day. New- York exports
to our fugar-iflands great quantities of flour, peas, bifket, bacon, butter,
pork, &c. and receives in return fugar, melalles, rum, cotton, ginger,
pimento, &c. and alfo Spanifli money, which pays Great Britain for all
the various neceflaries they receive from thence.
The king's grant to his brother comprehending the country, fince
called New-Jeriey, the duke of York in the fame year re-granted part of
that country to Lord Berkley and Sir George Carteret, who gave it the
nameof New-Jerfey, or Eaftand Weft New-Jerfey, Lord Berkley aflign-
ed his part to William Fenn, and three others, as did afterwards Sir
George Carteret, to Fenn, and eleven others, in the year 1 68 1 . The for-
iner aflignees alfo fold many (hares to the earl of Ferth, Sir George
Mackenzie, and many other Scots : and many of the Scots being foon
after perfecuted for their religious opinions, went and fettled there ;
and, amongil: others, the famous Mr. Robert Barclay, (who might not
unfitly be termed the apofl;le of the quakers) went thither as governor,
with his family. In 1683 Lord Neil Campbell, fon of the marquis of
Argyle, fucceeded him as governor of Ealt-Jerfey : fo that New-Jerfey
continued to be two feparate proprietary governments till 1702, when,
as will be feen in due time, they were united under one regal govern-
ment.
Colbert, the able minificr of France, now began to put in execution
his deep-laid fchemes for the advancement of the commerce, manufac-
tures, and naval power, of that kingdom, the foundation whereot had
been laid by the great Richlieu. For thatpurpofe he granted number-
3T2
516 A. D. 1664,
lefs immunities, indulgences, premiums, penfions, protcdions, ike. to-
foreign a 11 ifts, artificers, manufa(5iurers, &c. from all parts, to fettle with
their families and workmen in France. He got his king to appropriate
a million of livres annually for the improvement of the woollen ma-
nuficlux-e alone: and it is generally believed, that it was owing to Col-
bert, that the milchievous pradice of running our Englifli and Irifh
v/ool into France, (vulgarly called owling) was firfl fet on ioot ; whereby
they gradually brought forward their prefent great woollen manufac-
ture, having till this time been chiefly iupplied with woollen goods from
England.
Notwithflanding former fruitlefs attempts, he alfo this year ereded an
exclufive French Eaft-India company for 50 years, on the ruins of a
China company erecT:ed in 1 660, which came to nothing foon after :
their limits being from the Cape of Good Hope eaftward to the fartheft
Indies, and from the ftruit^ of Magellan and Le Maire wcftward into all
the South feas : which companies immunities, &c. were much aug-
mented in the year following. It was to be under 21 directors, 12
whereof were for Paris, and nine for the fea-ports. Soon after, they
pofl'efled and fortified Pondicherry on the Coromandel coaft, which has
fince been their capital fettlement \ their principal trade on that coafh
being in muflins and calicoes of many various kinds : yet, partly from
the difficulties of fettling trade by any nation before unacquainted with
India, and partly by their war with the Dutch in India, they did not
profper for a great number of years after this time.
On the rums of their former Canada and Weft-India companies Col-
bert at the fame time erected a new exclufive Weft-India one tor 40
years; its Umits being, rft, that part of the continent of South-America
lying between the rivei's of Amazons and Oronoko, with the adjacent
iilands: 2dly, in North-America, all Canada behind Virginia and Flo-
rida : and, 3d!y, all the coaft of Africa from Cape Verd fouthward to
the Cape of Good Hope.
Colbert faw, how much the Dutch had increafed their power and
wealth by their extended commerce, though France, which naturally
abounded with all things, was in a manner deftitute oi commerce and
naval ftrength : he therefor got King Louis to make him protector of
both thofe companies, to whom he lent fix millions without intertft.
Voltaire, in his Age of Louis XIV, fays, that from the year 1635 to 1665
the colonies of Martinica, Canada, &c. had been in a languifiung ftate,
and rather chargeable than profitable: but that now (1665) they began
to flourifli; and that, in the year 1664, the king fent a frefii colony to
Cayenne ifland, firft fettled on by Frimce in 1635, and another colony
in that iame year to Madagaicar, which had been fettled on by France
in 1650, but afterward deierted : yet, 10 years after Louis reverfed all
thefe grants to that company, and laid the trade open to all his fubjeds.
A. D. 1664. r ly.
King Charles this year made war on the United Netherlands in a
very extraordinary manner, without a formal declaration of it till fome
months after, for which no other grounds are generally alligned by hif-
torians than jealoufy on account of rivalfliip for commerce and naval
power; fet on likewife fecretly (as it is faid) by the arts of the French '
court and of Rom.e, for weakening both fides. The Englifli fleet under
Admiral Holmes took feveral forrs near Cape Verd from the Dutch,
for the benefit of the En^iifii African company, at the head of which
was the duke of York j which forts the Dutch admiral De Ruyter re- "
took the fame year. Holmes alio ere6led a new fort at the mouth of
the ri%'er Gambia, and named it James-fort, which we ftill hold.
Thence failing fouthward, h.e mdfl:ered all the Dutch forts on the Guinea
coafi:, except St. George del Mina and Acheen ; though De Ruyter foon
regained all again : whe'-eopon the Englifli fleet, commanded in chief
by the duke of York, made prize of 130 Dutch merchant fliips. A war
was then formially declared, for which the parliament voted L2, 500, 000.
What is already in all hifiiories, and alfo not very material for our fub-
jed, was, that the grand fleet of England, in 1665, confifting of 108
fhips of war and I4fire-fliips, under the duke of York, attacked the
Dutch fleet under Opdam of 103 fliips of war and. 11 fire-fliips, and
quite defeated it ; many of the later being taken, funk, and burnt : and,
in the fame year our fleet took eight Dutch fliips of war, two Eafl:-India
fliips, and many other merchant fliips.
Had the Englifli Eafl:-India company better fortified their ifle of
Poleroon, which produced fiiie nutmegs and mace, (but according to
others only cloves) it had not been io eafily taken, as it was in this year
by one fingle Dutch fliip from Batavia ; whereby the EnglilTi were quite
excluded from all the fpice iflands, which the Dutch company has ab- •
folutely poflefled to this day.
This year a general valuation was made of the Englifli Eafl-India
company's capital, the market price on the exchange of London being
then only 70 per cent: and it appeared that their flock was (as their
writers fay) intrinfically worth 130 per cent: and that in the remaining
quarter of this year, and the compafs of next year, they are faid adually
to have divided 50 per cent profit on their capital flock : but this fecms
fomewhat exaggerated.
There was a private company of merchants of Dieppe in Normandy,,
who, in early times, had carried on a trade to the river Senegal on the
we flcoaft of Africa ; where, by means of a fmall fettlement on an
ifland at the mouth of a branch of the river, they had carried on a con-
fiderable trade. That branch of trade fell nfrerwards to certain mer-
chants of the city of Rouen, who this year yielded it to the French
Weft-India company. The later company being diflblved 1 o years af-
terwards, the old Senegal company refumed that commerce till i68i,
5x8 A. D. 1664.
when Colbert transferred it to a much larger number of merchants, whofe
privileges alfo being thought too extenfive for their capital ftock, a new
Guinea company was thereupon erected, to whom moft of their privi-
leges were alligned ; and yet the old Senegal company continued to be
a thriving fociety. A lingle member thereof, however, in the year
1694, by their after ill management, bought out their privileges, and
erected a new company, who, by misfortunes, were obliged to make
over their privileges to fome rich merchants at Rouen, who, with va-
rious fuccefs, carried on the Senegal trade till the year 1718, when it
was united to the Eafl-India company. The Guinea company, on the
acceflion of King Philip V to the throne of Spain, had a grant of the
afliento negro trade ; which trade was, by the treaty of Utrecht, con-
veyed to the South-fea company: and thus the main commerce. of
France was united to what they called their India company, compre-
hending not only the Eaft-India, the American, the Guinea, b-u alfo
the Senegal trade, by the wild fchemes of the duke regent and Mr.
Law.
An act of parliament was pafFed this year for preventing the com-
manders of merchant fliips from delivering fuch lliips to Turkilh and other
pirates without fighting ; whereby, according to its preamble, not only
merchants were much prejudiced and dilcouraged, but the honour of
the Englilh navigation was likewife much diminiflied : to which fuch
commanders were much encouraged by a practice of thofe pirates, who,
after they have taken out the goods, as an encouragement to mailers of
fhips to yield, do not only reftore the (hip with fuch goods as are claim-
ed by malters or feamen, but do many times pay the mafter all or fome
part of the freight. It was therefor now enaded, that where any mer-
chandize (hall be laden on board any EngUili fliip of the burden of 200
tons or upwards, mounted with 16 guns or more, if the mafter fhall
yield the faid goods to any Turkifh or other pirate without fighting, he
fliall thenceforth be incapable of commanding any fhip ; and the fliip
fo delivered back to him, and alfo the goods, ftiall be forfeited, to make
good the lofs fuftained by the owners of the goods detained by fuch
pirates, pro rata ; and the owners to have their action againft fuch mafter
for the remainder. And if an Englifti ftiip, though it be under the faid
tonnage and guns, be yielded to any fuch pirate not having at leall
double his number of guns, without fighting, the mafter ftiall be liable
to all the penalties aforefaid. Alfo, every mariner, refufing to fight fuch
pirates when required by the mafter of the ftiip, ftiall forfeit ail his
v;ages and his effects in fuch ftiip, and (hall be imprifoned for fix months,
and kept during that time to hard labour. Moreover, mariners, laying
violent hands on their mafter to hinder him from fighting fuch pirates,
ftiali iuffer death as felons. Mafters or mariners, wounded in defence of
their ftiip from pirates, ftuill, on their return home with their fliip, re-
A. D. 1665. ^Kj
receive a compenfation from the owners of thefliip and goods, not ex-
ceeding two per cent of the value of the fliip and goods fo defended, to
be diftributed among the captain, maftcr, officers, and feamen, of fuch
fhip, or the widows and children of the flain, by diredion of the judge
of the admiralty-court, in due proportion. And whereas it often hap-
pens that mailers and mariners of fhips, having infured or taken up
on bottomry greater funis of money than the value of their adventure,
do wilfully caft away, burn, or othervvife deftroy, the fhips under their
charge, to the great lofs of merchants and owners, fuch mafter, £cc. fliall
fuffer death as felons.
1665. — In the year 1665 the Dutch admiral De Ruyter not only re-
took moil of the forts which Sir Robert Holmes had taken from Hol-
land, but he alfo took our own fort of Cormanteen, which they hold to
this day by the name of Fort Amilerdam. They alfo feized the iile of
St. Helena, which was a refrefhing place for our Eafl-India {hipping,
and therefor was retaken even the fame year.
Under the year i 645 we have given the rile of banking by goldfmiths
in London ; and obferved how^ much they improved that new branch
of their bufinefs after the reiloration, by taking advantage of the king's,
p-erpetual necellities, from his unfrugal management of the public reve-
nue, which he was conilantly anticipating ; partly proceeding from their
readinefs to lend him at extravagant interefl, and their taking to
pawn the king's bills, orders, and tallies. Neverthelefs, the number of
bankers increafed fo much, and the money came fo fiil into their hands,
by people to whom they paid a moderate interefl * for the fame, that
all the public demands fell fhort of employing their whole cafh. This
made them run into the bufinefs of lending money on private pawns at
high interefl, difcounting bills of exchange, lending on perlonal fecurity
to heirs in expectancy, &c. Thefe, and many other luch methods of
bellowing their caih, were about this timxC put in pradice by the gold-
ifniths, fays the author already quoted under the year 1645, who,
through the increal'e of commerce, thinks the banking trade was at its.
greateil hight in the year 1 667, u-hen the Dutch burnt our fliips at
Chatham ; but that difafter caufing what is in our days called a run
(probably the firfl of its kind) on the bankers, it, in fome meafure, lelT-
ened their credit, v/hich was entirely ruined, by fhutting up the ex-
chequer live years after, of which more in its place. As there was a
great quantity of caih in the kingdom at that time, this brief account
may, in part, ferve to anfwer a query often made m our own days, viz.
how were monied people able to difpoie of their fuperlucration cafh,
before the modern public funds exifled ?
* They generally allowed four per cent for the ufe of money loJged with them by widows, or«
phans, or other pcrlbns, who would nor have occafion for it for fame time certain. Merchants, who
lodged their running cafh, to be drawn fur whenever waiaed, received no intcreft. y/.
5
520 A. D. 1665.
A violent peftilenco in the courfe of this year fwept off, in London
alone, 100,000 perfons, which was a terrible fhock to the commerce of
England.
In an obftinate fea-fight this year between the Englifh and Dutch
fleets, both fides claimed the vidory, which fhews it was a doubtful con-
flict. They foon after met again, being about lOO fliips of war on each
iide, wlien the Englilh fleet, commanded by the duke of York, obtained
a real viclory, defl;roying 20 Dutch (hips of war. Soon after ■which, Sir
Robert Holmes btirnt 150 Dutch merchant fliips on the coaft of North
Holland, and two of their fliips of war. Yet in this flime year the
Dutch intuited oiu* own coafts, making defcents in feveral places.
In the fame year the Dutch Eaft-India company's privileges were re-
newed for forty years longer.
This year King Cliarles granted a fecond charter to the proprietors of
Carolina, whereby he extended their limits fouthward as far as 29 de-
degrees, fo that the mouth of the great river Miflifippi is included in
their grant, and to ^6'^ degrees north latitude. Thus they had now an
extent of 7-^ degrees, or about 450 miles along the coaft, fouth and north,
and an unknown fpace weftward to the South Tea. This fecond chai'ter
ftiles the grantees, ' the true and abfolute lords proprietors of the
• province and territory of Carolina ; faving always the faith, allegiance,
' and fovereign dominion, due to us, our heirs, and fucceflbrs for the
' fame ; to be held in free and common foccage, as of our manor of
' Eaft Greenwich, in Kent ; yielding and paying to us and our fuccef-
' fors, for the fame, the fourth part of all gold and filver ore found with-
' in their limits, befides the yearly rent of 20 marks.' The patentees
were empowered to grant peculiar titles of honour to great planters in
Carolina, fo as they fliould not be the fame as in England ; and, in con-
fequence of this claufe, they accordingly, at different times, conferred
the titles of caciques and landgraves, the former an Indian dignity, the
later a German one. The patentees had alfo the power to enjoy quit-
rents, and alfo reafonable cuftoms on merchandize ; but not without the
confent and approbation of the freemicn of the colony. Alfo to eredt
forts, to incorporate towns and cities, to train foldiers, &c.
The noble patentees immediately fet about planting that delightful
country ; and all freemen who fettled there had 50 acres of land grant-
ed to them for themlelves, and 50 more for each man-fervant ; alfo 50
acres for each marriageable wo man-fervant, and 40 for unmarriageable
ones. Covenant fervants, when out of their time, to have 50 acres alfo
given them. The firft embarkation coft the proprietors Li 2,000. The
fundamental conltitutions of its government were framed by the truely
great John Locke, founded on the moft juft and generous principles,
and calculated for encouraging men of all perfuafions to fettle therein.
The eldeft of thofe lords proprietors had the title of palatine ; in whom,
3
A. D. lG6^. j;2I
affifted by tkree other proprietors, the executive powers in mofl cafes
were lodged ; and thofe four conftituted the palatine court, whofe de-
puties in Carolina aded by their diredions. Its parliament confifted,
lin the upper houfe, of the proprietors or their deputies, with the go-
vernor, council, caciques, and landgraves ; and the commons, or lower
houfe, were elected as in other colonies.
The king granted a patent to 60 perfons, and to all others of his fub-
jedts, that had within feven years pad traded to the Canaries to the va-
lue of Li 000 yearly ; and alio to all others who fliould be admitted,
whereby they were conftituted a body-politic, and were to enjoy the
fole trade to the Canary iflands, under a governor, deputy-governor, and
twelve alTiftants. The grounds for this charter, as let forth in its pream-
ble, were, that the trade to the Canary illes was formerly of greater
advantage to the king's fubjeds than at this time ; that by reafon of
the too much accefs and trading of fubjeds thither, our merchandize
were decreafed in their value, and the Canary wines, on the other hand,
were increafed to double their former value ; fo that the king's fubjeds
were forced to carry filver and bullion thither to get wines ; and that
all this was owing to want of regulation in trade *. This company, in
fpite of the mn objlante in their charter to the ftatute of monopolies, had
judgment given againfl them in the year 1667, when both houfes of
parliament, in an addrefs to the king, thanked him for revoking their
patent. And the third article of the impeachment of the lord chan-
cellor Clarendon, by the houfe of commons, directly charges him with
having received great fums of money for procuring this and other ille-
gal patents.
This year (according to the fupplement to Puffendorf's Tntrodudion
to the hiflory of Europe) the flate of Genoa made the firll: attempt for
a treaty of commerce with Turkey, by their envoy going thither, un-
der the protedion of Count Lelley, the imperial ambafliidor, though
much oppofed by France. But (fays de Mailly, V. i'li, l. 17) with all
their endeavours they were not able to put off a fufficiency of their
woollen cloth, in the goodnefs of which they were excelled by the En^-
li-fh and Dutch, nor of their lilver coin of five fols, (counterfeited from
the French coin of that name, then in great credit in Turkey) which .
the Turks named themins, to fupport the expenfe and dignity of their
refident at Conftautinople, and their conful at Smyrna ; io that this at-
tempt proved abortive. They again made a frefli attempt for this pur-
pofe in the year 1675, which alfo proved abortive, and we have not
heard, that they have ever attempted it fince. The Genoefe, in their
firft attempt, took advantage of the alliftance which France had afford—
* The word regulation was in thofe days raueh uffd, but little u:;Jer!lood, and often mifapplied. j4j
522 A, D. 1665.
ed to the emperor in Hungary, and to the Venetians, in defence of
Candia. Yet, though thofe aids made a difference between France and
the Ottoman Port for a while, Louis XIV found means, in the year
1673, to renew his commerce with Turkey ; which Colbert now began
ferioufly to think of, though retarded for the above reaibns.
1666 The Enghih fleet, under Prince Rupert and the duke of Al-
bemarle, fought the Dutch admiral de Ruyter for four days fucceffively ;
in which conflicts the Englifli are find to have loft 23 ihips, and 6000
mtn killed, with the admirals Sir William Berkley, and Sir Chriftopher
Mynes, befides 2600 nien taken prilbners by the Dutch, who allege,
that they loft only flx fliips, 2800 foldiers, and 80 feamen, with three
of their admirals, and f'undry officers. In Auguft, this fame year, an-
other fea-fight gave England the advantage ; and, in the Mediterranean,
the French joined the Dutch with 36 fliips, in hopes to ruin theEnglifh
trade in thofe parts. A French fquadrou hkewife joining the Dutch fleet
near Dunkirk, obliged ours to retire with the lofs of one of our flfty-
-gun fhips. Thefe terrible conflicts are very varioufly reprefented by the
wa-iters of the oppolite nations, and, in fome reipeds, by different Eng-
lifli wiiters.
The vain and ridiculous competition (as Voltaire calls it, in his Age
of Louis XIV) between England and Holland, for the honour of the
flag, and alfo concerning the commerce to Eaft-India, having kindled
the war between thofe two nations, Louis XIV with pleafure beheld
them deftroying each other, by the mofl; obflinate fea-flghts that had
been ever feen before in any age of the world ; all the fruits whereof
(as the fame author juftly remarks) were merely the weakening of both
nations. Thus, fays he, the fovereignty of the feas was for fome time
divided between thofe two nations, an'd the art of fliip-building, and of
employing them in commerce and in war, was perfectly known only by
them. France, under Richlieu's miniftry, efteemed herfelf powerful at
fea, becaufe that of 60 fhips then in her ports, flie could put to fea
about 30, of which only one carried 70 cannon. Under Mazarine, the
few flii]:is France had were purchaled of the Dutch. France was in
want of officers, failors, manufadures, and, in fhort, of every thing
needful for Ifiipping. In the years 1664 and 1665, while the Englifli
and Dutch covered the Ocean with near 300 large ihips of war, Louis
XIV had not above 15 or 16 of the lowefl rates ; but he uJed his ut-
moll efforts to efface the fliame thereof in the mofl ludden and efledual
manner.
This year, the Engifli colony in St. Chriftophers, in the Weft-Indies,
was overpowered by that of France, in the fame ifland ; and they were
entirely difpoflefled of all their plantations, which, however, were re-
flored four years after. It was furely very ill-judged in both nations to
} laut on the fame fmall ifland, which, however, was not entirely reme-
A. D. 1666. rjT
died, until, by the treaty of Utrecht, France ceded tlie whole to Great
Britain.
Parliament having found the aft [15 Car. If, c. 8] for preventing
the importation of foreign live cattle ineffectual, now enadted, that all
great cattle, fheep, and fwinc, and aUb beef, pork, or bacon, imported,
except for neceilary provifion, fhould be forfeited, the importation of
fat or lean cattle, alive or dead, being unnecelTary, deftruclive of the-
welfare of the kingdom, and a public nuiiance *. And for the better
encouragement of the tiihery, the importation or fiile of ling, herring,
cod, or pilchards,, frelh or faked, dried or bloated, and of falmon, eels,
or congers, taken by foreigners, was alio prohibited ; and any perfon
whatever was empowered to feize the iiime, half for his own ule, the
other half for the poor of the parifh : proviib, that 600 head of black
cattle, ot the breed of the ifle of Man, might annually be imported at
Chefter only. The term of this ad was for feven years, and to the end
of the firft leflion of the next parliament. [18 Car. II, <r. 2.]
It was prolonged and further ftrengthened by two fubfequent acts
[20 Car. II, f . 7 ; ^2 Car. II, c. 2] by the later of which it was extend-
ed to mutton, lamb, butter, and cheefe, from Ireland : yet by reafon
of a late very great dearth of provifions in the year 1757, an act of
parliament allowed the importation of faked beef, pork, and butter,
from Ireland.
Concerning thefe laws for prohibiting the importation of Irifh cattle,
many people think them in the main to be hurtful, and that it would
be wiier to luffer the Irifli to be employed in breeding and fattenmg
cattle for us, than to turn their lands into fheep-walks, as at prefent,
whereby they are led, in ipite of all our laws to the contrary, to fupply
foreign nations with their wool, to our very great detriment. Of this
opinion was the great Sir William Temple (in his Miicellanies), and
later experience has conhrmed it.
By a itatute for the encouragement of the woollen manufactures of
England [18 Car. II, c. 4], it was enaCted, that no perfon ihould be
buried in any fl:iirt, fhift, or flieet, made of or mingled with llax, hemp,
filk, hair, gold, or filver, or other than what fliall be made of wool,
only, upon forfeiture of L5 to the poor of the pariih, towards a ftocL
or work-houfe for their employment.
This is certainly a wife and I'alutary law, as it is a means of confum-
ing a confiderable quantity of our llight woollen manufadures : yet
fuch is the vanity of too many, that they will rather forfeit L5, than.
be inftrumental in promoting our own raofl; important manufacture.
* Sit- William Petty [\n h\% Phlitlcal furvey of Ireland) fays that before this ftntute touk place
three fourths of the foreign trade of Ireland was with England, but not one fourth ot it fince that
time. A.
524 A. D. 1666.
Another good law was made for encouraging the coinage of gold and
filver [18 Car. II, c. 5] whereby both natives and foreigners were en-
titled to receive out of the mint an equal quantity of gold and filver
coin for what crown gold or {lerling filver they (hould bring thither,
and in the fame proportion for over or under finenefs, without any ex-
penfe whatever ; the charge of which coinage was now to be defrayed
by a tax on wines, fpirits, vinegar, cyder, and beer, imported.
The ifland of Antigua, one of the Caribbees in the Wefl-India feas,
about 20 miles in length and almoft as broad, by reafon of its having
no frefh-water brooks, was for a long time deemed almofi; uninhabit-
able ; and it was probably for that reafon that fome Englifh families
from the neighbouring ifland of St. Chriftophers, who had fettled there
about the year 1632, foon deferted it again. Lord Willoughby de
Parham, having obtained a grant of it from King Charles in the year
1663, now planted a colony on it, and it has profpered extremely,
being the befl: Englifh colony of the Caribbees next after Barbados and
St, Chrlfi:ophers. It is noted for the bell: harbours in all the Caribbee
iflands, though fomewhat dangerous coming into them without a flsiilful
pilot. It is much troubled with hurricanes, often doing much hurt on
fhore, as well as on the adjacent feas. It is now well fortified at proper
diftances ; and by means of tanks, or cifi;erns, they make a tolerable
ihift to fupply themfelves with rain-water. They raife and fend home
to Britain great quantities of fugar, rum, and melafl'es ; and many of
the planters make very confiderable fortunes, and fettle in Britain. Yet
for want of a fufficiency of frefh water, their fliipping are obliged to take
in their water at St. Chriftophers, which is a confiderable inconveni-
ency.
The moft extenfive and dreadful conflagration, that ever happened to
the city of London, broke out this year on the 2d of September, burn-
ing no fewer than 13,200 houfes, and moft of the churches and cor-
poration-halls ; the damage, as has been ufually computed, amounting
to ten million fterling. So vaft a lofs of merchandize, treafure, plate,
and houfehold iiirniture, and fo immenfe an expenfe for rebuilding the
•city in a more beautiful, convenient, and fubftantial, manner than it
ever was before, was undoubtedly a great ihock and obftrudion for
lome time to the commerce of I^ondon : yet the noble city, by re-
doubling its diligence, did in a few years recover its priftine foreign
and domeftic trade, and has fince fo very much iucrealed in both, as
t-o be, beyond all doubt, at prefent the greateft commercial city in the
world. By the aid of two ads of parliament, it was fooner and more
beautifully rebuilt than could have been reafonably expeded, confider-
ing the great neceflity there was for difpatch for accommodating mer-
■cliants and traders.
A. D. 1666.
5^5
Since that terrible conflagration, the increafe of our foreign com-
merce and our home manufadures has been fo great, that the fub-
urbs of the city, as well as the adjacent villages and hamlets, have fo
vaftly increafed, as in point of magnitude, though not of wealth, to vie
with, and taken together, even to furpafs, the city itfelf ; particularly
the vaft increafe of the hamlet of Spitalfields occafions furprife to all
%vho know, or have heard from their friends of but one or two genera-
tions backward, that almofl; all that fpace of ground running from Ar-
tillery-lane on the eafl fide of Bifliopfgate-flreet quite down to Shoreditch
church, next turning eaftwai'd towards Bethnal-green, and then louth-
eaftwurd to Whitechapel road, containing by common eftimation be-
tween three and four hundred acres of ground, fhould have fince then
been built up into almoft numberlefs ftreets, lanes, alleys, and courts,
filled with induftrious manufaclurers, chiefly in the filk trade, and others
depending thereon, to the amount perhaps of above 100,000 people,
where probably not one fingle houfe flood little above 150 years ago. An-
other vaft increafe of buildings on new foundations is the great number
of ftreets contained within the compafs of ground ftill called Goodmans-
fields, with Wellclofe-fquare, Ratcliff-highway, and the adjacent flreets.
Northward there is the greateft part of the village of Hoxton built on
fince about the year 1688, and all about Old-ftreet, on each fide, and
up to Iflington road, to a place where a wind-mill fl;ood, ftill called
Mount-mill. The fine and extenfive ftreet of Hatton-garden, on the
fite of the fingle houfe and garden of the Lord Hatton, the great num-
ber of alleys in and about Saftron-hill (formerly called the bifliop of
Ely's vineyard), Brook-ftreet, Grevil-ftreet, 8cc. where formerly flood
Lord Brook's houfe and garden, as were alio all the flreets from the
Strand down to the Thames, formerly only noblemen's houfes and
gardens. Weflward, on Red- lion-fields near Holborn, on which ground
now flands Red-lion-fquare and Red-lion-flreet, and many other flreets
built in and fince the reign of King James II, quite up to Bloomfbury-
fquare (othervvife called Southampton-fquare), and thence to the town,
as it was then called, of St. Giles's in the fields, formerly a detached
village, all the vacancy of which was bnilt fince 1680. More weflward
and Ibuth-weftward flill, all the buildings north of the ftreet named
Long-acre, up to the place now called the Seven Dials ; Govent-garden
and its neighbourhood, built up in the reigns of Kings Charles I and
II, though Ibme part of it in the memory of many ftill living ; and north-
ward from Leiccfter-fields and St. Martin's-lane up to Soho and St.
Giles's-road, and weft ward to the farther end of Piccadilly, and froni
the north fide of Piccadilly up to Tyburn-road, including Soho) otlier-
wife named King's) fquare and Goklen-fquare ; and on the louth lide
of Piccadilly, St. Jamcs's-fquare, Pall-mall, St. jamcs's-ftreet, Arhng-
526
A. D. 1666.
ton-flreet, &:c. all which were paflure-gronnds till about the year
'1680.
In the city of Weilminfter, ftricTily lb called, fince the year 1688
there has been a great increafe of buildings towards TothilUfields, &c.
befide the fuperb flreets in our days ereded in the vicinity of the new
bridge there. Laftly, fince the acceflion of the prefent royal family,,
there is fo great an addition made to the weftern fuburbs, where ftands
New Bond-ftreet and the other flreets adjoining to Hanover, Cavendilh,
Gi'olVenor, and Berkeley, fquares, as alone would conilitute a conlider-
able and beautiful city ; and a conflderable addition has been alfo made
in the proper city of Weftminiter, befides the great additions made to
the nearly acljoining villages of Paddington, Chelfea, Knightibridge,
and Kenfmgton, weftward, and Marybone, Iflington, and Newington^
northward, and more eminently to the famous village of Hackney
north-eaftward ; and alfo eaftward to Mile-end, Bow, and Stratford,
Wrapping, and Limehoufe ; and a new town growing gradually up
fouth of the Thames from the fine bridge of Weftminfter, and at
Stockwell and Clapbam, befides the many flreets built on the marfli-
grounds of Rotherhithe and Deptford, and alfo at Greenwich.
Whither indeed can we turn or cafl our eyes, eaft, weft, fouth, or north,
where there are not great improvements on new foundations, all arifing
out of the immenfe commerce of the antient and noble mercantile city
of London ?
Before the great conflagration the flreets were very narrow, fo as in
many of tliem the garrets on each fide projefted very near each other,
the houfes being almoil wholely of timber, lath, and plafler, each flory
projeding beyond the next lower one ; wherefor, in order to widen
many of the more public ftreets after this great dlfafter, there were two
extenfive ads of parliament palfed [19 Car. II, cc. 2, 3] for determin-
ing in a fummary vvay the bounds of houfes and ftreets to be rebuilt in
London ; and many and great alterations were made for the better in
the width of flreets and lanes, as in Fleet-ftreet, Lutigate-hill, Ludgate-
flreet, St. Paul's churchyard, Cheapfide, Newgate-flreet, the Poultry,
Gracechurch-flreet, Thames-flreet, Old Fifh-flreet, and from Cheapfide
to the Thames, then a poor, narrow, and crooked, lane called Soper-
lane, now Qrieen-ftreet, a fine new flreet from Cheapfide up to Guild-
hall, called King-flreet, there being no other coach-way thither before
the lire but by Laurence-lane. Thames-flreet was raifed three feet *,
* Tlie ftreets of a populous town, if not panisd, and rebuilt, and fo deep Is Roman London buried
niuft inevitably be railed in the courle of ages by by the repeated aecumulation of ruins above the
the accumulation of rubbifh. The workmen, in original fnrface. The reader who is dciitous of
digging after the great fire, found three different feeing a particular account of the Roman antlqui-
ilreets above each other, and at twenty feet under ties in and near London, may confult S.ukely,
the furfaoe difcovered Roman walls and teiTelated Gale, Mailhwd, and particularly Bogford's Letler,
pavements. So often has London been dellroyed printed \\\l\\ Leliind' s Colledanea, V. \, p. Iviii, M.
A. D. 1666. 527
to prevent inundations. Conduits, blocking up itreets, were removed,
and alio i'undry middle rows of houfes in many parts. The new aiid
widened ftreets were to be at lead 24 feet in breadth. Hereby alfo we
learn, that the water-houfe adjoining to London-bridge had fupplicd the
fouth fide of the city with water for almofh a hundred years preceding.
From Mincing-lane down a new way to the Cuftomhouie fevera^ other
flreets now paiTable by coaches were only foot-way thoroughfares, as
Princes- ftreet near the new Manfion-houfe ; others were only open by
inean gateways, as Shoe-lane, &c. and fome, as Bartholomew-lane, be-
hind the royal exchange, had no exifience at all.
In order to widen the more public ftreets, much ground before built
on was fet apart, fuch as middle rows of houfes in many ftreets, now quite
clear of fuch nuifances, gateways turned into open ftreets. On the
other hand, it is known that many of the great merchants houfts and
city-halls flood ota much more ground than at prefent, with gaVdens
and large court-yards ; lb that, according to fome opinions, there were
near 4000 more houfes erected after this conflagration than had been
in the city before, and that confequently there are more people in
it. Thus, for a few inftances, the famous Exchange-alley, on which
fo confiderable a number of capital tenements now ftand, was till that
period only one fmgle merchant's houfe and garden, running between
Cornhill and Lombard-ftreet ; and the like of Sv/eething's-alley at the
eaft end of the Royal-exchange. All Crofby-fquare, though not then
burnt down, was, it feems, only the houfe and garden of Sir James
Langham, a merchant. The like might be faid of Princes-ftreet, Copt-
hall-court, Angel-court, and Warneford-court in Throgmorton-ftreet,
and of King's-arms-yard in Coleman- ftreet, formerly fingle houfes, now
containing many emitient merchants and traders habitations. Devon-
ftiire-fquare, with the adjoining back ftreets and alleys, were all built
on the earl of Devonfnire's houfe and garden, as were Bridgewater-
fquare and adjoining flreets on that of the earl of Bridgewat^r, which
was burnt down in 1687. "^^^ ground-plots of many other of the great
lioufes of the nobility and great merchants have had the like improve-
ments fome few years before this great fire, though moftly iince, fuch
as Prince Rupert's in Barbican, tlie duchefs of Suffolk's m Alderfgate-
ftreet, where the earl of Shaftfbury's and the bifhop of London's palaces
ftill remain entire, the bifliop of Winchefter's in Winchefter-ftreet,
&c. all which, though happening in various periods of time, we have
thrown together in this place, that we may not any more have recourle
to them hereafter.
This year Captain Sayle, in the fervice of the new colony of Caroli-
na, in his way thither, was driven by a ftorm on Providence, the chirr
of the Bahama or Lucay ilLands ; and on his return to England, with a
5^8
A. D. 1666.
report of the conduiou of thofe iflands. King Charles II now granted
them, by a patent to the lords proprietors of Carolina.
Providence, fituated in 25 degrees north latitude, is about 28 miles
long, and 11 miles broad, lies in the midft of fome hundreds, great and
finall, of dangeroufly-fituated ifles, from latitude 22° to 27^ to the-
northward of Cuba, and eail of the coaft of Florida. Moft of them are
good for very little, and more noted for frequent fliipwrecks, when (hips
chance to be driven amongft them by ftrefs of weather, and the tempef-
tuoufnefs of thofe feas, than for any material benefit they can afford us
in time of peace, as lying feveral hundred miles out of the ufual courfe
of fhips to or from any of our own plantations ; yet, when we are at war
with other European nations, who have colonies in America, our priva-
teers may be ufefully employed the-reabout, as alfo our fmaller fliips of
war, which the port of Naflau in Providence can well receive ; where-
by, and by a royal fquadron flationed at Port-Royal in Carolina, the Spa-
nifh plate fleets from the Havanna, in time of war, might be more eafily
iiitercepted than by any fleet at Jamaica *. For thefe reafons it was
judged proper to fortify Providence, and eftablifh a regular government
in it : for, (hould it be poflelfed by any other nation, it might be a
means of greatly injuring our American commerce. The Spaniards,
jealous of a fettlement fo near to the Havanna, furprifed the Englifli
there in the year 1641, burnt their habitations, and murdered the go-
vernor, after which it remained a defart, till replanted in 1666. It was
again negleded or deferted till about the year 1690, when the proprie-
tors of Carolina once m^ore repeopled it, and appointed a governor to
it. In the year 1703 the French and Spaniards utterly wafted and de-
populated the ifle of Providence, drove out theEnglifli, carried off their
negroes, &c. and demohflied the fort of Naflau ; and lo it remained till
the reign of King George I, when the houfe of lords addrefled the king,
to replant and refortify the Bahama ifles, where pirates then had their
tiiual retreat. Whereupon, in the year 171 8, Captain Woods Rogers
was lent regal governor to Providence, to whom moft of the pirates fub-
mitted, and accepted the king's pardon ; and it has ever fince remained
a regal colony, where there is a fmall town named Naflau, with two
good and v/ell-defigned forts, ereded in the year 1745, fo as to be now
in a very good flate of defence againft any enemy. Befides this princi-
pal ifland of Providence, there are fmall Britifli fettlements on Harbour-
ifland, and on Eleuthera, and a few families on fome other of thofe
iflands, who join with the inhabitants of Providence in the choice of 20
aflembly-men, to reprefent them all. Thofe ifles abound with manj
forts of good, and fome very uncommon, timbers, and with plenty of
* The advantages, which may aiife from the local lituation of thefe iflands in a war with Spain, were
dearly explained to government by Capt.iiii Rogers in the year 1728, y/..
A. D. 1666. ^29
ftones and lime : on Exuma there is excellent fait, and they have made
fome eflays at fugar-canes. The whole white people in them were late-
ly faid to be about 2000. But the condition of fuch places is ufually
fo flucftuating, more efpecially in time of war, that we can fay little
more of them at prefent.
By a ftate of the Dutch Eafl-India company's affairs, publiflied this
year, it appears that their fettlement on the Cape of Good Hope was al-
ready in a pretty good condition ; their garrifon confiftcd of 500 men,
and their new fort was nearly completed : they indeed complained of
fome want of flaves for the cultivation of their lands, but their vines
and olive trees prolpered very well.
1667. — What Alderman Cockayne had fruitlefsly attempted for feven
years together, (from 1608 to 161 5) was effeded in the year 1667 by
making ufe of proper workmen, and taking other prudent meafures.
For one Brewer from the Netherlands came over to England with his
fervants, and had due encouragement from the crown for inftrucling
our people in dying and drefling the fined white woollen cloths, which
were thereby brought to the greatell; perfection before their exporta-
tion.
Since Captain Fox's and Captain James's attempts for a north-wefl
paflage through Hudfon's bay in the years 1631 and 1633, we hear of
no more fuch till the year 1667, that fundry perfons of worth and dif-
tindion who had been for fome years before confuhing about that voy-
age and difcovery, fitted out a fliip with merchandize from London,
imder the command of Captain Gillam, who pafled through Hudfon's
ftraits, and fo into Bafliin's bay, as far as 75 degrees northward : next
he failed as far fouthward as to 51 degrees, odd minutes, where, in the
river he named after Prince Rupert, one of the adventurers, he built
Charles's fort, the firfl we ever had in Hudfon's bay ; and he was the
firfl: that ever pradifed any thing like real commerce in that bay. Gil-
lam carried with him two Frenchmen, who had lived at C)uebec in Ca-
nada, and who, upon the information of an Indian there, that the
French, by travelling farther north, would come to a great bay or fea,
had gone home to France to folicit for fiiips to fail into Hudlbn's bay,
but their propofal being flighted by the French court, our ambafi^ador
there picked them up and fent them to England, where the noble ad-
venturers employed them as above
*
* Before this time a fmall fettlement had been tague the EnglilTi ambafTador. Grofeillier had alfo
formed by fome Engliflimen, who had fortified a fo\ind fome of the men belonging to a fliip from
poll on Port-Nelfon river. They were furprifed Bofton in New-England, who had been left at
and made prifoaers by Grofeillier, the chief of the Port-Nclfon river by their Ihip driving out to fea.
two Frenchmen mentioned by Mr. Anderfon. Thefe particulars, together with a circumllan-
Some difputes, between Grofeillier and thofe he tial account of Gillam's voyage, may be found in
was connefted with in Canada, obliged him to Forjler's Difcoiieries in the North, p. 376 of the
Lck for redrefs at Paris, where the negleft of the Englidi tranflation. M.
government threw him into the arms of Mr. Mon-
Vol. II. 3 X '
530 A. D. 1667.
France and Holland being willing to treat of a peace, plenipoten-
tiaries met at Breda ; and a peace between England and France was con-
cluded, whereby the later ceded to England all their part of the ifle of
St. Chriftophers, together with Antigua and Montferrat, On the other
hand, the Englifh court, not then knowing or duely weighing the im-
portance of the country of Acadia, or Acadie, part of Nova-Scotia,,
yielded it to France.
A treaty was alfo concluded between England and Holland, whereby
it was agreed, that both parties fhould retain what they then pofTefled.
But before it was quite concluded, the king, imagining the peace to be
certain, (fome fay too, for faving the money granted by parliament for
lefs valuable ends) omitted to fit out his principal fleet to fea ; the Dutch
at the infl:igation of the French court, fent over De Ruyter with 70
fhips of war, who, entering the mouth of the river Thames, took the
fort of Sheernefs, which he blew up, with a great quantity of naval and
military ftores, &c. Thence fending Van Ghent with part of his fleet
up the river Med way to Chatham, where many of our capital fliips lay,
they burnt four (the Dutch fay fix) of them, and brought off the hull
of the Royal Charles : but two or three of the Dutch fliips running
aground, they burnt them to prevent their falling into our hands, and
fo returned in triumph to their own coaft. But as the peace was now
too fir gone to break it oflf, it was foon after figned. We fliall here on-
ly farther take notice, that the fort at Sheernefs has fince been rebuilt
in fo fubftantial and judicious a manner, as probably will prevent any
luch daring attempt hereafter.
The diiafler at Chatham created great uneafinefs in London, efpecial-
ly among thofe who had trufted the London goldfmiths with money at
a moderate intereft, which they had advanced to the king at a much
higher interefi:, on the fecurity of his revenue as it fliould come in, the
crefiitors of thefe bankers being juflly apprehenfive left a fudden flop
ihould be put to their payments at the exchequer. The king therefor,
in order to quiet luch uneafinefs in the people, who were continually
demanding their money of the goldfmiths or bankers, iflued his decla-
ration for prefeiving inviolably the courfe of payments in his exche-
quer, both with regard to principal and intereft : although in lefs than,
five years v/e fhall fee that he abfolutely difregarded this folemn decla-
ration.
At the treaty of Breda the Englilh minifters at firft infifted on the
Dutch Eaft-India company's refloring the fpice ifle of Poleroon ; Crom-
well had indeed obliged them, in 1654, to reftore it .- yet the Dutch
liad again feized on it in the year 1664. But at length Poleroon was '
agreed to be left to the Dutch, though it is faid to yield the beft nut-
megs and mace of all the Molucca ifles.
Nothing could niiDre efFeftually demonfl;rate the excellency of the
• . A. D. 1667. 531
Englifli navigation atl, than the Dutch plenipotentiaries fo ftrenuoufly
infifting, at this treaty of Breda, that that law was deflruclive of their
commerce, and fhould therefor be made void. Yet, though our mi-
nifters durfl not go fo far, it was ftipulated, that all merchandize brought
down the Rhine from Germany to the flaple at Dort, (liould be deem-
ed the fame as if they were of the growth of Holland, and might con-
fequently be tranfported to England in Dutch bottoms.
And whereas, during the war, the Englifh colony at Surinam on the
coaft of Guiana had been attacked, and had furrendered to the Zea-
land fquadron, and confidering that the uti pojfidetis was agreed at this
treaty to be the bafis thereof, that colony was therefor yielded to the
Dutch, which England had never made of any great importance to her
commerce, though there were fome fine fugar plantations then in it,
and alfo fome tobacco ones, the later not good for much. Surinam has
ever fince been in their pofTeflion : and by the fame rule, the fine pro-
vince of New-York, a much nobler exchange, was confirmed to Eng-
land. Laflly, it was flipulated by this peace, that Dutch fhlps of war
as well as merchant fhips, which (hall meet any Englifh fhlps of war
within the four feas furrounding Great Britain, fliall flrike the flag and
lower the topfail, as formerly. But the heirs of Sir William Courten
received no fatisfadion for the capture of his two fliips in India by the
Dutch Eaft-India company, after much ftir made about it for many
years paft. It was, on the whole, rather a diflionourable peace for us,
and an honourable and advantageous peace for the Dutch : for, although
they hereby quitted all pretenfions to New-York, it was purely becaufe
they were before quite dilpofl'efTed of it, and, being furrounded by the
other Englifh colonies, they could never have been able to regain or
keep pofTeffion of it. The province of New- York is faid by fome to
have, on trial, yielded as good tobacco as Virginia or Maryland. It
produces great quantities of corn, and has a profitable trade for furs
and peltry with the Indians, and with the fugar ifles for its horfes
and provifions of all kinds, and pipe-ftaves, as alfo to Madeira and the
Azores.
We are at length arrived at fomewhat like a pacification between
England and Spain in the American feas, where till now both nations
had in fome degree kept up a ftate of hofl:llity, even while they lived
peaceably together in Europe. By this time Indeed Spain's old pre-
tenfions to an univerfal fovereignty in the American feas were become
obfolete ; yet till now both nations took advantages of each other In
thofe parts. The Improving fpirit of the Englifh, and the great de-
clenfion of Spain's power, had gained them confiderable ground in
America. King Charles nevertheiefs thought it prudent at this time to
agree to a general pacification with Spain in America, in a treaty of
peace and aUiance concluded with that crown ; the eighth article where-
qX2
532 A. D. 1667.
of, being the only one i-elating to America, or any particular com-
mercial point, runs in the following flrain, viz.
' We do mutually agree to remain on the fame footing with regard
* to our American commerce, upon which the ftates-general of the
* United provinces of the Netherlands were put by the fixth article of
' the treaty of Munfter, between Spain and the flates-general in the
' year 1648, which runs in the following words, viz.
* As to the Weft -Indies, the fubjeds and inhabitants of the faid lords,
' the king and the ftates-general refpedively, fhall forbear failing to and
' trading in any of the harbours, places, &c. pofTeiTed by the one or
' the other party, viz. the fubjeds of the faid lord the king (hall not
* fail to, or trade in, thofe held and poflefled by the faid lords the ftates,
' nor fhall the fubjeds of the faid lords the ftates fail to or trade in^
' thofe held and poflefled by the faid lord the king of Spain.'
This eighth article, though thus loofely exprefl'ed, was at leaft a tacit
agreement of the utt pojfuietis in America, and was introdudory of an-
other more explicit treaty three years after.
About this time France, in the miniftry of the fharp-fighted Colbert,,
fet on foot the famous tapeftry manufadure at the Gobelins in Paris,,
for this end, procuring from all foreign parts, drawers, defigners, paint-
ers, dyers, and engravers, alfo workers in gold, filver, ivory, brafs, &c.
which, under the diredion of the famous Le Brun, were brought to
great perfedion, and thereby much money kept at home, which before
was fent abroad for fuch ornaments and curiofities : as alfo every pof-
fible means was ufed for improving old manufadures and introdu-
cing new ones, and new branches of commerce. By fuch meafures,
France foon became the great rival and fupplanter of England and'
Holland in moft foreign markets, as in Turkey, Spain, Portugal, and
Italy, more particularly for v.ooUen goods, with which, till after this
time, the two former nations fupplied moft of the countries of Europe.
Yet in fome refpeds the French overlhot the mark, as even their coun-
tryman Huet, in his Memoirs of the Dutch commerce, obferves : for,
' by laying fuch high duties on all foreign merchandize imported, and-
' pretending to fell their own merchandize to other nations without
' buying any from them, they vainly imagined that foreign nations
' could not be without French wares, for which too, they would pay
' ready money to France, whilft the French took off none of theirs.
' This,' he obferves, ' made both the Engliih and Dutch fet up many
' of the manufadures which they were wont to have from France, and*
' who, efpecially the Dutch, fold them in imitation of thofe of France,
' much cheaper than France could afford to do, fuch, particularly, as
* broad ftlks, gold and filver brocades, ribands, laces, hats, hardware,
* watches, toys, paper, &c. and have fince been wonderfully fuccefsfui
* therein.' We may add, that in England our broad filk manufadure
A. D. 1667. 5^^
has been brought to great perfedion, as alfo that of hardware, watches,
and haberdafhery ; and our paper, quite a modern manufadure, lb far
improved, as to fave great fums formerly paid to France.
1668. — In January 1668, N. S. King Charles concluded with the
ftates-general of the United provinces of the Netherlands a defenfive al-
liance ; and in February following, a treaty of commerce, in fubftance
as follows, viz.
Articles I, II) The king's fubjeds may freely trade with fuch king-
doms and ftates with whom he is in peace, although the ftates-general
Ihould happen to be at war with the faid kingdoms and ftates ; which
freedom ihall extend to all kinds of merchandize but contraband goods.
III) By contraband goods are meant all ibi-ts of fire arms, gunpowder,
and military inftruments of war : alfo ropes, horfes, faltpetre, horfe
accoutrements, faddles, bridles, &c.
IV) But provifions of all kinds for the fuftenance of life may be
carried freely even to the enemies of the ftates, excepting only to towns
befieged or invefted.
V) Enghfti ftiips entering laden into any of the ports of the ftates^
with an intention to fail thence to places at war with them, ftiall only
be obliged to produce their paflports, containing an attefted inventory
of their lading, and then may freely proceed.
VI, VII, VIII) Other means to be ufed, where there may be juft
ground for fufpicion of carrying contraband merchandize.
IX) Contraband goods, found in Englifti ftiips bound to the ports of
enemies of the ftates, ftiall be taken out ; but neither the ftiip nor the
other merchandize ftiall be feized.
X) Merchandize fenr by the king's fubjec'ls in fliips belonging to the
enemies of rhe ftates, even though not contraband, ftiall be forfeited
together with the other goods in fuch fliips : but, on the other hand,
whatever is found onboard Britifti ftiips, though the lading, or part of
it, ftiould belong to the enemies of the ftates, ftiall be free, except they
be contraband goods.
XI) And the fubjeds and ftiips of the ftates-general fliall, in all re-
fpeds, enjoy all the before and after named privileges allowed to the
king's fubjeds and fliips, in reference to trade and navigation on the
coafts and in the ports of the king's dominions.
XII, XIII, XIV) No violence nor injury ftiall be offered by Britifli
fliips and fubjeds to thofe of the ftates, and vice verja ; and the com-
manders of privateers, before they put to fea, ftiall give fecurity to the
value of Li 500 or 15,000 gilders for this end ; but if a commander
of any Englifli fliip fliall take a veflt;l laden with prohibited goods, he
fliall not be allowed to open chefts, &c. nor to fell, barter, or make
away with, them, till brought on fliore in the pretence of the officers for
prizes: and unlefs the prohibited goods make only a part of the lading,
534 -A. D. 1668.
in which cafe they fliall be prefently taken out, that the fliip may pur-
fue her voyage.
XV, XVI, XVII) The king promifes to do all poffible right and
juftice in the cafe of prizes, and, in cafe of the ftates' minifters com-
plaining of any injuflice in the fentences pafled, the fame fhall be re-
viewed by his council in three months fpace. Neither fhall the con-
troverted goods be fold nor difpofed of in the meantime, unlefs perifla-
able, but by the confent of the parties complaining, who, if they get
a fentence in their favour, either in the firfl or fecond inflance, fuch
fentence, upon giving fecurity, fhall be put in execution, although the
other appeal to a higher court : but not againfl the opponents, if the
fentence fhould be pronounced in their favour. And finally, all the
foregoing ftipulations fliall be equally obferved by the ftates in refped:
to the fuits of the king's fubjeds. [^Colleclion of treaties, V. i, p. 136,
ed. 1732.]
The ingenious author of a treatife, entitled the Britifli merchant,
and many other writers, loudly and juftly complain of the too much
encouragement given to the confumption of French wines and brandies,
filks, linens, hats, &c. He obferves, that, though a duty of 4^ a quart
was this year laid upon French wines, which raifed their retail price
from "^d to \f, we ftill took off prodigious quantities of them,' and of
almoft every other fpecies of French merchandize, while the French
were continually diminifhing their confumption of Englifh manufac-
tures and merchandize by new and high impofitions, obflrudions, and
at length prohibitions : infomuch that the general balance of the trade
of England for this fame year was moft grievoufly to our lofs, viz.
Imported into England from all the world - L4, 196,139 17 o
Exported _____ 2,063,274 19 o
The imports exceed the exports, the fum of L2, 132,864 18 o
This great national lofs was owing to our having a full trade with
France. That full trade being afterwards prohibited, the general ba-
lance in 1699, was got to be fo far in our favour as Lr, 147, 660 : 10 : 9.
Total gained by us, from having no trade with France in the year 1 699,
L3, 280, 525 : 8 : 9, which balance, in the year 1703, was increafed to
L2,ii7,523 : 3 : 10^. Total gained by us, from our having no trade
with France in the year 1703, L4, 250, 388: 1 : 10^. A moft intereft-
ing conlideration.
At this time alfo the laudable Englifh fafhions of former times began
to alter in favour of France. The women's hats were turned into hoods
made of French filk, whereby every maid-fervant in England became a
ftanding revenue to the French king of the half of her wages. Many
liats for men were likewife brought from France, which alfo fupplied
4
A. D. 1668.
535
Italy with woollen goods, made of Englifli wool run to them, in return
for Italian filk, which France manufadured, and fold to England to pay
for that wool. And whilft they laid fuch high duties on our woollen
cloths as amounted to a prohibition, we were in a manner totally fup-
plied with their linens, befide their wines, brandies, paper, &c. {.Bfi-
tijjj merchant, V. iii, p. 315, ed. 1713.]
This year the king, by the perfuafion of Lord Afhley, the chancellor
of the exchequer, inilltuted a council of commerce, confifting of a pre-
iident, vice-prefident, and nine other counfellors *, who, inflead of the
former method of referring all commercial matters to a fluduating
committee of the privy council, which was liable to many objections,
were to apply themfelves diligently to the advancement of the nation's
commerce, colonies, manufadures, and fliipping. But as this king was
never long conftant in any very laudable regulation, he, a few years af-
ter, laid afide fo very beneficial an inftitution, too expenfive alfo for him
to fpare from his pleafures, whereby commercial concerns fell into the
former way of a reference to a committee of the privy council.
At length France was induced to conclude a peace with Spain at Aix-
la-Chapelle, though on the following very difadvantageous terms for the
later ; Spain now ceding to France the towns and forts of Charleroy^
Binch, Aeth, Doway, Fort Scarp, Tournay, Lille, Audenard, Armen-
tiers, Courtray, Bergues, and Furnes, together with their bailywicks,,
chatellanies, territories, and dependencies. Thus France got a firm
footing in the very heart of the Spanilh Netherlands, whereby the ba-
lance of power between thofe two great nations was fhamefully fuffered
by King Charles to be quite deftroyed ; who, had he had any great re-
gard for England's commercial interefls, or for the equilibrium of Eu-
rope in general, might have undoubtedly prevented it. Yet Louis XIV"
fcarcely kept to this peace for fo long as two years time, without mak-
ing farther encroachments on the declining monarchy of Spain. At
this time, however, Louis found himfelf obliged to reftore to Spain the
county of Burgundy, commonly called Franche Compte, the invafion
of which and of the Netherlands had obliged Spain to make peace with,,
and renounce all pretenfions on, Portugal.
The king granted a new charter to the famous Cinque-ports, fituated:
on the coafts of Kent and Suffex, whereby he confirmed their antient
privileges, with feme new regulations, more fuitable to modern times,,
relating to taxes and the eledion of their officers, &c. now of no ule to-
our purpoie. Since our vaft increafe of the royal navy thefe Cinque-
ports are no more of any great importance, though, as we have more
than once fhewn, they were greatly ufeful to our Norman race of kings,
in their expeditions to the continent, and alio in cale of threatened:
* The prefident had^ falary of L800, the vice-pr...dent L600, and the counfellors L500 each..
536 A. D. 1668.
invafions from thence, before there was any royal navy properly fo
called.
The timber of the kmg's forefl: of Dean in Gloucefterfliire being of
late much deftroyed, an aft of parliament direded, that eleven thoufand
acres of the wafle lands in that foreift fliould be inclofed, for the growth
and prefervation of oak-timber for the fupply of the royal navy, and
the maintenance of (hipping for the trade of this nation. [20 Car. 11,
c.
•]
1669. — The author of the Happy future flate of England acquaints
us, that in the year 1669 there was 23,680 lb. weight of linen-yarn im-
ported from Scotland into the port of London. He alfo relates, that at
this time the French proteftants fettled at Ipfwich made linen of i c^f
per ell.
De Witt, the judicious author of the Interejl of Holland, has the fol-
lowing obfervations upon the improving coHimerce and power of Eng-
land during about a century preceding this time. He fays, ' that when
the compuliive laws of the NetherUnd halls drove the cloth-weaving
from the cities to the villages, and thence into England, and the cruel-
ty of the duke of Alva drove the fay-weaving after it, the Englifh be-
gan to vend their manufactures throughout Europe : they became po-
tent at fea, and no longer depended on the Netherlands. Alfo by the
difcovery of the inexpreffibly rich cod-bank of Newfoundland the peo-
ple of Briftol in particular were enriched. Moreover, the long perfe-
cution of puritans in England has occafioned the planting of many
Englifh colonies in America, whereby they drive a mighty foreign
trade thither. So that this mighty ifland united with Ireland under
one king, — feated in the midfl of Europe, having a clear deep coaft,
with good havens and bays, in fo narrow a fea, that all foreign fhips
that fail either to the eaftward or weftward are neceflitated, even in
fair weather, to fliun the dangerous French coafl, and fail along that
of England, and in flormy weather to run in and prefervc their lives,
fhips, and merchandize, in its bays : fo that England now, by its con-
jundion with Scotland, being much increafed in flrength, as well by
manufadures as by a great navigation, will in all refpefts be formid-
able to all Europe ; for, according to the proverb, a mafler at fea is
a lord at land ; and more efpecially a king of England, feeing he is
able, both by whole fleets and private fhips of war, at all times to
feize on fhips failing by that coaft ; the wefterly winds, which blow
for the moft part of the year on this lide of the tropic, giving the Eng-
lifh great opportunities to fail out of their numerovis bays and har-
bours at pleafurc to infeft our navigation : of which formidable power
King Henry VIII was fo fenfible, that he dared to ufe this device ; cui
adhcereo prae/l, i. e. he whom I aflift fliall be mafter ; and he accord-
ingly made war as he lifled ; fometimes agcjinfl France, at other times
4
A. D. 1669. ^^j
' againft Spain, though then flrengthened with the German empire and
' thcfe Netherlands ; making peace at his own pleafure both with King
' Francis I and with the emperor Charles V, whom he dared fo horri-
' bly to defpife as to repudiate his aunt Queen Catherine.'
Thus this able minifler of ftate lays down an immutably interefling
lefTon for Britain, viz. ever to be fuperior to any other nation on the
Ocean, whereby we fhall ever be fuperior in commerce ; and while there-
by we preferve our great influence in the councils of the nations on the
continent of Europe, we fhall increafe our wealth, and preferve our in-
dependence, and confequently our liberty. Neither need we on this
fubjedl to obferve, that our Superiority muft ever be very confiderable,
not only on account of the guard of our own extenfive coafts, but alfo
for the protedlion of our commerce in all the four quarters of the earth.
This will ever be our great palladium ; and, according to the poet,
' We then mofl happy, who can fear no force,
♦ But winged troops and Pegafean horfe !' waller.
This year the French prime minifler Colbert brought Van Robais, a
Dutch merchant, from Holland, to fettle with 500 workmen at Abbe-
ville in Picardy, where a new manufacture for fuperfine woollen broad
cloth was very fuccefsfully fet on foot. It is fuperfluous to recite all the
privileges, immunities, and fums of money, beflowed on him and his
workmen. From 30 looms, in the year 1681, he was encouraged to
fet up 50. In 1698 Van Robais's looms amounted to 80, and in 1708
they exceeded 1 00 in number. The French king, to do the greater ho-
nour to this new manufadory, gave leave to the noblefTe to be concern-
ed in it, without detracting froin their nobility. And to encourage the
Tale of thefe and other French woollen goods in Turkey, he advanced
money to the merchants of Marfeilles out of his treafury, to be repaid
after the return of their fliips from Turkey, whereby that city has gra-
dually fupplanted England and Holland of much of their Turkey trade.
And the apprehenfions of fome people go fo far as to think Marfeilles
will be able in time to engrofs the whole of it.
France at this time, as has been already obferved, began to abound
in all kinds of curious manufadures, toys, &c. with which they fup-
plied every part of Europe. One mofl material thing, however, they
hitherto wanted, for completing their i'uperiority over the reft of the
world, viz. a fuperiority of naval power. De \^ itt, who at this time
wrote his Intereft of Holland, obferves, [part ii, c. 7] that the Freiich
have very few fliips and mariners of their own ; fo that all their traffic
is driven by Dutch fliips, and to Holland, or at leafl by unloading there,
fome few Englifh fliips and traffic excepted : and when any goods ar6
ro be traiifported from one French harbour to another, they arc put ou-
VoL. II. 3 Y '
$^S A. D. 1669.
board flilps of Holland. This was the cafe in his time. Voltaire (in'
his Age of Louis XIV) fays, that this great prince foon after granted a
bounty of five livres per ton for every new fhip built in France, where-
by fhipping foon became more plenty : yet he fays, that fo ignorant
were they then in France, that not a few condemned thofe wife mea-
iures as pernicious.
With refpe6t to the woollen manufactures-, there is a general miftakc
prevails with many even to this day, in imagining that the fine broad
cloth in France is principally fupported by our Englifli run wool, fee-
ing it is well known that the real fuperfine cloth everywhere mufl: be
entirely of Spanifli v>'ool, and therefor often called Spanifli cloths ; and
that though the fecond fort of French cloth is much meliorated by the
help of our fine fliort wool, yet for the mofi; part the beft wool of France
alone may do well enough for tli,eir coarfe cloths. And it is principally
for their fine fluffs, hofe, caps, &c. that the French find our foft and
long combing wool (the beft of its kind in all Europe) abfolutely necef-
fary, feeing, without a certain proportion thereof mixed itp with their
own wool, they cannot make thofe fine goods fit for the markets of
Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Moreover, by running our wool to Ham-
burgh, Holland, Flanders, France, &c. thofe countries are enabled to
manufacture thofe fluffs and ftockings, to the great detriment of our
own manufacturers.
The French in our days take from us no other commodities than
what they can farther improve or manufa6hu-e ; or fuch as they cannot
as yet be without, viz. raw hides, leather, beef, and butter, chiefly from
Ireland ; and alfo much leaf tobacco.
De Witt eflimates the increafe of the commerce and navigation of
Holland in the fliort fpace of time from the pacification with Spain, in
tlie year 1648, to this year 1669, to be fully one half. He obferves
that, during the war with Holland, Spain loft the bulk of her naval
power : and fince the peace the Dutch have moflly beat the Eaflerlings
and the Englifh out of the trade to Spain, all the coafts of which coun-
try are navigated chiefly by Dutch fliipping ; and for want of fliips and
fulors of their own, Spain has now openly begun to hire Dutch fliips
to fail to her Indies, though formerly fo careful to exclude all foreigners
from thence : and fo great is the fupply of Dutcli. manufactures to
Spain, &c. that all the nierchandize brought from the Spanifli Wefl-
Indies is not fufficient to make returns for them ; fo that the Dutch
carry home the balance in money. [Irjte/r/i of Holland, part ii, c. 8.]
The fame great author, for the better illuftration of the increafe of
,the Dutch commerce and of their people, has exhibited the computed
number of the inhabitants of the province of Holland and Weft-Friefe-
land at this time, with the feveral means whereby they are fupported.,.
viz.
A, D. 1669. 539
Terjons.
By the fiflieries at fea, and the feveral trades and traffic de-
pending thereon _ _ _ _ 450,000
By agriculture of all kinds, turf-making, inland fifhing ;
and by furnifhing thofe people with all forts of materials,
they being hufbandraen _ _ _ 200,000
By manufadures, (hipping, works of art, 8tc. confumed
abroad ; and by trades relating to the faid manufactures 650,000
By navigating for freight and trade jointly, exclufive of the
fifhery and trades depending thereon. - - 250,000
By all the above people, (men, women, and children) who
muft be fupphed with what they want ; as food, clothing,
houfing, furniture, and all other things for art, eafe,
pleafure, and ornament _ _ _ _ 650,000
Gentry without employment, civil magiftrates, and officers,
and fuch as live on their eftates or money, foldiers, the
poor in hofpitals, beggars, &c. - - 200,000
Total number of fouls in the fingle province of Holland 2,400,000
He adds, * that the eighth part of this number could not be fupplied
' with neceflaries out of the produd: of Holland, it being their gain by
* traffic, which brings in the neceflaries for the other feven eighth parts
* of the whole people.'
He alfo obferves, \^part iii, c. 6] that the city of Amfterdam hath
been enlarged two parts in three : and yet none can obferve that either
the houfes or the inhabitants are thereby lefl^ened in value. Yea, that
it is fo augmented in buildings, that the imports on the bulky goods
of tliat city only, in the lail farm, yielded above 30,000 gilders more
than in the former farm ; and we may affirm the like of Leyden, Dort,
and other cities in proportion.
In this fame year the Dutch Eafl-India company, after a long con-
tell with the king of MacalTar, obliged him to yield to them the fort-
refs of that name.
King Charles having now received intelligence that the Spaniards had
abandoned the moft part of the great province of Chili in South Ame-
rica, was adviled to attempt a iettlement in a country fo greatly abound-
ing in gold, &c.: he therefor fent out Sir John Narborough, with a fhip
of 2S'^ guns and a pink ; with orders to make difcoveries on that coail,
and in other parts of the South feas. He paffed the ftraits of iMagellan,
and failed along the coafts of Patagonia and Chili ; but, as his orders
were exprefs not to moleft the Spaniards in thofe parts, and as the Spa-
niards at Baldivia would not permit him to trade with the Indians, and
had feized his lieutenant and three of his lailors, he iudsred it prudent to
-. Y2
540 A. D. 1669.
return home; which he accordingly did by the fame Magellanic ftraits^
which probably none after him has ever attempted, as the voyage round
Cape Home into the South feas is everywhere fo far better. He arriv-
ed in England in the year 1671 ; and his obfervations and draughts
were afterwards publifhed. Such a fettlement as was hereby propofed
to be made in fo remote a part of the world from England, in fo tem-
peftuous an ocean, and with fo obftinate a people as the Chilefe, would
have probably been attended with almoft infuperable difficulties ; fince
Spain itfelf, though poflelfed of the countries north and eaft of Chili,
has had enough to do to preferve their footing there.
After an obftinate iiege of 20 months, the Turks took the capital of
Candia (or Crete) from the Venetians, and thereby completed their
conquefl of the illand. As Candia lies diredly in the way of the navi-
gation to and from Conftantinople, the Turkifh ifles of the archipelago,
Egypt, &c. it was a great eye-fore to them whilft in the pofTeflion of
Venice. It is commonly remarked that, ever fince this conquefl, the
naval power of Turkey has greatly decreafed ; poilibly, becaufe, fince
being pofl^efi^ed of Candia, they are more fecured and uninterrupted in
their communication with Egypt and their other levantine provinces.
Formerly the Turks were very formidable in thofe feas ; and indeed
fundry parts of their dominions afford great abundance of materials for
(hip-building and naval ftores ; but as they never were much, and now
lefs than ever, addided to commerce, this reafon alone is fufficient to
account for the prefent decayed flate of their marine.
It was about this time that the French Eaft-India company abandon-
ed their fettlement in Madagafcar, as not finding it worth keeping, and
transferred their principal refidence to Surat in India. Soon after, the
king, by the patronage of Colbert, granted them the haven of Port
Louis in Bretagne, for their fliips ; in virtue of which grant they after-
wards eftabliflicd their warehoufes, fhips, and magazines, at what they
named Port L'Orient, near Port Louis. Colbert alfo obtained for this
company a remiffion of 3 millions of livres due to the king, and an ex-
emption from all duties on their imported merchandize ; notwithftand-
ing all which, at his death, in the year 1683, their affairs were in a de-
clining condition.
1670 It was about t'lis time that the wear of the flimfy muflins
from India was firft introduced into England : before which time our
more natural and utual wear was cambrics, Silefia lawns, and fuch kind
of fine flaxen linens, from Flanders and Germany, in return for our
tvooUen manufadures of various kinds, exported to thole countries in
very confiderable quantities.
An additional adl of parliament was pafled for rebuilding London,
uniting fundry pariflies, rebuilding the cathedral of St. Paul, and the
parochial churches, whereby Pater-nofler row, Warwick lane, Watling
\
A. D. 1670. 541
flreet, Candlewick flreet, Eaftcheap, Swithin's lane, Little Wood ftreet.
Milk flreet, Tower ftreet, Water lane, (near the cuflom-houfej Rood
lane, St. Mary-hill, Thames ftreet from London bridge to Puddle-dock,
Pye-corner, Threadneedle ftreet, and the paflage at Holborn bridge,
were direded to be \\adened ; and the Royal exchange, Gildhall, the
Sefllons-houfe in the Old bailey, and the city prifons to be enlarged.
Two fliillings more per chaldron were laid on coals ; in all three {hil-
lings. One fourth part of all monies appropriated for rebuilding parifti
churches was to be applied for rebuilding St. Paul's cathedral. The
channel of Bridewell-dock, from the Thames to Holborn bridge, (now
known by the name of Fleet-ditch, though it will foon lofe that name
alfo) was ordered to be made navigable. Alfo a new ftreet to be made
from the weft end of Threadneedle ftreet into Lothbury, (this is Prin-
ces ftreet). Two pofterns for foot pafl'engers to be made at Ludgate,
and the gate to be enlarged. [22 Car. II, c. 11.]
At this time King Charles II was enabled by two ads of parliament,
[22 Car. II, c. 6 ; 22, 23 Car. II, c. 24] to alienate his fee-farm rents,
the purchafe-money of which was prefently fquandered away, under
pretence of paying the king's debts bearing mtereft. Thefe rents were
a noble income and refource to the crown, which furely no wife king
would ever have alienated, on any pretence whatever. The purchafers
had very cheap bargains of thofe rents, though now they fell at very
high prices. Thus this improvident monarch completed what his pre-
deceflors had begun and carried very far, viz. to render themielves ab-
folutely dependent on their parliaments ; which ftiould be very far from
difpleafmg the true friends of England's liberty.
In fpite of prohibitions and penalties, tobacco was ftill cultivated in
England ; wherefor a new ad: was pafled to prohibit it : whereby the
peace officers were dircded to fearch for and prevent tobacco growing
within their refpedive bounds ; and to deftroy the fame wherever found ;
with a provifo, however, as formerly, of allowing it to the phyfic gar-
dens of both univerfitics, or other private gardens for phyfic or furgery,
fo as any one fuch plantation exceed not the compafs of halt a pole or
perch for every fuch garden. [22, 23 Car. II, c. 26.] To this ad there
was added a claufe, exprefsly repealing the word Ireland, in the ad 12
Car. II, c. I 8 ; fo that now the produd of the Englifti plantations brought
to Europe muft be firft landed in England only, before they be reftiip-
ped for other parts.
We have feen, under the year 1667, that till that year there was noc-
the leaft mention of America in any treaty between England and Spain;
the later willing to keep up her antient claims in that country, and the
former determined to keep and improve the footing ftie had gained
there. The feeble condition of Spain, however, at length brought her
to reafonable conditions : and as the eighth article of the treaty of
-542 A. D. 1670.
1667 was thought too general by the Spanifli miniflry, they eameftly
applied to the Englifli court for a more clear and explanatory treaty re-
lating to America ; which was accordingly complied with by the king
of England, upon the king of Spain agreeing to recognize the former's
right to all the American dominions he was pofTefTed of in this year,
1670; when Sir William Godolphin, the Englifh minifter at Madrid,
concluded the following treaty, viz.
Article 1 and II) There ihall be an univerfal peace, and a true and
fincere friendfhip in America, as well as in all other parts of the world,
between the two nations.
Ill and IV) All enmities, hoflilities, &c. fhall henceforth ceafe be-
tween the two kings and their fubjeds : and for this end both fides are
to forbear all ads of violence, and to call in all commifllons, letters of
marque, &c. and to declare them null and void.
V) Both kings hereby renounce all leagues, confederacies, &c. to the
prejudice of each other.
VI) Prifoners on both fides, detained by reafon of adts of hoflility
hitherto committed in America, to be forthwith fet at liberty.
VII) Offences, injuries, and lofles, fuffered by either party in Ame-
rica, fhall be utterly buried in oblivion.
VIII) The king of Great Britain, his heirs, and fucceflbrs, fhall al-
ways poffefs, in full right of fovereignty and propriety, all the countries,
iflands, colonies, &c. in the Weft-Indies, or in any part of America,
which he and his fubjeds now pofTefs ; infomuch, that they neither can
nor ought hereafter to be contefied, under any pretence whatfoever.
IX) The fubje6ts, merchants, captains, mafters, and mariners, of each
ally refpedively, fiiall forbear and abflain from failing to, and trafficking
in, the ports and havens that have fortifications or magazines, and in all
other places poflelTed by either party in the Weft-Indies : but if at any
time either of the kings fliali think proper to grant the other's fubjedts
any general or particular leave or privileges to fail and traffic in any of
the places under his obedience, the faid traffic and navigation fhall be
exercifed according to the form and efted of the faid leave and privi-
leges fo granted them ; for the fecurity, guarantee, and authority, where-
of this prefent treaty and the ratification of it fhall ierve.
X) In cafe the fubjeds of either ally and their fhips, whether fhips of
war or merchant Ihips, Ihall at any time be forced, by ftorm, purfuit of
pirates or enemies, or any other accident, to enter into any of the
rivers, creeks, bays, havens, roads, and ports, belonging to the other in
America, for protedion and refuge, they fhall be received and treated
there with all manner of humanity, civility, protedion, and affiftance ;
fhall be allowed to refrefh themielves, and, at a common price, to buy
provifions and other necelTaries for the conveniency of their voyage j
iiud fliall be permitted to depart without let or moleftation.
A. D. 1670. 543
XI) Or if the fhips of either party fliall run upon fund-banks or be'
fhipwrecked within the dominions of the other, or fuffer any damage
there, the faid perfons Ihall by no means be detained prifoners ; but, on
the contrary, fhall have all manner of afTiftance, and fliall have pafTport
for their free and peaceable return to their own country.
XII) But yet, in cafe thofe fliips happen to be three or four together,
fo as to givejufl: ground of fufpicion; in fuch cafe they fhall, on their
arrival, let the governor or chief magi ftrate of the place know the caufe
of their coming ; and (hall tarry no longer there than the faid governor
or chief magiftrate will give them leave, after fupplying themfelves with
provifions, and refitting their (hips. And they are ever to abftain from
putting any wares or bales of goods on fliore to expofe them to fale :
neither are they to receive any merchandize on board, nor do any thing
that is contrary to this treaty.
XIII, and XIV) The prefent treaty to be inviolably obferved by both
parties and their fubjeds. And particular offences fliall no way preju-
dice this treaty : but every one fhall anfwer for what he has done, and
be profecuted for contravening it. Neither fhall letters of reprifal, nor
any other methods for obtaining reparation, be granted, unlefs juflice
fhall be actually denied, or unreafonable delays be ufed ; in which cafe
it fliall be lawful to have recourfe to the ordinary rules of the law of
nations, until reparation be made to the perfon that has been injured.
XV) This treaty fhall not derogate from any pre-eminence, right, or
ligniory, which either the one or the other of the allies have in the feas,
flraits, or frefli waters, of America. And it is always to be underftood,
that the freedom of navigation ought by no means to be interrupted,
when there is nothing committed contrary to the true fenfe and mean-
ing of thefe articles.'
By this famous treaty, the pirates or buccaneers (who for feveral
years had greatly annoyed Spanifh America) were cut off from all fu-
ture proted:ion from England in any hoflile attempts on the Spanifli
American dominions,, and all commiflions to fuch were called in and
annulled ; whereby a very troublefome thorn was taken out of her
foot *.
About this time Sir Jofiah Child publiflied his Difcourfes on trade ;
which, he tells us, he wrote at his country houfe in the ficknefs year
(1665); and though written fo long ago, yet, taken altogether, it is Hill
an excellent book on that fubjed. One of his greatefl and mofl fa-
vourite points was to perfuade men how much the low interefl of mo-
ney contributes to the advancement of the commerce and riches of a
* It \va3 on the authority of this treaty (con- length ohh'ged the king of Great Britaii> to de-
firmed by fubfequent ones) that Englifti veiTels chiie war againft Spain in tlie year i 739. And the
faihng along, though not landing on, ttie coalls of controverfy remains to this day undecided, though
the Spaniih dominions in America, have been fo the freedom of navigation was exprcfsly provided:
much diftrefled by the guarda-coflas, which at for in the fifteenth article of thl« treaty. A.
544 "^' ^' '670.
nation ; which he more particularly exemplifies in the Dutch : yet cer-
tainly, in fome few lefler points, he pufhes the fubjedt too far ; and is
for introducing fome Dutch cufloms, which would not fuit the genius^
laws, and conftitution, of Britain ; fuch as traiisferring all bills of pri-
vate debts ; gavel-kind, or dividing the eflate of a father equally to all
his children. Such points feeraing fitter for a republic, like Holland,
wholely made up of merchants, than for a great monarchy with an im-
menfe fund of land. Yet, upon the whole, his foundations, obferva-
tions, and informations, are juft, and very ufeful.
In his preface, he afferts, that our exports of native commodities to
Spain and Portugal are more than tripled fince the year 1640,
That in the Ruffia trade, the Dutch had in the preceding year twen-
ty-two fail of great {hips, and the Englifh but one.
That in the Greenland whale-fifliery, the Dutch and Hamburghers
have annually four or five hundred fail, and the Englifh but one fhip
laft year, and none in the former one.
That the Hollanders have the great ti-ade for fait from Portugal and
France ; and inimenfe fiiliing for white herrings upon our own coafts.
In the Eaftland (i. e. Baltic) trade, thcEnglifli have not half fo much
to do as formerly ; and the Dutch ten times more than they formerly
had. And
He fays, that the Dutch intereft of three per cent, and the narrow li-
mited companies of England, have beaten us out of thefe and fome
other trades, which he could name *.
He juftly remarks, that in all probability the Dutch would have long
fince engrofl^ed the trade of red herrings, but for two ftrong reafons,
ifl:, that the fifh for that purpofe mufl; be diredlly brought frefli on
fliore (as at Yarmouth), which the Dutch cannot do, becaufe the her-
rings fwim on our coalls, and are at too great a diftance from theirs ;
2dly, they mufl; be fmoked with wood ; which cannot be done on rea-
fonable terms but in a woody country, which Holland is not. And the
like maybe faid of our pilchard trade, which mufl; be cured and prefled
upon the land, which the Dutch cannot do.
Neither can the Dutch gain firm footing in the Newfoundland and
New-England fiflieries, as being managed by our wefl-country ports,
properly fituated for it.
England (fays our author), has no fliare in the trade to China and
Japan ; to both which the Dutch have a great trade f .
As to our Norway trade, it is in great part loft to the Danes, Hol-
fteiners, &c. by means of fome clauies in our ad of navigation "|..'
* He means here the Ruflia, merchant-advcn- % Thofe northern nations bring their own pro-
turers, and Eaftland, companies, y/. diice in tiieirown (hips, which they navigate cheap-
f Since liis time Britain has long had the largeft cr than ours ; and therefor the greateil ftiare of
trade to China of any European nation, yl. that trade miift naturally reft with them, ^.
A. D, 1670. 545
And witli refpecl to our having loft (as he juftly obferves) a very-
great part of our former exportations to France, we need only to ob-
ferve, that fince his time our legillature have done all that was in their
power to retaliate their great impofts on our draperies, by laying high
duties on their wines, brandies, &.c. and by rejeding the French bill of
commerce in the year 171 3.
He fays that a great part of the plate-trade from Cadiz is loft by us
to the E)utch *.
What he fays of the Dutch having bereaved us of the trade to Scot-
land and Ireland, is quite reverfed in our time. With regard to the
former country, by the confolidated union of the two kingdoms ; and
to the later, by the greater application of both nations.
He well obferves, that no trades do fo much merit our care as thofe
which employ moft fliipping ; fince, befide the profit by the merchan-
dize, the freight is often more in value than the merchandize, and is all
clear profit to the nation ; and the ftiips and failors are an addition of
power and ftrength to us.
Next, he comes again to the brighter fide of our commerce, befides
our two fifiieries, &c.
In our Turkey, Italian, Spanifli, and Portuguefe, trades, we have the
natural advantage of our wool.
Our provifions and fuel, in country places, are cheaper than the Dutch
have them.
Our native commodities of lead and tin are great advantages.
He juftly terms our ait of navigation our Charta mantimn, on ac-
count of its many benefits to us ; as it compels us to import foreign
merchandize in our own fiiipping, and as it alfo fecures to us the fole
trade to our own plantations in America.
He fhews the vaft increafe of England's riches, even in only twenty
years fpace, i. e. fince the year 1 650.
For, ift, (fays he) we give generally now one third more money with
apprentices than we did twenty years before.
2dly, Notwithftanding the decay of fome, and the lofs of other, trades,
yet, in the grofs, we ftnp off now one third more of our manufactures,
and of our tin and lead, than we did twenty years ago.
3dly, Houfes in London yield twice the rent which they did before
the conflagration in 1666 ; and immediately before that difafter they
generally yielded about one fourth more rent than they did twenty
years ago.
4thly, The fpeedy and coftly rebuilding of London after that great
fire is a convincing (and to a ftranger an amazingj argument of the
plenty and late increafe of money in England.
* Had he lived till our time, he would have feen more reafon to complain of the French in this re-
fpea. A.
Vol.il - 3Z
546
A. D. 1670.
5thly, We have now more than doable the number of merchants and
{hipping that we had twenty years ago.
6t]ily, The courfe of our trade, from the increafe of our money, is
ftrangely altered within thefe twenty years ; moft payments from mer-
chants and fliopkeepers being now made with ready money ; whereas
formerly the courfe of our general trade did run at three, fix, nine,
twelve, and eighteen, months time.
As to the objection, that all forts of men complain fo much of the
fcarcity of money, efpecially in the country, he judicioufly anfwers,
-That this hiimour of complaining proceeds from the frailty of our
natures : it being natural for men to complaiii of the prefent, and to
commend the times p;ifi;. ' And I can fay with truth, upon my own
' memory, that men did complain as much of the fcarcity of money
' ever fince I knew the world as they do now : nay, the very fame per-
' fons who now complain of this, and commend that time.'
This complaint proceeds from many men finding themfelves uneafv
in matters of their religion (i. e. the perfecution of the proteflant dif-
fenter.^,) ; it being natural for men, when they are dilcontented at one
thing, to complain of all.
And more efpecially, this complaint in the country proceeds from the
late practice of bringing v;p the tax-money in waggons, which did
doubtlefs caufe a fcarcity of money in the country *.
And, principally, this feeming fcarcity of money proceeds from the
trade of hankering, which obflrucSts circulation, advances ufury, and
renders it fo eafy that moft men, as foon as they can make up a lum of
L50 or Li 00, fend it into the goldlmith : which doth, and will occafion,
while it laftb, that fatal prclTing neceflity for money fo vifible through-
out the wliole kingdom, both to prince and people.
Ibis paragraph, fo far as relates to circulation, merits explication : for
the money lb put into the goldfmiths hands in thofe times was far from
circulating, as the running cafli-notes of the bank of England, and;
of fom.e bankers, do in our days ; for in fuch cafe itwculd undoubtedly
have iricreai'ed the currency ; but as the bankers of London in thofe
ti-^'es advanced their money to the king on the credit of parliamentary
grants, and thofe advances were then always at extravagant intereft ; the
bankers therefor, in order to be ready to fupply the neceflities of that
improvident prince, were glad to allow a. lower intereft for a certain
tmie to people who brought their money to them ; which trade certain-
ly hindered the circulation of money, inftead of increafing it : but we
fliall loon fee an end put to it, by fliutting up the exchequer.
This famous author alfo infills mjjch on the great advantage the
Dutch had over England, in point of commerce, from the lownefs of
* In this gemleman's time the dealings between London and the country were probably not fo
great as in our days ; and thereloi bills of exchange might not thtn be fo eafily obtained as now. y?-
A. D. 1670. , ^^j
their cufloms on merchandize. And yet he fubjoins, that tw-o per cent
extraordinary on the intereft of money, is worfc than four per cent ex-
traordinary in cuftoms ; becaufe cufloms run only upon our goods im-
ported or exported, and that but once for all : whereas intereft runs as
well upon our fliips as goods, and muft be annually paid on both fo long
as they are in being.
He remarks how much Ireland has been improved by the late com-
monwealth's Englifli foldiers fettling on the lands of that kingdom ;
whereby that country was able to fupply foreign markets, as well as our
own plantations in America, with beef, pork, hides, talloSv, bread, beer,
•wood, and corn, at cheaper rates than we can afford to do ; to the beat-
ing us out of thofe trades. Whereas formerly (i. e. prefently after the
late Irifli war, begun in the year 1640) many men got good edates by
tranfporting EngliOi cattle thither.
Such are the perpetual fluctuations in commerce- Infomuch that the
Iridi, about thefe times, poured in their live cattle upon England, till
we were obliged, for the pacifying of oiir landed gentlemen, to enacl a
total prohibition of them.
We have alfo feen in our ov.-n times fo great an improvement in
thofe refpecls in our northern continental colonies of America in raif-
ing flocks of cattle, more efpecially of hogs, as alio in producing corn
and pulfe, that they in a great meafure fupply our own fugar colonies
therevvith, and with timber, pipe-ffaves, and other lumber (as they term
it), and alfo the fugar colonies of other European nations. In times of
dearth alio, Pennfylvania and the Jerfeys have helped to fupply even Bri-
tain and Ireland with corn.
With refped to the benefits and advantages accruing to England from
its Eaft-India company and trade, Sir Jofiah Child, v4io was an eminent
diredor and promoter of it, fuppofes it to be far from difficult to
evince it to be the mofl beneficial trade which England at that time
carried on : which he lays down in the following pofitions, viz.
I) It employs from 25 to 30 fail of the moft warlike mercantile fliips
of the kingdom, with 60 to 100 mariners in each (hip.
II) It fupplies the kingdom conftantly and fully with that moft ne-
ceffary article, faltpetre.
III) It fupplies the kingdom, for its confumption, with pepper, indi-
go, calicoes, and feveral ufeful drugs, to the value of Li 50,000 to
Li 80,000 yearly *.
IV) ' It alio fupplies us with materials for carrying on our trade to
' Turkey, viz. pepper, cowries, calicoes, and painted fluffs ; as alio for
' our trades to France, Spain, Italy, and Guinea, to the amount of two
' or three hundred thoufand pounds yearly ; moft of which trades we
' could not carry on with any confiderable advantage but for thofe
* Tlic tea-trade from China was not yet iutroJuced. yl,
^ 7 ^
548 A. D. 1670.
* fupplies. And thofe goods exported, do produce in foreign parts to
* be returned to England, fix times the treafure in fpecie which the
* company exports from England to India.
He therefor concludes, ' that although the Eaft-India company's im-
* ports greatly exceed its exports of our manuta6lures, yet, for the above
' reafons, it is clearly a gainful trade to the nation : he fubjoins to this,
* ill, that if we had not this trade ourfelves, the imgle article of falc-
' petre, fo abfoultely neceffary for making gunpowder, would coft us a
* vafl annual fum to purchafe it from the Dutch : 2dly, the lofs of fo
' many flout fhips and mariners would be a great detriment to the na-
' tion : 3dly, were we forced to buy all our pepper, calicoes, &c. from
' the Dutch, they would make us pay as dear for them as vve do for
' their nutmegs, cinnamon, cloves, and mace ; and if we did not ufe
' calicoes, we fhould fall into the ufe of foreign linens*.'"
In the ingenious Mr. Polexfen's Difcourfe on trade (1696), there is
the following remarkable paragraph, relating to our Englilli Eaft-India
company, viz. ' till after the year 1670, the importations from Eaft-
' India were chiefly drugs, ialtpetre, fpices, calicoes, and diamonds:
' then throwfters, weavers, dyers, &c. were fent to India by the compa-
' ny, for teaching the Indians to pleafe the Europeans fancies.' And
this brought to us an inundation of wrought lilks and fluffs of many
various forts, whereby our own manufadures were greatly obftructed :
wherefor, long after, the legiflature found it neceflary abfolutely to pro-
hibit the wear of them at home. So now they are all re-exported.
After all that has formerly been faid on the following fubjed, we are
neverthelefs greatly obliged to Sir ]ofiah Child in particular, for the
firfl judicious difl^rtation we have met with on the difficulties attending
the means of difcovering the true ftate of our national balance of trade :
wherefor we have thrown this, and the arguments of fome other later
authors together, on this curious and mofl interefting inquiry, that the
whole may appear in one view.
There are (lay they) but three ways of judging whether the balance
of trade be for or agamft us, viz.
1) By difcovering the true value of our exports and imports from
the cuftom-houfe books ; and this would doubtlefs be a good rule were
it practicable : yet as there is a difficulty, and even an impoflibility, of
taking a true account, as well of the quantity as of the value of commodi-
ties exported and imported, this rule will by no means effectually ferve us.
i) Becaufe many fine goods, as jewels, fine lace, cambrics, rich fiiks^
8cc. are imported by flealch.
* The immenfe incieafe and improvement of In the revolutions of trade and manufaftures,
Scottilli and Iiifh linens fincc Child's time have linens are now ( 1 798) lilscly to be fiiptricded by
rendered the ule of foreign linens unnecefrary : home-made calicoes, wliich, by means of the great
but the other arguments remain valid even to the fiving of labour in the fpinning engines, are now
prefent times. /!. ijande much cheaper than them. M.
A. D. 1670. 549
2) In our rcmofe out ports and creeks, the like is often true even of
more bulky wares.
3) The true quantities and qualities are not in many cafes exaclly
entered ; more efpecially with relped: to woollen goods exported ; be-
caufe many traders, to get a great name, and perhaps fometimes for
worfe reafons, do enter greater quantities than they really export ; they
paying little or no duty. > • .. •..
4) As the rates of the cuftoms are in no kind proportionable on ex—
portations ; fome of our own commodities being rated very low, as our
drapery, fdk-wares, haberdafliery,. and iron-ware ; others high, as lead
and tin ; and firti, in Englifli fhips, nothing at all : and the rates of fo-
reign commodities imported are yet more unequal : befides, that fo-
reign commodities, imported in Englifh lliips, ihould be valued only at.^
prime cofi: and charges till onboard; and thole in foreign fhips with
the addition of the homeward freight.
Moreover, by accidents in trade, fuch as lofTes at fea, bad markets,
bankruptcies beyond fea, feizures, &c. the original flock may be leiTen-
ed, and the value of the commodities imported in return may be con-
fiderably lefs than the value of the commodities exported, and yet may
be the full returns ; and fo the nation no gainer, though the exports
were more in value than the impoits. On the other hand, it may
chance that the ftock exported may meet with a very lucky fale, where-
by the returns may be of a much greater value, though really but the
bare returns of the exports ; and fo the nation no loler, but in faft a
gainer thereby, although the imports may exceed the exports.
Sir Jofiali Child alleges the examples of Ireland, Virginia, and Bar-
bados, to fiiew the great uncertainty, in fome cafes, of the notion of
truely flating the general balance of a nation's commerce : ' For (fays.
' he) thole three countries do, without doubt, export annually a far
* greater value of the commodities of their native growth, than is im-
' ported to them from hence, or from any foreign country, and yet
* they are not fuch great gainers, but continue poor.' With refpect to
Virginia and Barbados, it mav be remarked on this able author, that
even in his time thofe plantations, and efpecially the later, were grow-
ing rich ; for even then we find fome of their overgrown planters com-
ing home to fettle with their fortunts. As to Irehuid, it has been en-
tirely the people's own fault in not being rich then, through the lazmefs
and floth of the poorer fort, and the luxury of their landed gentry, who
afTecl to indulge themfelves with foreign wines, manufadures, &c. and
many of them ipend their incomes out of their own country ; yet, not-
with Handing, Ireland in our days is well knovvm to be more rich and
profperous than ever before ; and has much more commerce and manu-
factures than forn.erly, more el'pecially that immenfely-increafed one of ■
the linen and cambric manufacture ; giving jealoufy not only to Scot-
55© A. D. 1670,
land, its great rival therein, but to Holland and Germany, in a very
great degree.
Moreover, the rule of judging of the general balance of trade from a
nation's exports and imports, is very exceptionable when applied to par-
ticular trades. Seeing it may happen, that although we may really im-
port much more in value from iome certain countries than we export
thither, yet the trade to thofe very countries m^ay be fuch an one, as
either in its own nature we cannot be without, or elfe, in its confe-
quences, is really productive of greater profit by the re-exportation of
its merchandize firfl imported hither.
Let us, for inflance, fuppofe, what will readily be granted, that naval
fkores, Spanifli wool, and faltpetre, are three commodities which we can-
not be without : the firft, for our whole navigation and commerce ; the
fecond, for our fine woollen cloth trade ; and the third, for gunpowder.
Then, we fay, we fhould be neccilitated to carry on a trade with the
countries which furnilh thofe three commodities, let the balance be ever
fo much againft us ; or, in other words, let our imports from thence
ever fo much exceed our exports thither. As to the firft, viz. naval
flores, the balance is greatly againft us ; Denmark, Norway, and Swe-
den, from whence we have the moft of our timber, taking off but very
few of our merchandize in comparifon v/ith the quantity we take of
their timber, marts, deals, and tar, befides flockfidi, &c. ; and the like
mav be faid of the other countries within the Sound, trom whence our
other kinds of naval fi:ores come ; as hemp, from Livonia and Ruflia ;
oak-plank, from Pruffia, &c. Yet, until we can bring our own North-
American plantations into a method of fupplying us entirely with na-
val fk)res, there is no remedy. The like might be faid of the other
two commodities, even though the balance fhould be againfl us ; nei-
ther of which however is the cafe.
The fecond rule to judge of the general balance of our trade, is, to
obferve carefully the courfe of exchange between us and foreign coun-
tries. And if that be generally found againft us, that is to fay, if it be
generally above the intrinfic value or par of the coins of thofe foreign
countries, we certainly lofe by the general courfe of our foreign com-
mer^'e : or, in other v.'ords, they certainly fend us more of their mer-
chandize than they take of ours. And certainly (fays Sir Jufiah Child)
when once the exchange comes to be five or fix per cent above the true
value or par of foreign monies, our treafure will be carried out, wiiar-
ever laws we may make to pre\'ent it. On the contrary, we fliould be
gainers if the exchange were fo much in our favour ; which is our cafe
with Portugal, and alio with fome other countries, though perhaps not
in quite fo great a degree ; from vA-hence we atlually import much of
their coin, by means of the balance being in our tavour.
Yet even this rule, drawn from exchanges, though a very plaufible
A. D» 1670. 551
one (and the diligent obfervance whereof may be very irfefal and ne-
ccflary in many refpeds), is Kkewjle liable to great variations on lundry
accounts, occalioned from the accidents which frequently happen in the
public concerns of nations, by wars, famines, revolutions. &c. More-
over, there is no eflablifhed and direcT: courfe of exchange with fundry
countries to which we trade: fuc'n as i'Dland, Sweden, Denmark, Nor-
way, Ruffia, Turkey, Barbary, Sicily, the Canaries, &c. For thefe rea-
fons, this fcience of exchanges, though a very ingenious inquiry, and
wliich, when applied ro this or that particular country, may often be
extremely uleful, will not, however, fully aniwer the character of an ade-
quate rule to judge of the nation's profit or lofs by our general trade.
The third, lafl, and fureft, rule to judge of the general balance, i. e.
of the lofs or gain of the trade of any nation, is, by the increafe or de
creafe of its general commerce and fliipping. Yet even then we mull
not frame our judgment rafhly, or for a few years only : for nations,
like private merchants, may make a great ftir in fliipping, exportations,
and importations, and may feem to have a mighty gainful commerce,
when perhaps in a few years longer all this feeming gainful bufinefs
may prove a confiiming trade, and a vifible decay may loon follow in
the whole body politic. Our {hips may lie unemployed ; our failors
may be gone into foreign fervice ; our manufidurers and artificers out
of bufinefs ; our goods uncalled tor ; our cufi:oms falling fliort ; our
poors' rates increafed, &c. Thefe are the fad and fui"e figns to a na-
tion of a declining commerce. But on the contrary, if a nation has
for a long feries of years been increafing in all the above particulars ;
if the number of our merchant fhlps (and confequently of our ma-
riners) be vifibly mcreafed, and itill increafing ; if there be a greater
general appearance of wealth and fplendour than in former times, viz. in
plate, jewels, houfehold furniture, equipages, apparel, libraries, paintings,
medals, &c. which, infi:ead of being only confined to a few of the great
ones, as in old times, are become diftufed araongft the middling gentry
and merchants, and even arm ngfi: the middling clafs of traders and ma-
nufadurers ; if the prices of lands keep up and increafe ; ^^"d there is a-
greater appearance of money everywhere than formerly ; then we may
undoubtedly pronounce that nation to be in a thriving condition. And
that this is the prefent happy cafe of Great Britain, and even of Ire-
land, whilft we are now writing", is clearly demonftrable and obvious.
Neither do the complaints of our increafing luxury at all militate againfi;
this pofition ; fince luxury, more or lefs, is, and always wirll be, the con-
coniitant of increafing wealth and commerce. Nor will it be of any
folid weight to objed: that Ibme particular branches of trade are decay-
ing, if we increafe at leaft as much, or more, in fome other branches.
If we have, for inftance, long fince loft the market of France, and per-
haps partly of Italy and Turkey, for woollen goods, how much more-
^^2 A. D. 1670.
have we increafed in tlie exportation of them to other parts of Europe,
but more efpecially to our American plantations ? which, according to
Sir Jofiah Child, in his chapter on plantations, ' did (even in the year
' 1670) employ near two thirds of ah our Englifli ihipping, and there-
' by gave conftant fuflcnaix-e, it may be, to 200,000 perfons here at
' home.' How greatly are our manufactures of filk, iron,glars, Hnen, &c.
increafed of late years ; and of fine toys of gold, filver, fteel, and ivory,
and alfo watches. See. in the memory even of many thoufands ftill living ?
Our cities and port-towns generally much increafed in buildings and
iliipping ; not only in England, but in Scotland and b-eland.
Though one of Sir Joliah Child's principal aims was to point out the
increafing commerce of Holland, yet in the clofe of his preface he
obferves, that the French and Swedes were as induilrious and careful in
promoting their commerce as even the Dutch themfelves : for belides
the many impofitions of the French on our (hips and goods, fo high,
particularly on our woollen cloths, as 50 or 60 per cent, the Swedes have
laid liich high irapoticions on their own merchandize, unlefs they be car-
ried in Swedifli bottoms, as amounts to almofl a navigation-aft in Sweden.
We have at this time, from De Witt's hiterefh of Holland, a fumma-
ry account of the fliipping employed in their filheries by the fingle pro-
vince of Holland alone, viz. ' .the herring and cod filheries employ
above a thoufand bufles, from twenty-four to thirty lafts each ; and
above one hundred and feventy fmaller ones, that fifh at the mouth of
the Texel. And fince the Greenland monopolizing company was an-
nulled, that whale-fifliery is increafed from one to ten. So (fays he)
when we confider that all thefe filhing vefl^els are built at home, and
the ropes, fails, nets, and cafks, made here, as well as the fait furnifli-
ed from hence, we may eafily imagine there muft be an incredible
number of people who live thereby ; efpecially when we add that all
thofe people muft have food, clothes, and houfmg, and that the fifh,
when caught, are tranfported by the Hollanders in their own vefiels
throughout the world. And indeed if* that be true, which Sir Wal-
ter Raleigh affirms (who made diligent inquiry thereinto in the year
161 8 f, to inform King James of it), that the Hollanders fifhed on
the coafts of Great Britain with no fewer than 3000 fhips and 50,000
men; and that they employed and fet to fea, to tranfport, and fell the
fifti fo taken, and to make returns thereof, 9000 Ihips more and
150,000 men; and if we hereunto add what he faith farther, viz.
that 20 bulTes do, one way or other, maintain 8000 people X, and that
the Hollanders had in all, no lefs than 20,000 fiiips at fea. And, as*
* The dubitative conjunftion //", vfherewith De Witt ufhers in a foreigner's exaggerated account of
vhat he ought to have known better himfelf, gives reafon to beh'eve that he took it up as molt con-
venient for his puipofe. M.
f The date ought to be 1603. M.
\ Is thtic no millakc iu this number ? ilf.
A. D.I 670. ^^^
■' he alfo thinks, that their fifliins:, navigation, and traffic by fea with
' their dependencies llnce Raleigh's time to the year 1667,' (when he
•was revifing his work for its new and complete pubUcation) ' is increafed
* to one third more, we may then eafily conclude, that the fea is a fpe-
' cial means of Holland's fubfiftence, feeing Holiand, by this means
' alone, yields, through its own induftry, above 300, oco lafts of fait
^ fifli. And if to this we add the whale fins and whale oil, and our
' Holland manufadures, with that which our own rivers afford us, it
' mufl be confefled, that no country in the world can make fo many
' fhips lading of merchandize by their own induftry, as the province of
' Holland alone can do.'
Under the year 1642, we have given Sir Jofiah Shild's reafons why
the Dutch have never been very fuccefsful in planting and cultivating
foreign colonies. What he fays of the French he was certainly mif-
taken in, viz. ' that they are not much to be feared on the account of
' planting :' for, fince his time, what fine improvements have they not
made on the iflands of Martinico and Guadaloupe, and their other Ca-
ribbee iflands, as well as on the weft end of the great ifland of Hifpa-
niola, whereby, in our own days, they have been able to underfell and
fupplant us in the fugar trade, and have thereby reduced our exports of
that commodity to a very low ebb ; befides the quantities of indigo,
cotton, ginger, and coffee, raifed by them in thole iflands, and their
great improvements in the ifle of Bourbon near Madagafcar, and in
Cayenne on the coaft of Guiana, as well as on the continent of North-
America, to our great lofs and coft. It is indeed allowed, that thofe
improvements were little thought of by the French till the time of Col-
bert's miniftry, but they have ever fince been fteadily prolecuted.
What Sir Jofiah Child fays in relation to Spain, has hitherto proved
true, viz. that Ihe can never equal England in the improvement of her
American plantations ; by reafon of their high freight for their fliip-
ping, which he fays is four times that of ours, occafioned chiefly by
their high intereft of 1 2 per cent in Spain, and alfo by their applica-
tion principally to their mines of gold and filver, whereby they loie in-
finite numbers of people, efpeclally of flaves, negleding the cultiva-
tion of the earth, and the produ6lion of commodities which might em-
ploy many fhips and people * ; and laftly, by the multitude of friars and
nuns prohibited fcom marriage ; and the hke bad government in Ame-
rica which they have in Europe.
Laftly, with regard to the Portuguefe, although he allows that they
have been great planters in the Brafils and other parts, yet he adds,
' that if they do not alter their politics, (which he thinks impoflible
* Is it not at kaft doubtful, whether, if England had fuch prctious mints, flic might not fall too
much into the like net;lect of au;riciilture at home ? — yf.
Then let Britons be thankful to God, who has withheld from them thofe mines of indolence and
ruin, and has bellowed upon tiwm ample mines of indullrv and opnkr.ce. M.
Vol. II. 4 A
554 ■^' ^' 1^70*
' they {hould do") they can never bear up with us, and much lefs pre-
' judice our plantations. As we have already,' in my time, continues
he, ' beat their mufcovada and paneal fugars quite out of England,
' and their whites we have brought down in all thefe parts of Europe,
' in price, from L7 and L8 per cwt. to 50/ and L3. And we have alfo
* much leflened their quantities, for whereas formerly their Brafil fleets
• brought 100 to 120,000 chefts of fugar, they are now reduced to
' about 30,000 chefts fince the great increafe of Barbados.'
The great decay of England's Newfoundland fithery, from 250 fliips
in the year 1605 to 80 in 1670, Sir Joliah (]hild thinks owing princi-
pally to the increaling liberty, which is everywhere more and more
ufed in Romilh countries, as well as in others, of eating flefh in lent and
on fifh days. Secondly, to the abufe of allowing private boat-keepers,
who can doubtlefs afford their fiih cheaper than the fhips from England
can, becaufe the former refide on the place, and are generally old fifliers.
Thirdly, the great increafe of the French filhery at Placentia there. And
he is of opinion, that the dilplanting and difpeopling of Newfoundland
would be an advantage to our fifliing there, becaufe the charge of a go-
vernment there is a burden on the fiftiing : and the provifions, clothing,
&c. which the planters, or rather inhabitants, confume, are fupplied them
from New England and Ireland; and they have their wine, oil, and linen
from the fait Quvs of France and Spain. Befides, if the planters of New
foundland fhould be permitted to increafe, it would happen to us in a
few years in that country, as it hath done with regard to the fifhery at
New-England, which many years fince was managed by Enghfh fhips
from ourweftern ports, as the Newfoundland fifhery at prefent chiefly
is ; but as the plantations in New-England increafed, that fifhery fell
entirely to the people there. Upon the whole, as fifliing fliips have
ever been the breeders of feamen, it is our great incereft to increafe
the number of them, who befides, fupport multitudes of Enghfh tradef-
men and artificers of various kinds.
Of New-England he remarks, that by means of their cod and mack-
rel fifheries that people are more proper for building fliips and producing
feamen than our other American colonies : and he adds, that nothing
is more prejudicial to any mother-country than the increafe of ftiipping
in its colonies ; that it, producing the fame commodities as England,
is therefor the leaft profitable to us. Yet he owns, that what they took
from England amounted to ten times what we took from them. Of the
other continental colonies he fays nothing. Thofe ftatements, though
true in his time, have fince, in i'undry rcipeds, undergone confiderable
alterations with refpedf to our American colonies.
King Charles this year coined what was called crown gold, of 22 ca-
rats fine, and 2 carats allay, into L44 : 10 per pound weight, by tale,
in pieces of 10, 20, and 40/", and L5 ; and a pound weight of filver,
A. D. 1670. 555
old ftandard of 1 1 ounces 2 pennyweight fine, and 1 8 pennyweight
allay, into 62/" by tale, viz. into crowns, half-crowns, {hillings, fix-
pences, groats, threepences, twopences, and pence, fine milled money.
The king's coufin, Prince Rupert, and feventeen other perfons of qua-
lity and diftindion, having, in the year 1669, fent out Captain New-
land to Hudfon's bay, where he fettled at Port-Nelfon ; and Captain
Gillam alfo returning, with fome fuccefs, in his proiped of a trade with
the favages in that bay, thofe noble adventurers obtained from the king
an incorporating charter, dated May 2, 1670, reciting, in fubftance,
that thole adventurers had, at their own great coll, undertaken an ex-
pedition to Hudfon's bay, in order to difcover a new paffige into the
South fea, and to find a trade for furs, minerals, &c. and having al-
ready made fuch difcoveries as encourage them to proceed farther in
their defign, by means whereof there may probably arife great ad-
vantage to us and our kingdoms : and we being defirous to promote
all endeavours for the public good, do, by thefe prefents, grant for
us, our heirs, and fucceflbrs, unto them, and fuch others as ftiall be
hereatter admitted into the laid fociety, to be tor ever one body-cor-
porate and politic, by the nam.e of The governor and company of ad-
venturers of England trading into Hudfon's bay, with perpetual fuc-
cellion, and to be capable of holding, receiving, and pofielTing, lands,
rents, &c.' (without limiting the value or extent thereof) ' and to
alienate the fame at pleafure. They may alfo fue and be fued, have
a common feal, fhall have a governor and feven other perfons, to be
called committees, to be annually eleded out of the proprietors, the
deputy-governor to be eleded out of the laid feven committees : a
governor and any three of the committees for the time being, fhall
have the direction of the voyages, and the provifion of the merchan-
dize and fhipping, and of the fales of the returns, as likewife of all
other bufinefs of this company : and they ihall take the ufual oath of
fidelity, as fhall alfo all perfons admitted to trade as freemen of this
company, who are to have the fole trade and commerce of and to all
the feas, ba)S, flraits, creeks, lakes, rivers, and founds, in whatfo-
ever latitude they fhall be *, that lye withiji the entrance of the
ftrait commonly called Hudfon's flraits, together with all the lands,
countries, and territories upon the coafls and confines of the faid
feas, flraits, bays, &c. which are not now actually poifefTed by any
of our fubjecls, or by the fubjeds of any other chriftian prince or
flate : together with the fifhing of all forts of fifh, of whales, flur-
geons, and all other royal fifhes, in the faid feas, bays, &c. together
with the royalty of the fea within their limits aforefaid ; as alfo all
mines-royal of gold, filver, gems, and pretious floncs, and that the
* The king-, uncertain of th? pofition of places within this hay, prudently declines the fpecifica-
tion of any particular longitudes and latitudes in this charter. A,
4 A 2
$^6 A. D. 1670.
land be from henceforward reckoned and reputed as one of our plan-
tations or colonies in America, and to be called Rupert's land ; the
company to be deemed the true and abfolute lords and proprietors of
the fame territories * ; faving always the faith, allegiance, and fove-
reign dominion, to us, our heirs, and fucceflbrs, to be holden as of our
manor of Eaft Greenwich, in free and common foccage : yielding
and paying yearly to us, our heirs, and tiicceflbrs, for the fame, two
elks, and two black beavers, whenfoever and as often as we, our heirs,
and fucceffors, (hall happen to enter into the faid countries, &c. here-
by granted. The company may make bye laws, &c. for the good go-
vernment of their forts, plantations, and fadors, and may impofe
fines, &c. on offenders, not repugnant to the laws of the kingdom,
without accounting to the crown for the fame. This company may
not only enjoy the whole trade, &c. within the limits aforeflud, but
likewife the fole traffic to and from all havens, bays, creeks, rivers,
lakes, and feas, into which they iliall find entrance or palTage by water
or land, out of the territories, limits, and places, aforefaid, and to and
with all the natives and people within the territories aforefaid, and
with all other nations inhabiting any the coafls adjacent to the faid'
territories and limits aforefaid which are not already pofleffed as afore-
faid by any chriftian potentate, or whereof the fole liberty or privi-
lege of trade and traffic is not granted to any other of our fubjeds f .
None other than this company and their agents and afligns, fhall di-
rectly vifit, haunt, or frequent, traffic, or adventure, by way of mer-
chandize, into the faid limits, unlefs by licence of this company, on
pain of forfeiting fhips and merchandize, half to the crown and half
to the company. Every pcrfon having Lioo ftock, is entitled to one
vote in general courts of eledions. The company may (end Ihips of
war, ammunition, &c. and may ered forts in their territories as welf
as towns ; may make peace and war with any prince or people not
chriftian: alfo may make reprifais on any others interrupting or
wronging them ; may feize on and fend home all fuch Englilh or
other fubjeds failing into Hiidfon's bay without their licence ; and
their governors, &:c. may fine or othtrwife puniih offenders, and may
adminifter an oath for the difcovery of offenders, &c. Laftly, all ad-
mirals, &c. are to be aiding to the company in the execution of the
above powers and privileges.'
This charter is a very ample one : and if our laws and free conftitu-
tion, and particularly that mofl exxellent ftatute made in the fecond
fefiion of the firft year of King William and Queen Mary, entitled An
ad declaring the rights and liberties of the fubjed, and fettling the fuc-
* This is alfo the llile of the Carolina charters, y^.
•f This is a faviicg claufe in behalf of the Eall-India company'd charter, in cafe tliis company fliould
find the fuppoftd paiTage from thence into the South fea. ^.
A. D. 1670. 557
ceflion of the crown, had not limited the prerogative in the cafe of ex-
elufive charters of privileges, this company would doubtlefs be abfolute
in thofe immenfe territories : but the cafe, to our great happinefs, is
now quite otherwife ; and fince that great eftabliihment of our liber-
ties, neither the HudTon's-bay, nor any other company, not confirmed
by act of parliament, has any exclufive rights at all : wherefor any Bri-
lifli fubjecls may fail into Hudlon's bay, fifli, and traffic with the na-
tive Indians there, may travel into, and make difcoveries therein, either
by land or water, as freely as that company can do, as has fince been
praftifed frequently in our own days. All the advantage, that the com-
pany has over other adventurers thither, is purely the benefit of their
own forts, fuch as they are, whereby their agents can refide in fo in-
hofpitable a country during the winter, pre})aratory to their trading
with the favages againfi; the arrival ot their fliips in the fummer ; and
that thereby they have not only more fafety and protection , but alio
have m.ore experience in trading with the native Indians thereabout
than any private adventurers can have, whofe fliips cannot with fafety
remain in that vail bay above a part only ot our lummer, left they be
fhut in by the ice, which fills the bay with heaps of it iike mountams.
And indeed, even thefe advantages alone on the company's lide are fo
confiderable, that they are not like to be fuccelsfuUy rivalled m hafte
by any private adventurers. Their capital of about Lii 0,000, is con-
fined to a fmall nuniber of proprietors, who have three or four forts m
different parts of Hudlon's bay, in which they have in all about i 20
perfons, who, for nine months of the year, live in a manner ftiut up
within their forts, in low hdules calculated to defend them from the
piercing cold, fnow, and rains. In lummer they go out and fhoot, hunt,
and fifli, and meet with deer and wild-fowl ; and they have lome few
wild fruits, as ftrawberries, dewberries, and gool'eberrics. From Eng-
land they receive annually three or foui Ihips laden with coarfe woollen
goods, guns, powder and ihot, I'pirits, edge-tools, and fundry other uten-
fils : in return for which the natives fell them all kinds of furs or pel-
try, goofe quills, caflorum, wdiale fins and oil, bed feathers, &c. and
they make handforae annual dividends to their proprietors.
' Mr. Eailey, the company's firft governor of tiieir fictories and fet-
' tlements in that bay, entertained a friendly correfpondence, by letters
' and otherwile, with Mr. Frontenac then governor ot Canaua, who, in
' feveral years, made no complamt of any injury done to f ranee by
' the company's fettling a trade and building iorts m Hudlon's bay,
' nor did France pretend any right to that bay, or to tlie countries bor-
' dering on it, till long after this time,' as will be leen in its place.
The country around Hudlbn'ii bay is Jo inhofpitable, that even in the
nioft foutherly part of the bay, in the latitude of but 51 degrees, it is
exceffively cold for about nine Uiondis of the year. In fo wretched a.
^^S A. D. 1670.
country, therefor, there can be no plantations, properly fo called, and
much lefs any towns or villages. Our people therefor muft be fupplied
from England with bread, beef, pork, flour, peas, and other neceffaries *.
With the poor favages of the country there can be no other commerce
but by barter : thus, for inftance, the company for one beaver's fkin
give half a pound of gunpowder, four pound weight of lead-fhot, two
hatchets, half a pound of glafs beads, one pound weight of tobacco,
eight fmall or fix large knives, one large and two fmall powder horns :
for twelve good winter beaver fkins, a gun of the beft fort ; for eight
ditto, the fmalleil gun ; for fix ditto, a good laced coat ; for five ditto,
a plain red coat ; for four ditto, a woman's coat ; and fo in proportion
for kettles, looking-glalles, combs, &c. Arthur Dobbs, Efq. (fince go-
vernor of North Carolina) in his account of this country, (4to, 1744)
gives us the particulars of one fiile in the year 1740, wherein were
17,780 beaver fkins, and 49,600 fl^ins of all kinds, 2360 pound weight
of bed feathers, i 60 caftorum, 610 whale fins, and 120 galloris of whale
oil. And, as he fays, there are two fales every year, and that this com-
pany referves three fifths of their beaver fkins for their fecond fale, but
no other fl<:ins, then the fecond fale mufi: have 26,670 beaver ikins, and
both the fales mufi: have had 44,450 beaver fkins, &c.
Although the French at Canada did not at firft pretend to a property
in the countries about Hudlon's bay, yet in a few years after the com-
pany was eftabhflied, (viz. in 1674) they began to be jealous, and very
troublefome to our people there, and they built a fort within eight days
journey of our fettlement on Prince Rupert's river. They alfo endea-
voured, by underfelling us in their barter with the Indians, to ruin our
trade and intereft with thofe favages : for the nearefl; parts of Canada
are not 150 miles diflant from Rupert's river.
Carolina foon furmounted the ufual difficulties and difcouragements
attending new plantations, and gradually became a very confiderable
colony. Mr. John Lawfon, who had been furveyor-general of North-
Carolina, and publifhed the Hifi:ory of Carolina (4to, 1718), has made
fome good remarks on the excellency and fertility of its climate, and of
its happy fituation. He obferves, that the befl filver mines of the Spa-
niards lie directly weft from Carolina, and although none of that fort
be hitherto dilcovered in that province ; yet there is ftill a probability
that fuch hereafter may be found, when the hilly parts weilward fhall
be more frequented and planted; that none of our continental plan-
tations are to be compared to Carolina for its vaft quantities of naval
ftores, fuch as pitch, tar, turpentine, rofin, mafts, yards, planks, boards,
timber of many Ibrts, and fit for many uies, pipe-ftaves, lumber, hemp,
flax, all foris of Englifh grain, and alfo Indian corn f . Their flocks of
* Some hy ihat barley, oats, and peas, have been fowed there with fome degree of fuccefs. y/.
f Rice, now its grand ttaple, was not then introduced, or only jull attempted, yf.
A. D.I 670. 559
cattle are incredibly large, and feed in their rank favannas or meadows,
and rhey need no dry f'^^dder in their mild winters : an advantage which
our more northerly colonies want. South-Carolina produces confider-
able quantities of filk, and grapes in plenty, though not fo fine as in fome
parts of Europe, for want of a good and more general cultivation : fo
that he doubted not but Carolina would in time become a wine coun-
try. North-Carolina is a feparate government, and of a fmaller com-
pais than the other, partaking more of the nature of its adjoining neigh-
bour Virginia, both as to foil, climate, and produce, making therein
confiderable quantities of tobacco, their lands being generally richer
than thofe in Virginia. In fine, all the experiments that have been
made in Carolina have exceeded expedation, and it affords fome com-
modities, which other places in the fame latitude do not. It has rich and
delightful paifures, fine hills and rivers, and a moft wholelbme air. It
will, continues he, doubtlefs in time increafe the number of its produc-
tions, and afford us thofe rich commodities which India, China, the
Straits, Turkey, &c. fupply us with at prefent, fuch as tea, coffee, drugs
of various kinds, dates, almonds, &c. : which predidion has fince, in
a great degree, proved true in fad:. And though all that Mr. Lawibn
has laid of the improvements of this excellent province were not com-
pleted fo early as this year 1670, yet as many of them were then pretty
far advanced, and as we fliall fcarcely have occafion to treat again of
that colony during the remainder of this century, we thought it befl to
throw all the above particulars together at this time.
By an ad of parliament, [22 Car. II, c. 13] it was enaded, that when
wheat was not above L2 : 13:4 per quarter, it fhould, upon exporta-
tion, pay cuftom and poundage per quarter, viz.
From that price to L4 per quarter
Rye at about L2 to pay - - -
Barley and malt, not above Li : 12, to pay
Oats at 1 6/" per quarter, to pay
Peas and beans at L2, to pay « _ _ -
This flatute permits the exportation of any fort of live cattle but
fheep ; as alio of beef, pork, butter, cheefe, &c.
About this time, or perhaps a little later, the linen manufadure be-
gan to be encouraged in Ireland. It began among the Scots ui the
north of Ireland, where it has to this day flourilhed nsore than m any
ether part. It has, efpecially within the laft forty years, grown to io
vail an extent, as to furprife ail men, and to alarm all the linen coun-
tries beyond fea, fo as not a little to affed the general balance of trade
with thofe countries. The vafl quantities of linen, which England lakes
of the Inlh, enables them to pay for almoil every kind of our produd
and manufadure which we fupply them with. Before they made much
linen cloth, the people in the north of Ireland fent their hneu jaiu to
3
Lo
16
0
0
8
0
0
16
0
0
16
0
0
5
4
0
16
0
560 A. D. 1670.
England. Ireland is really a mine of treafure to Great Britain, and is
fo perhaps in a much greater degree than feme of our American plan-
tations, fince much of what is gained in Ireland centers at length in
Britain. And the ingenious author of a trad, entitled the Querift, pub-
lifhed fome few years ago, rightly obferves, that every fevere ftep taken
by us with regard to Ireland, has been lefs injurious to it than advan-
tageous to our foreign rivals. It is now clearly feen, that the prohibi-
tion ot live cattle from Ireland, in order to raife the price of our own
lands, was not well judged. Even the reftridive laws relating to the
woollen manufadures of Ireland forced the Irifli workmen to fettle in
France, and thereby laid the foundation for the great woollen manufac-
ture in that kingdom, although we mull confefs this lad point to be ex-
tremely delicate on both fides of the queftion.
Aboui this time the duke of Buckingham procured makers, grinders,
and poUfhers, of glafs from Venice, to fettle in England. The manu-
fadtire has fince been brought to fuch perfedion, that the very fineft
glafs is now lent from this country to all parts of the globe, even Venice
itfelt not excepted.
1 67 I. — The Englifh Eaft-India company entered into an agreement
with the king of Golconda to pay him a certain annuity of i 260 pa-
godas for ever, inftead of the culloms hitherto paid to him at Madras,
or Fort St. George, which is faid to have fince then proved a great be-
nefit to the company's mcreafing commerce at that place.
1672. — The exportation of our produce and manufadures was en-
couraged by an ad of parliament, [25 Car. II, c. 6] for taking off aliens
duty upon all the native commodities, coals only excepted, and manu-
fadures of England exported by foreigners : thereby putting them on
a level with Enghfh fubjecT:s : whereas by the 1 1 th of Henry VII, c. 14,
and the tonnage and poundage ad of the i 2th (confirmed by one of
the 13th) year of the prefent king, they were to pay double duties.
By this law aliens were to pay only the fame duty for fifti caught by
Engliflimen, and'exported in Englifh fhipping, navigated as the navi-
gation ad direds, as the natives pay.
it was in January 1671 (now 1672) that King Charles II was fo ill
advifed by Sir Thomas Clifford, (for which he was created a peer and
lord high treafurer) as to ihut up the exchequer, on which occafion he
made a declaration in council, that it fliould be but for one year only.
Thereby all the money which the London goldfmiihs and bankers had
lent to the king at 8 per cent interefl, befides certain confiderable ad-
vantages in the manner of paying them the money weekly, as it came
into the exchequer, &c. was made ufe of by him for his intended war
againft Floiland. The cruel and unjuil feizure of this money, amount-
ing to Li, 328, 526, an.l not even paying the interefi: due on it, made a
very great clamour among the creditors of the bankers ; and it was
I
Ai, D. 1672. ^6r
'laid, that near io,oco himilies were greatly hurt, and many of them
tntirely ruined. It was now faid, and even publhhed, that a flop of
this kind, which fo much lellcned the credit of the exchequer and the
reputation of the crown, could proceed from nothing lefs than a refo-
lution of the court to borrow no more hereafter but to take. The king,
in his printed declaration, declared, that, although, contrary to his in-
clination, he had been obliged to caufe a flop to be made as to the
principal money, he would punctually pay it hereafter, and till then 6
per cent mlerefl for the fame ; at the fame time directing the treafury
to fit out his fleet with that money. His main purpofes for fuch pre-
parations were, the ruin of the Dutch, the introdudion of poperv", and
the eflabliihment of defpotic power, without the control of a parlia-
ment, for which ends he had entered into a fecret league with France,
by means of the interview he had at Dover \vh\\ his filler the duchefs
of Orleans, jointly to attack the Dutch by fea, while France, the eledlor
of Cologne, and the bilhop of Munfler, fliould invade them in dif-
ferent places by land at the fame time. But as King Charles had al-
ready laviflied away L2, 500,000 given him by parliament, and LyoOjOOo
given him by France, his cabal advifed him to this unjuft feizure of the
bankers money, without which he could not fend out his fleet. As the
payments were always wont to come weekly from the exchequer to the
bankers, they were thereby enabled to anfwer the intereft and other
demands of their creditors : which now failing, they could neither pay
the principal nor interefl to the crowds of creditors by whom they were
dayly befieged. But the king's miniflers paid no regard to thofe ruin-
ed people's lamentations ; and the exchequer long remained fhut, to the
great detriment of trade and bufinefs. Yet, if poflible, to quiet thofe
clamours, the king found himfelf necelTitated to grant them his patent
to pay the faid 6 per cent interefl out of his hereditary excife ; but he
never paid the principal: for althovigh, after lome years, the exchequer
was indeed opened, yet it was to no purpofe for the bankers principal
money. That we may here complete this account of the bankers debt
altogether, we fhall farther obferve, that, although it was not a parlia-
mentary debt, the parliament by an adl of the i 2th year of King Wil-
liam, [c. I 2] after providing for a large arrear of interefl on it, fettled
an interefl of 3 per cent on it for the future ; but this debt was there-
by made redeemable on paying one moiety of the principal fum, being
L664,263, farther confirmed by an act of the 2d and 3d year of Queen
Anne, [c. 15J which moiety was now therefor become the proper debt
of the public ; and, being reduced from 6 to 5 per cent at michaelmas
1 71 7, it was finally fubfcribed into the South fea capital flock in the
year 1720.
Upon this fubjed: Sir William Temple, in his INIifcellanies, makes the
following remark : ' The credit of our exchequer is irrecoverably loll
Vol. ir. 3 4 B
562 A. D. 1672.
* by the laft breach with the bankers; for credit is gained by cuftom,
' and feldom recovers a ftrain. I have heard a great example given of
* this, that happened upon the late King Charles I's feizing L 2 00, 000
' in the mint in 1 638 *, which had then the credit of a bank, and for
' feveral years had been the treafury of all the vafi: payments tranfmit-
'' ted from Spain to Flanders : but after this invafion of it, although the
' king paid back the money in a few months, the mint has never fmce
' recovered its credit among foreign merchants.'
Even fo late as this time, according to the anonymous author, who
has fo judicioufly tranfmitted the curious hiftory of our London bank-
ers, the receiving and paying of money from morning till night in an
open fhop was fo new, that our author himfelf feemed to think it a
flrange fort of a thing ; and was by no means a friend to that kind of
trade.
Sir Jofiah Child alfo feems to be equally prepofrefTed againfl: it ; and
freely attacks the bankers in feveral parts of his Difcourfes on trade. He
accufes the bankers of his time, of being the main caufe of keeping the
interell of money at leafl 2 per cent higher than otherwife it would be ;
for (fays he) they give 6 per cent to private perfons for the money,
which they lend the king at 10 and 12 per cent, and fometimes more.
He inveighs againfl: what he calls this innovated practice of bankers, or
this new invention of cafhiering, as produdive of many evils, which has
made us fufped, that he himfelf might have been the author of the fmall
tra<5t on the Myftery of the new-fafhioned goldfmiths, of vi'hich we have
made good ufe under the year 1645, &c. : ' for, by allowing their cre-
' ditors, at this time, fo high an interefl as 6 per cent, (whereas, till the
' king's wants increafed his demands on them, they allowed but 4 per
' cent) they make monied men fit down lazily with fo high an intereft,
' and not pufh into commerce with their money, as they certainly would
' do were it at 4 or 3 per cent, as in Holland. This high iiiterefl alfo
' keeps the price of land fo low as 1 5 years purchafe, which would
' otherwife be at 20 years purchafe. It alfo makes money fcarce in the
' country ; feeing the trade of banking being only in London, it very
' much drains the ready money from all other parts of the kingdom.'
Upon the whole, whatever might in thofe days be faid, with truth, of
the practices of bankers, the cafe is at prefent quite otherwife ; and the
difpatch given by our modern London bankers to merchants, and other
dealers, is found fo convenient, that they are glad to lodge their main
cafh with them, to be drawn out from time to time as they want it,
without receiving or expecting any intereft; whatever ; and the bankers
generally get great fortunes, by prudently inverting a certain proportion
of their cafh in our national funds, and lending it on private pledges,
• This compulfory loan we have placed in the year 1640. //.
A. D. 1672. 563
&c. What is faid on this fubjed, it is hoped, may fufHce for a general
hiftory of private banking in London, even down to our days.
Although the Greenland, or more properly the Spitzbergen, whale
fifhing had been early pradifed by the Englifh, yet it had been laid
afide towards the later end of the reign of King James I, though confefT-
edly beneficial for the employment of great numbers of (hips and fea- ■
men, and the confumption of much of our provifions, &c. and fince
our leaving it off, we were obliged to pay large fums to the Dutch,
and to the Hanfe towns, for the oil and whale-fins which we had need
of. Therefor an adl of parliament pafTed, [25 Car. II, c. 7] for en-
couraging the Greenland and Eaftland trades ; and for the better fecur-
ing the plantation trade ; in fubftance, viz.
I) That, whereas Englifh harpooners could not now be got, the ad of
navigation was hereby fo far difpenfed with, for ten years to come, pro-
vided the fhip be Engl ifli -built, and the mafi;er and half the crew be
Englifh, the other half inight be foreigners in the faid fifhery. This, it
is true, produced fome private attempts for reviving that fifhery, which,
however, in feven years after, fell to nothing again, although neither the
oil nor the whale-bone were to pay any duty ; but our plantation fhip-
ping fhould pay 6/" for every ton of oil, and L2 : 10 for every ton of
whale-fins, imported in their own fhipping ; and half fo m^ich if import-
ed in Englifh fhipping. If oil be imported in foreign fhipping, the ton
of oil fliall pay L9, and the ton of fins L18. In the firft feflion of the
2d year of William and Mary, [c. 4] anno 1690, this ad: for the whale
fifhing at Greenland was continued for four years longer ; but not fo
much as a fingle fliip was fitted out in confequence thereof.
II) Ships trading from England to our plantations, and returning
back laden with fugars, tobacco, ginger, indigo, logwood, fuftick, cot-
ton, cocoa nuts, &c. and not giving bond to land them in England,
were to pay fundry duties, needlefs here to be fpecified.
III) For the encouragement of the Eaftland trade, it is hereby enad-
ed, that all perfons, natives or foreigners, may, from the iftof May
1673, have free liberty to trade into Sweden, Denmark, and Norway ;
any thing in the Eaftland company's charter to the contrary notwith-
ftanding.
IV) Whoever (if anEnglifhman) fliall henceforth defire to be admit-
ted into the feliowfhip of the faid Eaftland company, fliall pay 40/", and
no more.
Thefe two claufes proved a mortal blow to the Eaftland company 5
for hereby all the north fide of the Baltic fea was laid open to all, and
the freedom for trading to the fouth fide of it, was open to all for 40/.'
Sir Jofiah Child was of opinion, that the Eaftland company, by exclud-
ing others (not free of their company) from the trade, had cna1:)led the
Dutch to fupply all parts within the Baltic with moft of the mercliaii-
* 4 B 2
5^4
A. D. 1672.
dize ufually fent tliither, viz. oil, wine, fugar, fruits, &.c. And thai the
Dutch (wlio have no Eaftlaud company) had then ten times the trade
thither that we had. And alfo toRuffia and Greenland, where we have
companies, and they have none, they have forty tinges the trade that
we have. Laflly, to Italy, Spain, and Portugal, where we have no com-
panies, we have yet left full as much, if not more, trade than the
Dutch.
This year King Charles declared war againft the Dutch, purfuant to
his fecret agreeiiient with France, for which his minifters were greatly
puzzled to find any jull pretext whatfoever. The author of Colbert's
life alleges, ' that by that lecret treaty the United Netherlands were to
* be divided between thoie iwo kings ; but that Charles withdrew from
* the league, growing at length jealous of Louis's vaft fuccels, who in
' 40 days time conquered four of the feven provinces, and took 40 ci-
* tieb.' buch was Louis's mfolence, and fo much was he alio at a lofs
for any iufl reafon tor invading the Dutch, that in his declaration of
war he oaly faid, ' thac he could not, wichout the dimunition of his
* glory, any longer difPemble his indignation againft the flates-general !'
without alleging fo much as one fingle fact for the ground of his invar
Con. The bare-faced violence and injuftice of both thofe kings are
however foreign to our purpofe to enlarge on. It is enough to remark,
that D'Etrees, with 40 French fliips of war, joined the Englifh fleet at
Po.tfmouth, and entertained our king on board his admiral-fhip ; for,
by this time, Colbert had confiderably augmented the number and
goodnels of the French royal navy, though it was not brought to its ut-
mcft perfection till fix years later. King Charles alfo, to fecond the ra-
pid conqi.efls of Louis, fent over the duke of Monmouth with 6000
Englifli troops to join the French in the Netherlands. In this fame fum-
raer De Ruyter, with above 100 Dutch fhips of war, attacked the com-
bined fleets of England and France, commanded by the duke of York,
on the coafl of Suifolk, and, after a moft terrible flaughier of galiant
men, irom morning till night, and the defirudion of feveral great fliips,
the Dutch retired to their own coafl:. In this horrible conflict the
Dutch admiral Van Ghent and the French rear-admiral De laRobiniere
\\i.re flain. Our admiral, the earl of Sandwich, dildaining to quit his
flup when on fire, was blown up in her. What pity lb gallant a man
did not die in a better caufe I In the midfl of thele diflrefles, the Orange
party in Holland prevailed fo far as to get Prince William * declared
lladtholder, and the two brothers De Witts were deitroyed.
1 he earl of Sandwich was fucceeded, as prefident of the council of
trade, by the earl of Shaftefljury, lord chancellor. The preamble to this
new comuiilfion, which has never yet been in print that we know of, it
* Afterwards king of Great Britain,
A. D. 1672. 56^
having been communicated to the author bjT, private friend, fcts fortli,
that, ' whereas, by the goodnefs of Almighty God, our dominions have
* of late years been confiderably enlarged by the occafion of many
*■ great colonies and plantations in America, and elievvhere ; and both
' our cuftoms and revenues, as well as the trade and wealth of our good
' fubjeds at home and abroad, much increafed by the mutual commerce
' and traffic between thefe our kingdoms and our faid colonies and
* plantations. And whereas feveral other colonies and plantations may
' hereatter accrue to us, and many other great improvements may juft-
ly be expeded, if fufficient care be taken for the encouragement, pro-
tection, and defence, of ovr faid colonies and plantations, and of all our
good I'ubjecls in their refpedive trades and commerce, and a due regu-
lation be niade therein. We have thought fit to ere£t and eftablifh a
felecl council, whofe employment fliall be to take care of the welfare
of our colonies and plantations, and aUo of the trade and navigation
of thefe our kingdoms ; and to give us a true and faithful accolmt
thereof, from time to time, with their opinions and advice thereupon.
To that end know ye, that we, repofing efpecial trull: and confidence
in your abilities, &c. have conftituted, &c. (here the whole board is
named) to be a ftanding council to us for all the affairs which do, or
may any way, concern the navigation, commerce, and trade, as well
domeftic as foreign, of thefe our kingdoms, (Tangier only excepted)
whether immediately held by us, or by any others, in virtue ot our
charters, already made or granted, or hereafter to be fo made or
granted * Axid for the better affiftance of our faid covmcil in all
their debates and confuhations, it fliall be lavrful for our mod dear
brother James <]uke of York, our high admiral, our mod dear coufin
Prince Rupert, (and feves:al other great perfonages therein named) to
be prefent at their debates and reiolutions,' Sec. Yet,' in a few years
time, all thefe fine v.-ords came juil; to nothing, the commillion being
entirely dropped ; his luxury, and his fchemes for the advancement of
popery and lawlefs power, not permitting him to be long at fo much an-
nual e.xpenfe for. fo good a purpole. This commillion was laid to have
been principally promoted by the chancellor Shaftefbury.
The court of France (or rather Colbert) obferving, that all the moft
confiderable European nations tradhig to Eail-India law it extremely
needful to have a fettlement near the Ibuth end of Africa, for the con-
veniency of their fhips in thofe voyages, nowniade a fettlement on the
ifle then called Malcaregnas, which they have llnce named Bourbon,
which is about 370 miles eafh of the great ifland of Madagafcar, and
about 4.0 leagues in compafs. There their flilps meet with proper
refreibments, the ifland being well watered, and abounding in many
* This claufe refers to the Eiigliflt incorporated companies, y^.
566 A, D, 1672,
forts of trees, plants, and fruits, with horned cuttle, hogs, and goats^
(brought originally thither from Europe by the Portuguefe) alfo with
wild fowl, turtles, &c. and of late years yielding coffee, and fundry
other improvements *.
Voltaire (though in many things not abfolutely to be relied on, yet
in thefe matters may be better liftened to) obferves, in his Age of Louis
XIV, how greatly he had improved, fortified, and adorned France : ' It
was (fays he) wonderful to behold the fea-ports, which before were
deferted and in ruins, now furrounded by works, at once both their
ornament and defence, covered alfo with Ihips and mariners, and con-
taining already near 60 large (hips of war. New colonies, under the
protedion of his flag, were fent from all parts into America, Eaft-Tn-
dia, and Africa : a wonderful change this in fix year's time. More-
over, every year of Colbert's miniftry, from 1663 to this year 1672,
was diftinguifhed by the eftablifhment of fome new manufadure, fuch
as fine woollen cloth, filk, and glaffes (with which, till this time, Ve-
nice had fupplied all Europe). He alfo procured from England the fe-
cret of the ftocking-frame, of Englifli invention, by which ftockings
are made ten times quicker than by the knitting needles ; the manu-
fa6tures of carpets alfo, and of fine tapeftries, v/ere introduced ; alfo
wrought-iron ware, fteel, fine earthen ware, Morocco leather,' &c.
* While fuch vafl; improvements were making at home, Louis in this
fummer kept his court at Utrecht, and his troops were making excur-
fions within one league of Amfterdam itfelf. Thus was the greatefi:
mercantile fi;ate that ever exifi;ed upon the very brink of utter defl;ruc-
tion. A m-oment's diligence would have put that king in pofl^eflion of
Amfterdam. The richeft families, and thofe who were mofi: defirous
of liberty, prepared to embark for Batavia, and fly even to the extre-
mities of the world. The fiiips capable to make this voyage were
numbered, and it was found that 50,000 families might be embark-
ed. The Dutch would no longer have exifled but in the moft difi:ant
part of the Eall-Indies : and thefe European provinces, which fubfifl:
only by their Afian riches, their commerce, and (if a Frenchman may
fay fo) by their liberty, would on a fudden have been ruined and de-
populated. Amfl:erdam, the warehoufe and magazine of Europe,
wherein commerce ard the arts are cultivated by 300,000 people,
would liave prefently become only one vafl lake ; and the adjacent
lands, which require an immenfe expenfe to raife and maintain their
banks, would probably at once have wanted both the fupport of men
and money, and would at length have been overwhelmed by the fea,
leaving Louis XIV" only the wretched glory of having deftroyed one
* The firll LiJ.ment of the French at Bourbon is dated in 1655, and the more efFediial oiie i;)
1.671, by Vifcuui.t De Vuux, in his Hiilory of Mauritius, pubh'hed in 1801. M.
A. D. 1672. 567
of the fined and mofl; extraordinary monuments of human induftry.
Four deputies, came to the king's camp to implore his clemency for a
republic, which fix months before had thought herfelf the arbitrator
between kings. Thofe fuppliants were received with haughtineis, and
even with infults and raillery, by Louvois the minifler, and were made
to return feveral times. At length the king ordered his determina-
tion to be declared to theni, viz. ifl, the dates to deliver up all they
poflefTed on the other fide the Rhine, with Nimeguen, and feveral
other towns and forts in the heart of their territories : 2dly, to pay
the king 20 millions : 3dly, that France for the future fhould be maf-
ter of all the great roads of Holland, both by land and water, with-
out paying any tolls : 4thly, that the catholic religion fhould be every-
where reflored : 5thly, that the republic fhould annually fend an am-
baflador extraordinary to the French court with a gold medal, where-
on fhould be engraved an acknowlegment that they held their liber-
ties of Louis XIV : 6thly, and finally, that they fhould alfo make fa-
tisfa6lion to the king of England and the princes of the empire, par-
ticularly thofe of Cologne and Munfler, by whom Holhnd dill conti-
nued to be ravaged.
' Thefe conditions,' (continues Voltaire) ' which approached fo near-
to flavery, appeared intolerable ; and the rigour of the conqueror in-
fpired the vanquifhed with a defperate courage. They determined,
therefor, to die in defence of their liberty. Their hearts and hopes
were all turned upon the prince of Orange, and their fury, againd the
grand penfionary John de Witt and his brother Cornelius, both of.
whom were madacred by the mob at the Hague. They immediately,
cut the dikes which kept out the fea, whereupon the country houfes,
which are innumerable round Amderdam, alfo the villages and neigh-
bouring towns, fuch as Leyden, Delft, &c. were overwhelmed ; and
yet the country people did not repine at feeing their herds of cattle
drowned in the fields. Amderdam itfelf appeared like a vad fortrels
in the midd of the fea, furrounded with fhips of war, which now had :
depth of water fufficient to make them be dationed round the city,
where frefh water was now fold at fix divers per pint. What will be
mod wondered at by poderity is, that Holland, whild thus over-
whelmed on the land, was yet formidable on the ocean under De
Ruyter, who, with 100 fhips of war and 50 fire-fhips, gave battle to
the united fleets of England and France at Solebay, and afterwards
brought their Ead-India fleet fafe into the Texel ; thereby defending
and enriching his country on one fide, whild Louis was dedroying it
on the other. In brief, the emperor Leopold, the great eledor of
Brandenburg, Frederick William, the governor of the Spanifh Ne-
therlands, all flew to the aflidance of the Dutch ; and as no more
conqueds could be made in a country overwhelmed with water, Louis
568
A. D. 1672.
found it bell; to return home, and leave his army, which being weak-
ened by its own fuccefs in garrifoning the numerous conquered townSj
was obUged to retreat ; and the prince of Orange, now ftadtholder,
was by the above fuccours enabled quickly to recover all that Louis
had conquered. In the midft of thofe diforders and devaftations,'
(fays Voltaire) ' the magiftrates of Amfterdam (to their eternal honour)
manifefled virtues which are feldom feen but in a republic. For as
thofe people who were pofFeHed of bank-notes * ran in crowds to the
bank, where it was to be apprehended they would lay violent hands
on the public treafure, every one being eager to get his money out
of the little which they iuppore<.l dill to remain there, -the magiftrates
opened the places where the treafure was depofited, and it was found
entire, juft as it had been firft depofited fixty years before ; and the
filver was even ftill black from the effeds of the fire by which the old
ftadthoufe had been confumed long before. The bank-notes,' (credit)
till now had been conftantly negotiated, and this treafure never touch-
ed, till now, that thole who infifted on havhig their nioney were paid
out of it. Such diftinguiihed good faith, and luch great refources, were
then fo much the more admirable, as Charles II king ot England, to
defray the expenfe of his pleafures and of this war againft the Hol-
landers, had juft at that time become a bankrupt to his fubjeds ; and
it was as diftionouruble in this king thus to violate the public faith,
as it was glorious in the magiftrates of Amfterdam to preferve it at a
time when a failure might have appeared pardonable f .'
This account of Holland's condition is fo finely told by Voltaire, that,
though fomewhat prolix, it cannot, we imagine, fail to be entertaining
to every curious reader who has not read bis work.
Spain having afllfted the Dutch in this war with France, as their own
Netherlands muft inevitably have been loft had the Dutch been ruined,
Louis made that a pretence to feize on the Franche Compte of Burgun-
dy, and on many places in the Spanifh Netherlands ; and although by
the fucceeding peace of Nimeguen fome of the Netherland towns were
reftored to Spain, France neverthelefs has retained the county of Bur-
gundy to this day.
We have feen the three former Englifh African companies ruined
by war, mifcondud, and ftriiggles with the interlopers. In this year
the fourth and laft exclufive company was ereded, alter the third com-
pany had furrendered their charter, for the above reaions. To this
* He means bank credit — comptes in lanque. A.
\ This noble llriiggle of free merchants ag.unll
hi.ughty conq\icrors lecalls to the mind of the read-
er tne noble ilands made by Tyre againil Nebu-
chadnezzar and Alexander, and by the Carthagi-
nians againft the Romans. Though, like thofe
antient leias, l^ouis was ahnoft deified by the
adulation of bafe flatterers, the event was more
favourable to the citizens of Amlttrdam than to
their predccefibrs, the merchants of antiquity. M.
A. D. 1672. ^6^
fourth company the king and the duke of York fubfcribed, as well as
many perfons of rank uad quality ; and the whole capital of Li 1 1 ,000
was completed in nine months. In this new fubfcription the late com-
pany was allowed L34,oco for their three forts, viz. Cape-eoafl: caftle.
Sierra Leone, and James-fort in the river Gambia. The new company
foon improved tlicir trade and increafed their forts : and whereas all
former companies were obliged to fend to Holland to make up their
aflbrtments of goods, they now introduced into England the making of
fundry kinds of woollen goods, &c. not formerly known. They alfo
imported quantities of gold, out of v/hich 50,000 guineas * were firfl
coined in one year (1673). They alfo imported redwood for dyers',
elephants teeth, wax, honey, &c. ; and they exported to the value of
L70,coo annually in Englifli goods for feveral years: but at the revo-
lution the Weft-India planters joined the interlopers in aflerting, that
they were always beft ferved with flaves when the trade was O'pcn to alh
And the petition arid declaration of right, as that ad of parliam^ent [iwo
GuUehni et Maria'] is commonly called, effectually debarring it and all
other pretended exclufive companies not authorized by parliament, the
trade became open, though the company ftill perfifted in feizing the
feparate traders, which occafioned much clamour and no fmall obftruc-
tion to the negro trade. Their great difputes with the feparate traders
are contained in many large pamphlets, but the fubjed: is long lince be-
come fo obfolete, that it would tire our readers to very little purpofe to
give a detail of it.
Copper half})ence and farthings were coined this year by King
Charles, having on one fide Carolus a Carolo, and on the reverfe Britan-
nia. ' There was,' fays Mr. Tindal in his Notes on Rapin's hiftory,
• another fartliing coined of rare copper, having on the reverfe ^atuor
' Maria vindico ; but thefe were called in to pleafe the French king.:'
And this coinage now effedually fupprelled the private coins called to-
kens.
This year the Turks, with an army of 150,000 men, invaded Poland,
took the ftrong fortreis of Caminiec, and alio brought the Poles fo low
as to fubmit to an annual tribute, in order to obtain peace of the Porte,
which, however, in the very next year was renounced, when King John
Sobiefki gave the Turks a great overthrow, and thereby made better^
and more honourable terms of peace for Poland in the year 1676.
At the clofe of this memorable year Sir Tobias Bridges, with fix
fhips from Barbados, took from the Dutch the iflnnd of Tobago in the
Weft-Indies, and alfo St. Euftatia \ which later the Dutch admiral Evertz
retook the fame year. On the other hand, the Dutch took St. Helena
from England, v/hich was recovered next year by furpriiing tlie Dutch
* So named from the country which produced the gold whereof they were made. A.
Vol. it. 4 C
57<5 A. D. 1672.
gaiTifon at a place where only two perfons abreafl could climb up the
rock. Three rich Dutch India fliips were taken with the ifland. The
narrow pafs was afterwards flrongly fortified ; and as the reft of the
ifland is entirely a fleep rock, the Englifli colony, faid to confifl; of
about 200 families, live in perfeft fecurity.
1673. — The whole bufinefs of the colony of St. Helena is to fupply
frefh provifions and water for our homeward-bound Eaft-lndia fliips,
in return for which the planters are fupplied out of the company's
warehoufes there with brandy, wine, arrack, beer, malt, fugar, tea, &c.
alfo with clothing from England and India ; fo that this otherwife bar-
ren and rocky fpot is, by its happy fituation, of fingular benefit to our
{hipping, and to thofe alfo of other nations in amity with us. The Por-
tuguefe difcovered it in the year 1501, when it was quite uninhabited.
They flocked it with hogs, poultry, &c. and alfo with lemons, oranges,
figs, &c. which throve very much, and rendered it an ufeful refrefhing
place, where thev often left their fick men till their next return : but
that nation pofTefling fo many ports afterwards along the fouth-eafl coaft
of Africa, fuch as Sofala, Membaza, Melinda, Magadoxa, Mofambique,
&c. for refrefliing their fliips on their Eaft-lndia voyages, they aban-
doned St. Helena, which lay long after defolate, until the Dutch fettled
on it for the like conveniency : but finding the Cape of Good Hope
ftill more convenient, they alfo abandoned St. Helena about the year
1651; whereupon our Eafl:-India company fettled on it; and it now
abounds with cattle, poultry, greens, fruits, &c. there being fome good
fpots here and there between the rocks, afl:ording herbage, pafi:ure, &c.
By King Charles's charter, in the year 1661, the ifland was confirmed to
the Eaft-lndia company; but the Dutch having feized on it in 1665, it
was retaken in 1672, as we have juft feen. The Dutch maftered it
again : and the king's fliips having now finally recovered it (1673), it
became vefted in the crown ; wherefor, in the fame year, the king by
his charter regranted it to the Eaft-lndia company forever, as abfolute
lords-proprietors of it, with all royal mines, &c. ; in wliofe pofl"eflion it
remains to this day.
In the fummer of the year 1673 there were in two months fpace
three feveral and terrible fea-fights between the fleets of England and
Holland, though not fo bloody as that in the preceding year. In the
laft of them, under Prince Rupert, the French fquadron are fiid to have
flood neuter all the later part of the day. The Englifli and French joint
fleet confifted of 1 1 o fliips ; the Dutch of 1 00, under De Ruyter and
Van Tromp. Both fides claimed the vidory in all the three engage-
ments, and both Englifli and Dutch by their gallant condud merited it.
In February [N. S.] this year, the earl of Shaftefbury, chancellor, in a
fpeech in the houfe of peers, inveighed with much acrimony againfl the
Dutch, whom he called ' England's conftant foes, both by intereft and
A. D. 1673. 571
' inclination ;' wherefor he concluded with the elder Gate's words, ' de-
' lenda e/l Carthago,'' i. e. the Dutch mud be extirpated.
During this (hort but hot war the Englifli Eaft-lndia company was
obUged to raife no fewer than fix thoufand men for the fecurity of Bom-
bay againft the attempts of the Dutch.
At this time the manufadured commodities of India annually im-
ported into Europe, and more particularly into England, were become
{o confiderable, as to occafion loud complaints againft our Englifli Eaft-
lndia company, as deftroyers, or at leaft great lefleners, of the confump-
tion of our own Englifli manufadtures ; whereby alfo, it was obferved,
our annual exportation of bullion to India, which formerly did not of-
ten exceed L40,coo, was greatly increafed. Thefe complaints conti-
nued without intermifllon, or rather increafed, until long after, that the
legiflature found it neceflary to enad: a total and abfolute prohibition
of the wear of all fuch in England, muflins only excepted.
This year a fleet of French fhips of war failed to attack the Dutch
forts on the coaft of Ceylon, with a view to poflefs the cinnamon trade;
and they actually took the important fort of Trincomalee. But a fleet
of fixteen large fliips froni Batavia with land forces arriving, the French
fleet retired to Surat, and the Dutch foon recovered it. The French
failed from Surat, and took the fortrefs of St. Thomas, which the
Dutch had taken from the Portuguefe a few years before ; which was
alfo foon loft again to the Dutch ; and in the end not a Angle fliip ever
returned home to France. This then was the laft attempt during the
17th century for difturbing the commerce of the Dutch Eaft-lndia com-
pany.
1674. — The French, after being driven from St. Thomas, retired in
the year id']^ to Fondicherry, which, by permiflion of the viceroy of
the king of Vifapour, they fortified, the fituation being very proper for
the trade of piece-goods, then in great demand in Europe. This place
the French have fo much improved, that it was to our days their capi-
tal refidence for all their Eaft-lndia trade. It was, however, taken by
the Dutch in the year 1693, but reftored to France by the peace of
Ryfwick in 1697 ' '^^^^^'^ which it was ftill farther ftrengthened and im-
proved, fo as to be deemed at length one of the moft confiderable of the
European fcttlements in India, having a large town, with many thou-
fands of Indians in it, befides the French company's people and traders;
and being lately farther enlarged, and the fuburbs walled in,, it is by
fome faid to be four leagues in circumference, and to contain 120,000
inhabitants, chriftians. Moors, and Gentoos.
The univerilil clamour of the people of England on account of the
increafing power of France, fo dangerous to us and to all Europe, obli-
ged King Charles, in the beginning of the year 1674, to come into
terms of peace, by the mediation of Spain, with the ftates of Holland,
4C 2.
572. A, D, 1674.
on much the fame tooting as in that of Breda in the year 1667 ; with
this advantage, however, on his fide, that by the loth article the ftates
agreed to pay our king 800,000 patacoons (being near L20o,ooo ftei'-
Jing) towards the expenfe of this war ; which money came very feafon-
ably to him, who had hiviflied away in a fhameful manner the greateft
part of the money given by parliament for the v/ar.
By the fourth article it was ftipulated, that all Dutch fliips, whether
fliips of war or others, whether in fquadrons or fingle fliips, which fliall
happen to meet any fliips or veflels whatfoever belonging to the king
of Great Britain, whether ene or more, carrying that king's flag called
the jack, in any of the feas from Cape Finifl:erre to the middle point of
the land Van Staten in Norway, fliall ftrike their topfail, and take down
their flag, in the fame manner, and with the like teftimony of refpe^t,
as has been ufually paid at any time or place heretofore by the Dutch
Ihips to thofe of the king or his an-cefliors.
V) And whereas tiie agreement of the year 1667, for the furrender
of the colony of Surinam by King Charles's governor thereof to the
flates-general, has occafioned many quarrels and difputes, and has con-
tributed greatly to the mifunderfl:anding lately arifen between the king
and the fl^ates, the ftates-general now fl;ipulate that thofe articles fliall be
fully executed ; and that the king may fend commiflloners to examine
the condition of his fubjeds remaining there ; and may fend thither
two or three fliips to bring away his fubjec1:s, with their eflfefts and
flaves ; and till then that they be treated equitably in the fale of their
lands, payment of debts, and barter of goods. ,
VI) ' All lands, ifiands, towns, forts, &c. taken on both fides fince
■^ the commencement of this war, ihall be refl:ored by either party in
•' the fame condition they then were.
IX) ' Within three months after the proclamatian of this treaty the
' fl:ates-general agree to fend to London a number of coramiflioners
* equal to thofe of the king, to treat of the freedom of navigation and
' commerce, more efpecially in the Eafl;-Indies ; and in cafe they fliall
* not agree within three months, then the difputes fliall be referred to
' the arbitration of the queen-regent of Spain.'
Done at Wefl:minfi:er, 9th of February [N. S.] 1674.
Another marine treaty was concluded on the ifl; of December 1674 :
and,
By an explanatory declaration of both the marine treaties above-
named, and by another, ligned by Sir William Temple on one fide, at
the Hague, and by the flates-deputies on the other, on the 30th of De-
cember 1675, it is declared, ' that the true meaning and intention of
' the faid articles is, and ought to be, that Ihips and velTels belonging to
* ,the fubjeds of either of the parties can and might, from the time that
' the faid articles were concluded, not only pafs, traffic, and trade, from
A. D. 1674. 573
* a neutral port or place to a place in enmity with the otlicr party, or
* from a place in enmity to a neutral place ; but alfo from a port or
' place in enmity to a port or place in enmity with the other party,
* whether the faid places belong to one and the fame prince or (late, or
' to feveral princes and ftates, with whom the other party is in war :
' and we declare that this is the true and genuine fenfe and meaning
* of the faid articles : and we do promife that the faid declaration fliall
* be ratified by his faid majefty and by the faid Hates-general *.
Part of the fecret article of the foregoing treaty of peace is as fol-
lows, viz. ' neither of the faid parties fhall give leave, nor confent, that
* their fubjeds or inhabitants flfall give any aid, favour, or counfel, di-
' redly or indiredly, by land or fea, nor fliall furnifli, nor permit their
'-fubjeds or inhabitants to furnifli, any fhips, foldiers, feamen, viduals,
* money, inib-uments of war, &c. to the enemies of either party.'
The old ill-judged affair of prohibiting new buildings in London was
once more revived, an order of council being publiHied for profecuting
all fuch as had ereded houfes on new foundations in the fuburbs and
vicinity of London : by which, all that was probably intended, was to
bring fonie money into the impoveriflied and bankrupt exchequer.
So vaft was our commerce with Holland at this time, that after a
great frofl:, in this year 1674, when the waters were open, there failed
out of the harbour of Rotterdam 300 fail of Englifh, Scottifli, and Irifli,
fliips, all at once, with an eaflerly wind. [Ker of Kerjland's Memoirs,
F. ii.]
The Dutch Wefl-India company's exclufive grant now expiring, the
ftates-general renewed the fame, exclulive of all other Dutch inhabit-
ants, to trade to Africa and the Wefl-Indies, any otherwife than in the
name of that company, whofe limits were defined to be from the tropic
of Cancer to the ibuth latitude of ^^ degrees, including all the iflands
within thofe boundaries, both on or near the African and American
coafts. Provided, however, that if the Eaft-India company fliall oc-
cupy the iflands fituated within thofe limits between Africa and Ame-
rica, from Alcenfion fouthward, before this company fliall fo do, then
the Eafl-India company fliall have an exclufive patent for thofe iflands,
&c.
And it feems, the Dutch Wefl-India company do to this day grant li-
cences to private adventurers to trade within thofe limits, from which
emoluments they are partly enabled to make a fmall dividend to the
partners.
* This declaration has given rife to all the com- to protefl them from our cruifeis. The Britidi
plaints of the Dutch, on account of our making court and the Dutch differ widely in their cxpla-
•prize of their (hips laden with French property in nations of this explanatory declaration, which rC'
the years 1757-8-9, which tliofe Dutch Ihips were quires a frcdi treaty to explain it. ^.
intended to convey fate to and frooi France, and
574 A. D. 1675.
1675 The Englifli houfe of commons being much out of humour
with the coudud of their king and his minifters, ading fo much in
favour of France, and fo diametrically oppofite to England's true in-
terells, and obferving the immenfe confumption of French wares of all
kinds in England, and, on the other hand, how little of Englifli mer-
chandize was taken ofl' by France, now ardently purfuing the improve-
ment of her own woollen, filk, and linen, manufadures, that houfe en-
tered into an examination of the general balance of trade between Eng-
land and France, and found that England was annually, for fome time
paft, lofmg above one million flerling by her trade with France.
Imported into England from France, annually,
about _ _ _ . Li, 500, 000 o o
Exported from England to France, annually,
about _ _ - „ 170,000 o o
Annual balance againft England - Li ,330,000 o o
Befide about L6oo,ooo value of French wines, filks, embroideries, and
other fripperies, annually run in or fmuggled upon us : ' fo that all our
* grave laws againft fending money in ipecie out of England, when the
' balance of trade is againft us, is but hedging in the cuckow.' CofFee-
houfes in London were at this time much frequented by perfons of
rank and fubftance, who, fuitable to our native genius, ufecl very much:
freedoni therein, with refped; to the court's proceedings in thefe and
the like points, fo contrary to the voice of the people. Whereupon
the king ilFued a proclamation in this fame year, ' for fupprefling all
* cofFeehoufes in London,' (which alfo was like hedging in the cuckow).
* as being places where the difaffeded met, and fpread fcandalous re-
' ports concerning the condud of his majefty and his minifters.' But
the dealers in coffee, tea, and chocolate, having hereupon remonftrated
to the court, that the faid proclamation would greatly leften his ma-
jefty's revenue, the king, a few days after, iftTued another proclamation:
for fufpending the former.
The navigation laws being fometimes violated, King Charles now
ilFaed a proclamation for prohibiting the importation into his American
plantations of any European merchandize but what ftiould be laden in
England, and for putting other branches of thofe ads into ftrid execu-
tion relating to America.
In September, a fudden fire having burnt down the greateft part of
*he town of Northampton, it was, by an ad of parHament of the 27th
year of King Charles II, direded to be rebuilt, and was accordingly fo
done, in a more beautiful and commodious manner than it had former-
ly been, as appears by the only public ad of this year, 1675.
About 1 200 people, including flaves, who had left Surinam in confe-
quence of the fifth article of the peace with Holland, wers carried to
A. D.I 675. 575
Jamaica, where they had lands afligned to them in the parifli of St.
Elizabeth.
It is faid that the Dutch, after obtaining poflefHon of Surinam, ren-
dered it much more he»ahhy than formerly, by clearing the woods and
draining the marfhes. From the mouth of the river Surinam, fituated
in fix degrees north latitude, plantations, extending above 100 miles
up the river, are cultivated by above 800 families, many of whom are
French proteftant refugees. Befides the capital, now called Surinam,
they have New-Zealand, New-Middelburg, and other towns. The pro-
duce is fugar in great quantities, coffee, efleemed fuperior to that of
Martinico and Jamaica, gums, dying woods, cotton, ginger, flax, fliins,
tobacco, &c. Surinam, which is the only colony poiTefled by the Dutch
on the continent of America, is faid to be the joint property of their
Weft-India company, the city of Amfterdam, and the lord of Somelfdyk.
In this fame year a commercial treaty was concluded at Adrianople,
by Sir John Finch, between King Charles and the fultan Mahomet IV,
whereby all former treaties, froniQueen Elizabeth's time downward, were
confirmed, and certain new capitulations were fuperadded, fuch as
freedom for all Englifli fubjeds to refide in, and trade to, Turkey ; to
have confuls of their own appointing in the fea-ports ; to enjoy all the
privileges and immunities which either the French, or the Venetians,
or any chriftian nation, enjoyed, and to pay no higher duties than they
do ; that the Dutch merchants of Holland, Zeeland, Frifeland, and
Gelderland, trading to Turkey, ihall always come thither under the co-
lours of England, and fliall pay the dues to the Englifh ambaflador and
confuls, in the fame manner as the Englifh merchants do ; and the mer-
chants of Spain, Portugal, Ancona, Florence, (hall alfo come under the
flag of England, and pay the fame dues as the Dutch. The Englifh
merchants, and all others who are now to come under the colours of
England, may, with all poflible fecurity, trade, fell, and buy, all forts
of merchandize, not prohibited, not only in Turkey, but they may
likewife trade to Mufcovy by fea or land, and may bring their mer-
chandize from thence to Turkey; and the like liberty is now allowed the
Englifli with refpeft to Perfia, &c.
The bufinefs of the protedion of the flag had occafioned much con-
teft between the ambafladors of England and thofe of France at the
Porte, the later having alio fometimes got it inferted in their treaties
and capitulations, that the Dutch and the other nations, who as yet had
concluded no commercial treaties with the Ottoman Porte, fliould come
and trade under the flag and proted:ion of France : but now, in this
treaty, that privilege is afcertained to England alone. The cafe is much
altered fince the time we are now treating of; the Dutch, particularly,
having long fince had the privilege of ambafllidors and confuls of their
own refiding conftantly in Turkey. There are in this treaty 67 arti-
576 A. D.I 675^
cles in all, to which, after Sir John Finch's arrival, were added the fol'
lowing explanations, viz.
I) What duty the Englifli fliips paid for their merchandize coming
to Scanderoon, and afterwards to Aleppo.
II) For all merchandize which the Englifli merchants fhall import or
export, they fhall pay only 3 per cent ; and woollen cloths from Lon-^
don fliall pay 144. alpers per piece, whether fine or coarfe, of the ma-
nufadure of England; (80 afpers being worth a Spanifli piece of eight).
But the woollen cloths of Holland, &c. which are not of the manufac-
ture of England, ftiall hereafter pay the duties as formerly have been
cuftomary, &c.
Ill, IV, V, VI, and VII, contain only certain regulations concern-
ing caufes to be tried relating to the Englifh, and the anchorage duty
on our fhips arriving at Conflimtinople, Scanderoon, Smyrna, Cyprus,
&.C. and other matters relating to duties and debts..
VIII) Two fhip loads of figs and currants are annually allowed to be.
exported from Smyi-na, Salonichi, &c. for the ufe of the king of Great
Britain's kitchen, provided, there be no fcarcity of thofe fruits, paying
only 3 per cent cufhom for the faine. And the ninth article is only a
very ambiguous and vague ftipulation concerning the duty on all filk
which the Englifh buy at Smyrna. [General colleBion of treaties, V. iii,
p. 282.]
The anonymous author of a fpirited treatife, entitled Britannia lan-
guens, (8vo, 1680) written chiefly with a view to evince that the com-
merce of England had been for fome years in a confumptive way *,
exhibits an account of all the gold and lilver coined in England from
the ifl of Odober 1599 to November in this year 1675, being 76.
years, which he has divided into four periods ; fhewing how our coin-
age increafed in the three firfh periods, proportionably to the increafe
of our trade and navigation, and how much the coinage had decreafed
iir the fourth period, taken, he fays, from a printed account of the faid
year 1675, viz.
I ft period, 19^ years f"rom Odober 1599 to March 1619, coined in
gold and lilver, - - - L4,779,3i4 13 4
2d period, 19 years from March 1619 to March
1638, _____ 6,900,042 II I
3d period, 19 years from March 1638 to May 1657, 7,733,521 13 4^
4th period, 1 8-^ years from May 1657 to Novem-
ber 1675, - - - 2,238,997 16 o\
(About one million of which laft fum was harp
and crofs money, and broad gold, &c. recoined.)
In 76 years, total coined in England is - L2i,65i,876 13 10
* Doftor D'Avenant, and feveral otlier writers, fix on that very year 1680, as the time when Eng.
lund was in the zenith of commercial profperity. A.
A. D.I 675. sil
So, fays this author, our coinage yearly increafed from the firrt; to the
fecond period, and from the fecond to the third, but annually decreafed
from the third to the fourth, period ; and from thence he inferred, that
we were decayed and overbalanced in our foreign trade, and that our
coin was exported to make good that balance. This pofition is doubt-
lefs overflretched ; for although it may be, and certainly was true, that
in the three firfl periods England poflefled, almofl alone, all the trade
of the woollen drapery with the north and weft parts of Europe, until
between the third and fourth periods, that the Dutch gained much of it
from us, and that towards the clofe of the fourth period, France alfo
pufhed into it, yet it furely by no means follows, that, becaufe we did
not coin fo much between the third and fourth periods as formerly, we
therefor were lofers by the general balance of our annual commerce
within that time : it has, however, been already noted, under the year
1664, by Dr. D'Avenant's account, that we were greatly lofers in the
general balance tor the year 1662, too much, if not wholely, owing to
our iramenfe importations from France : yet upon this famoVis topic
we muft, after all, agree with Sir Jofiah Child, as we have obierved un-
der the year 1 670, that it is extremely difficult to fix with precifion the
general balance of a nation's commerce, any other way than by his ju-
dicious third pofition. This indeed is, in good part, confirmed even by
this author, who, however, (in/>. 157 etfeq.) obferves, * that the Dutch,
long after they became independent ftates, were ignorant of our new
drapery, viz. of bayes, fayes, &c. which we had learned from the
Flemings, driven out by Alva's perfecution, and we fupplied the
Dutch with vafl quantities of cloth alfo, though moftly white, which
they dyed and drelTed, and exported to Germany and many other
parts. We had alfo formerly the fole trade to Denmark, Norway,
Sweden, Livonia, Poland, and Pruflia, by our Eaftland company,
formerly very flourifhing, and called the royal company * : our exports
to all which northern countries are greatly lefTened by the Dutch hav-
ing fet up mighty woollen manufadtures, and the Flemings renewing
theirs. We had formerly the fole trade of woollen clothing to France,
to the value of L6oo,ooo yearly, but now none at all ; alfo the fole
trade to Turkey, though of late the Dutch are become our competi-
tors therein, and the French have been long nibbling at this trade f ;
and in the Spanifh trade both the French and Dutch fhare largely with
us. What is yet more grievous, we import much fine cloth from the
^ Dutch yearly :|:, and till of late we imported to the value of .Li 50,000
* yearly in fi:ufFs and druggets. Formerly,' continues our author, ' we
* I have not met with tliis appellation anywhere elfe. ^.
•f- In our days they are far fiom being nibblers at it. A,
j This was owing then to the fiiperiority of the Dutch in finifhing their cloths. Tiie cffefl has
long a.;o ctafed with the caufe. /!..
Vol. II. 4 D
57^ J^. D. 1675.
' load the fole trade to Portugal, but now the French and Dutch are our
* competitors, as they are alfo to Italy, where we formerly fupplied all.
* The Venetians alfo fupply and vend much cloth there. We kept th'e
' monopoly of the woollen manufadure to mofl parts of the trading
* world during all the reign of King James I, and the greateft part of
' that of King Charles I. This was our principal jewel : and as, at the
* fame time our imports -were lefs than of late, no wonder our coin-
' age was fo great.'
Thus we receive not a little light into the hiflory of our woollen ma-
nufadure from this able author, whofe work, though written with fome
feeming exaggeration here and there, is ftill worth perulal even at this
day *.
The Dutch Eaft-India company at this time got the town of St. Tho-
mas on the Coromandel coafl into their hands by aflifling the king of
Golconda to recover it from the French, to whom he had given it fome
years before, the French having then taken it from the Portuguefe.
This year the Englifli parliament granted L300,ooo for building
twenty large fliips of war, viz. one firfl rate fhip of 1400 tons, eight fe-
cond rate fhips of each 1 1 00 tons, and eleven third rates ef each 700
-tons. Such as know the fete of the navy in our days know, that fliips
of the above rates are feveral hundred tons larger than thefe were : and
alfo that they could not be now built for confiderably more than the
above fum. At the fame time the parliament refolved for the future
to apply the tonnage and poundage duty abfolutely for the benefit of
the navy, whichwas.no fmall mortification to the king, who was far-
ther difpleafed at their refufing him money for taking off the anticipa-
tions on his own proper revenues, and it was on that occafion openly
obferved, that the parliament, or the public, was nowife obliged to pay
the king's private debts, fince that would prove a very dangerous pre-
cedent hereafter. This was a wife and gallant flep towards our prefent
mofl happy parliamentary conftitution, when every fum granted by
parliament is appropriated fpecifically, or elfe in certain extraordinary
cafes, is granted upon account, i. e. to be accoimted for by the crown
officers in the fucceeding feffion of parliament.
1676. — It was in or about the year 1676, that the printing of calicoes
was firfl fet on foot in London : as was alfo brought into ufe from
Holland to London, the weaver's loom-engine, then called the Dutch
loom-engine. Tlius all nations mutually gain the benefit from each
other of new inventions and improvements, none of which can, for any
length of time, be abfolutely engrofled by any particular firfl dif-
coverer.
In a manufcript account of Newfoundland, in the author's pafiefllon,
* A judicious and candid reader will eafily excufe the repetition, which we cannot avoid, of fome
points in fuch fubjctts as thefc, coming from diiferent authors. A%
A. D. 1676. 575
written in the year 1677, we find, that in the preceding year, 1676,
there went thither from England 102 fhips for the cod fifhery there,
each ihip having 20 guns, and carrying 18 boats, and for each boat five
men, in all 9180 men. Their convoy was two fliips of war. And the
total value of the filh and oil, they made there in that year, was com-
puted at L3 8 6,400. How great a nurfery then is this fifhery for Eng-
lifli failors, and how beneficial for the employment of fhip-building,
&c.
In Odober 1676, King Charles granted his fourth charter to theEaft-
India company, confirming all his former ones, notwithfianding any
mifufer, nonufer, or abufer, whatloever of their former rights, liberties,
&c. by the company, or their fervants. What induced the company
to obtain this charter was a great clamour raifed againfi: them at this
time, on account of their many exclufive privileges ; and their enemies
went fo fir as to publifh their opinions, that their charters were adually
void ; becaufe, faid they, the crown could nor legally grant exclufive
privileges and powers, without the concurrence of parliament. This
was boldly faid for thofe times, previous to the ever-famous act of the
firfl: year of William and Mary, called the declaration of rights. The
company's enemies alio alleged, ' that their bond debts amounted to
' L6oo,ooo ; and as they feldom had much above that fum in value, at
' any one time, both in their fadories in India and upon the feas, they
' thence inferred, that they traded wholely with their creditors money»
' of which the compaiiy made 40 per cent, whilfi; they allowed their
* bond creditors but fix per cent.' So that, fiiould their fadories and
goods be deftroyed by war, &c. how could they fecure and maintain the
prefent nominal vnlue of their capital fi:ock,and, at the fame time, ^lly
fatisfy their creditors *.
That company, having now made a very confiderable profit by their
trade, decreed in a general court, that the profits, inftead of making a
dividend thereof to their proprietors, fliould be added to their principal,
or capital ftock, fo as jufi: to double the fame ; for whereas their whole
capital was, till now, only L369,89i : 5 ; every ftiare of L50 was now-
made Lioo, whereby their new capital was made up to L739,782 : 10.
A great part of the wealthy and extenfive burgh of Southwark was
defiiroyed this year by a fudden fire, the houfes having then been
mofi:ly built of timber, lath, and plafter. The legillature thereupon ap-
pointed commifiioners, by an act [29 Car. IF, c. 4] for rebuilding the
iarae, which was done all of brick walls, in a more fubftantial, regular,
and beautiful, manner, than before, as it ftill appears at this day, from
London bridge to St. Margaret's hill, and beyond it.
In this year Sir William Petty v/rote his treatife of Political arith-
* This objeftion liolds equally true againft all traders, whether ca a great or a fmall fcak. A.
4 D 2
580 A. D. 1676.
metic. Perhaps all his computations and inferences are not quite un-
exceptionable, yet, as he was well verfed in the theory of conumerce, we
may fafely avail ourfelves of feme of his ufeful remarks on its increafe
in England, from the year 1636, to the year 1676, viz.
That in that fpace the taxes and public levies in our three kingdoms
have been much greater than at any time before, and yet the faid king-
doms have gradually increafed in wealth and flrength.
1. With refped to.houfing, the ftreets of London ihewit to be double
the value of what it was 40 years before. And they have alfo increafed
therein at Newcaftle, Yarmouth, Norwich, Exeter, Portfmouth, and
Cowes. In Ireland alfo, at Dublin, Kingfale, Colerain, and London-
derry.
2. With refpecl to fliipping, the navy is now triple or quadruple of
what it -was 40 years ago, and before the Sovereign was built. The
fhipping of Newcaftle is now about 80,000 tons, and could not then be
above a quarter of that quantity ; firft, becaufe London is doubled in
people ; iecondly, becaufe the ufe of coals is at leaft doubled, they be-
ing heretofore feldom ufed in chambers, as now they are ; nor were
there fo many bricks burnt with them as of late ; nor did the country
on both fides the Thames make ufe of them as now.
Above 40,000 ton of fhipping are employed in the Guinea and Ame-
rican trade, which trade in thofe days was inconfiderable. The quan-
tity of wines imported was not then near fo great as now. And, in
(hort, the cuftoms did not then yield one third of the prefent value.
3. The number and fplendour of coaches, equipages, and houfehold-
furnlture, have much increafed fince that period.
4. The poftage of letters is increafed from one to twenty *.
5. And his majefty's revenue is now tripled.
6. The money coined during the ufurpation, being called in after the
reftoration, was found to be about one feventh part of the whole cafh of
the nation ; and as it amounted to L8oo,ooo, and fome hoarded money
was not brought in at all, the whole cafh of England may be eftimated
at fix milHons.
Another attempt was now made to difcover a north-eaft paflage. The
duke of York, who was on all occafions a zealous friend to commerce
and navigation, obtained the ufe of a king's flilp, which he. Lord
* This Tiitely is exaggerated. A. The Unilcd provinces, - 900,000
Sir William Petty [/>. I <;, f<^. 1690] fays, ' the France, - - - lot.oco
' very poftage of letters coll the people, perhaps, Hamburgh, Denmark, Swe-
' 1.50,000 per annum, though farmed at much lels.' den, Dantzick, - 250,000
The following calculation of the fhipping of Spain, Portugal, Italy, S;c. 250,000
Europe, made by Sir William, [/•. 5] ought not
to be omitted in this work.
England, (perhiips he includes Scotland and Total iliipping of Europe, 2,oco,coo tons. M.
ireland) - ■ 500,000 tons.
A.D.I 676. 581
Berkley, Sir Jofeph Williamfon, Sir John Banks, and others, fitted out,
together with another fhip bought by them, under the command of
Captain Wood. The hope of effeding a difcovery was revived by new
reports and arguments circulated at this time, fome of which had little
or no foundation, as, ift, whales had been found on the coafl of Corea,
near Japan, with Englifli and Dutch harpoons flicking in them * ; 2d,
20 years before, fomc Dutchmen had failed within one degree of the
north pole, and found it temperate weather there ; and therefor William
Barents, the Dutch navigator, who wintered at Nova Zembla, in 1596,
fhould have failed farther to the north before turning eaftward, in which
cafe faid they he would not have found fo much obfl:rud:ion from the
ice ; 3d, two Dutch fhips had lately failed 300 leagues to the eaftward
of Nova Zembla ; but their Eaft-India company had ftifled that defign,
as againft their intereft. The vefTels doubled the North cape, and came
among much ice and drift-wood, in 76 degrees of latitude, fteering to
the coaft of Nova Zembla, where the king's ftiip ftruck upon the rocks,
and was foon beat to pieces ; and Captain Wood, in the other fhip, re-
turned home, with an opinion, that fuch a paffage was utterly imprac-
ticable, and that Nova Zembla is a part of the continent of Greenland.
i6yy. — The people and parliament of England, being juftly alarmed
at the great progrefs of the French conquefts in the Spanifh Nether-
lands, the houfe of commons requefted the king to make alliances, in
order to fecure the Spanifh Netherlands, in the prefervation of which
they told him, in the beginning of the year 1677, both his and their
interefts were highly concerned. They addreffed him twice again on
this fame account ; and although his fecret engagements with the
French king, for the worft of purpofes, (viz. to eftablifh an abfolute
power over his people, and the popifh religion) were too ftrong to in-
cline him ferioufly to break with him, yet the cries of his people made
him, in part, outwardly comply with thofe repeated addrefles ; and the
parliament now granted him L5 84,000 for building 30 fhips of war, in
order to provide for the nation's fafety. In the mean time, whilfl he
was plunged in pleafures, and remained quite unconcerned, Louis (who
knew his indolence) took the cities of Valenciennes, Cambray, and St.
Omer, whereby the reft of the Spanifh Netherlands was left open on all
fides. The king was again requefted to enter into an offenfive alliance
with the Dutch, and to declare war againft France, which he flatly re-
* This is no infallible proof that (liips could get navigated, or fuiveyed, it is now perfectly well
thither by a north-eaft, paffage, although whales known, that no one vcifel can ever be expected to
might. A. make a clear paffage along the whole coaft, and
The late improvements in geography have fliewR into the Pacific ocean. Ute Coxc's Account of thi
that the paffage between Aha and America is I'.o- -Rujian difajvena k-l-wcen AJla aud Amcrua, aad
where obltructed by land. But though every part Pallas' s New northern collcdhm. M.
"of the north coaft of Europe and Alia has been "^
582 A. D. 1677,
fufed, and therefor adjourned them till winter, and afterwards till April
1678.
In February 1667, (N. S.) King Charles concluded a treaty of com-
merce with France, the fubftance whereof follows.
Articles I and II) Both nations may reciprocally trafiic to all countries
with whom they fhall refpedively be at peace ;. and in cafe one of the
contrading parties fhall be at war with another nation, that fhall not
hinder the other party from trading to that other country with the lame
merchandize as they might do in time of peace, contraband goods ex-
cepted.
III) Contraband merchandize are defined to be all implements for
war, and alfo faltpetre, horfes, and their harnefs.
IV) But not only every thing for the fupport and conveniency of
life, but gold and fllver, coined or uncoined, are declared not to be con-
traband ; and alfo (which was- ftill kinder for France) hemp, flax, pitch,
cordage, fails, anchors, mafts, boards, and wood, wrought of all forts of
trees, and that ferve for building of fhips, or the repair of them, fhali
remain free, in fuch fort, that the fubjeds of France may not only tranf-
port the fame from any neutral place to any otherneutral place, or even
to any place at enmity with the king of Great Britain ; or from a place
that is an enemy to a place that is neutral ; or, laflly, from a place be^
longing to the enemies of the faid king to another alfo belonging to
his enemies, whether thofe ports be under the obedience of one prince
or flate, or of feveral, with one or all of which the king of Great Britain
may be at war. And the like on the fide of the mofl chriftian king ;
excepting,- however, towns adually befieged or invefted.
V) French Ihips coming into the ports of Great Britain, and intending
to go thence elfewhere, fhall be detained no longer than to exhibit their
palFports. And if the French fliips be met in open fea by Britifh fhips
of war, the later, keeping at a diflance, may fend a boat on board the
French fliips, and put only two or three men on board, to the end that
the raafter or owner may exhibit to them his paflport, after which they
fhall freely proceed on their voyage ^ and the like for the fubjects of the
king of Great Britain.
VI) French fliips pafhng to a country at enmity with Great Britain,
meeting with a Britifli fliip of war in their paflage ; and, in like man-
ner, the fliips of Britiib fubjeds meeting a French fhip of war, when
they are going to a place at enmity with France, mufl not only fhew
their paflports, but alfo their authentic certificates, to the end it may be
known, whether there are any contraband goods therein, &c.
VII) Yet if there fhould be found any fuch therein, configned to an
enemy's port, the fearchers are not to go under deck, nor to open or
break into any chefls, bales, cafe, &c. nor to take any thing out of the
fhip, till fhe is brought into port, and a jufl inventory taken, in the pre-
3
A. D. 1677. ^8
fence of the cuftom-houfe officers. Much lefs fhall the goods be fold
or bartered, till after a fair trial, and a fentence pronounced for confif-
cation ; in which confifcation the hull of the veflel, and the lawful mer-
chandize found therein, fhall not be comprifed.
VIIIj French merchandize, found in fliips of the enemies of Great
Britain, fhall be hable to forfeiture, though not contraband. And on
the contrary, the merchandize of the enemies of the king of Great Bri-
tain are not to be forfeited, if found in French fhips, although the faid
merchandize make up the beft part of the lading of fuch fliips, but ftill
with an exception of contraband goods, which, when taken, are to be
difpofed of as in the preceding article. In like fort, Britifh merchan-
dize found in fhips of the enemies of France, fhall be liable to confifca-
tion, though not contraband ; and, on the contrary, the merchandize
of the enemies of France fliall not be confifcated, if found in Britifh
fhips, although they be the greatefl part of the lading, contraband goods
flill excepted. And, in order to prevent a new war that may happen,
from injuring the fubjefts of that crown that fliall be at peace, it is
agreed, that the fhips of the new enemies, laden with merchandize be-
longing to the crown that fhall be at peace, fhall not be forfeited, if lad-
en therewith before the end of the term of fix weeks after the declara-
tion of the war, between the Soundings and the Naze of Norway; two
months between the Soundings and Tangier ; two months and an half
in the Mediterranean; and eight months in all other parts of the world.
In like fort, French goods taken in the fhips of the new enemies of
Great Britain fhall not be confifcated under this pretence, but fliall be
reflored to the owners, unlefs they had been put on board after the end
of the terms above noted. However, contraband goods mufl not be
carried into the enemy's ports : and, reciprocally, Britilh effeds, found
in fhips of the new enemies of France, fhall not be forfeited under that
pretence, but fhall be forthwith reflored to the ov\Tiers, unlefs put on-
board after the end of the terms before fpecified ; contraband goods, as
before, excepted.
IX, X) Ships of war fhall do no injury to merchant fhips ; and the
commanders of privateers fhall, for this end, give fecurity to the amount
of L1500 flerling, or 33,000 livres.
XI, XII) Both kings agree to do juftice in rei'pedl of prizes ; and
when their minifters complain of unjuft fentences pronounced concern-
ing prizes, a re-examination thereof fhall be had within one month, and
a frefli fentence fhall be pronounced in three months after.
XIII) When a fuit is commenced between the captors of a prize and
the reclaimers, if fentence be pronounced in favour of the reclaimers,
it fhall be immediately put in execution, upon giving fecurity, although
an appeal to an higher court be made : but this fliall not be done
againil the re-claimers.
584 A. D. 1677.
XIV, XV) Captors of prizes fhall be feverely punifhed who treat the
mafters, &c. of thofe prizes with any kind of cruelty, as fhall thofe alfo
be, who fhall take commillions from the enemies of either king, in or-
der to take prizes from his fubjeds *.
A new company, under the pompous title of Tbe company of the royal
fijhery of England, was incorporated this year. The duke of York, the
earl of Danby, lord treafurer, and many other lords, gentlemen, and
merchants, were partners. The king bellowed on them in perpetuity
all the privileges enjoyed by any former company, with power to pur-
chafe lands, and a premium, to be continued for feven years, of L20
for every dogger or bufs they fhould build and fit out, to be paid out ot
the cuftoms of the port of London. The flock at firfl was Li 0,980,
to which there was added L1600. But this fmall capital was exhaufted
in the purchafe and equipment of feven bulfes, fome of which, with
their cargoes, were taken by the French : and the company, having run
confiderably in debt, found themfelves obliged to difpofe of their re-
maining bulfes and flores in the year 1680. Yet in the year 1683 Sir
Edward Abney and feveral others joined in a new fubfcription, under
the privileges and immunities of this company's charter. But their at-
tempt alio came foon after to nothing. It being perfeverance alone that
is ever likely to bring a general fifhery in England to a flate of perfec-
tion, much time and patience will be required, and many lofles and
difappointments mufl be born with ; which feeras not to be the cafe
of all, or any, of our attempts for eflablifhing a general fifhery.
There having been many doubts and objedions flarted about this
time againfl the Eafl-India company of England, and particularly a
famous printed anfwer in the year 1676, from a barrifler of the Temple,
to a country gentleman's fuppofed letter to him on this fubjedl, diffuad-
ing him from longer trufling his children's fortunes in Eaft-India bonds ;
becaufe as they were not an exclufive company by a6t of parliament,
they could not legally a<fl: as fuch, and were therefor liable to be over-
turned, or annihilated, &c. A very judicious anfwer came out to this
in the year 1677, it^titled, ' the Eafl-India trade a mofl profitable trade
' to the kingdom ; and befl fecured and improved in a company and a
' joint flock : reprefented in a letter, written upon the occalion of two
* The perufal of this treaty of commerce, and cially remark, that tlie tranfcribing of many old
of that with the Dutch under the year 1668, to- treaties of this kind does but fwell our work without
gether with other fubfequent ones, fufficiently in- much inftrufting the reader, when, perhaps, the
dicates the importance of them, as well as the ex- very latell treaty with a nation, (as France for in-
pediei'cy of commanders in the royal navy, and ftance) with whom we have had frequent wars,
thofe of merchant fliips, and of higher people alfo, {hall, in moft cafes, cffcntially repeal all preceding
being well acquainted with fuch treaties, which ones, which we here mention, to prevent an objec-
we have abridged as much as poffible, confiflent lion which fome might ftart, to our not tranfcrib-
with retaining the entire fenfe and import of every ing (as Savary, Polllethwayte, &c. have done) all
article thereof. Yet, after all, we muft here fpe- thofe obfolete treaties injudicioufly. A.
I
A. D. 1677. - 585
' letters, lately publifhed, infinuating the contrary.' (Poflibly by Sir
Jofiah Child.)
His general pofitions are,
That the Eaft-India trade takes off a confiderable quantity of our
native commodities and manufadures.
It fupplies us cheaply with the moft neceflary commodities for our-
own confumption.
It brings us feme commodities for our further manufadturej
It furniflies large quantities of goods for foreign markets.
It employs a great number of Englifh {hipping.
It occafions the building of more Ihips of burden and force, fit for
warlike fervice and defence of the kingdom, than any other trade what-
ever.
It brings in a confiderable revenue to the king's cuflioms, and the
greateft addition to the kingdom's flock.
Thus evinced.
It employs, in a dired courfe, to and from India 30 to 35 (hips from
300 to 600 tons burthen ; and in feven years pafl there have been built,
new from the fiiocks, 26 to 28 fhips from 350 to 600 tons each : where-
by there is a very large addition of fi;rength for defence of the king-
dom, as thofe fhips, equipped in a warlike manner, will carry from 40
to 60, and 70 guns each *.
The exports of the company in one year (viz. part of 1674 and
and 1675) may be about L430,ooo, whereof about L320,ooo in bul-
lion, and about Li r 0,000 value in cloth and other goods.
The returns from India for that adventure are calico, pepper, falt-
petre, indigo, filk (raw and wrought), drugs, &c. ; which, on faie in
England, produce at leaft L86o,ooo, and often as much more.
The amount of cufloms, freight, and all other charges, of officers,
warehoufes,- carts, lighters, porters, &c. is altogether as much the king-
dom's flock as the clear profit added to the company's ftock is.
So that there is, in a plain and dired: way, added to the flock of the
kingdom by the company's trade in one year, if no accident inter-
vene, L430,oco, deducing, however, about L6o,ooOj being the charges
in India for the maintenance of ludors, fadlories, forts, garrifons, nego-
tiations with princes, &c.
The private trade, allowed by the company to owners of fhips, com-
manders, and feamen, as well as to their fadors, &c. for diamonds,
pearls, mufk, ambergris, &c. ; for which there may be annually export-
ed, in goods, about L40,ooo or L5o,ooo, and in bullion from L8o,ooo
to Li 00,000, yields at home in returns L250,ooo to L30o,ooo. So-
* It appears that the very largeft of the India fhips at that time were fmallcr than any. India fliip is
at piefent. M,
Vol, IL 4 f,
586 A. D. 1677.
here is Lr 30,000 farther addition to the flock of the kingdom. Both
together making L5 00,000, annually added to the nation's flock by the
Eafl-India commerce, befides all the confequences depending farther
thereupon, which come next to be confidered.
For illuflration hereof, let us confider the flate of our Eafl-India
trade in the confequences depending thereupon, viz.
In reference to the exports, principally of fo great a quantity of gold
and filver; what is very obvious, is, that if in any foreign trade
Li 00,000 exported in bullion brings back as much merchandize, as be-
ing re-exported to other foreign parts brings home L200,oco or
L250,ooo, that muft be a gainful commerce to the nation.
The goods annually exported, amounting to Li 10,000, confift of
L6o,ooo or LyOjOoo in Englifh goods, as drapery, tin, and lead, and
the refl: is in foreign commodities. Our lead, it is true, might be taken off
by other European nations, although we had no trade to India ourfelves ;
but the drapery and tin, amounting to L5o,ooo (which now gains
L5o,ooo to the nation), would not be taken off at all ; for no other na-
tion carries EnglifliL cloth to India ; and for tin, there are great quan-
tities of it in fome parts of India.
There may be annually confumed in England nearly to the value of
L20o,ooo, L230,ooo, or L240,ooo, in India goods, viz. about L6000 in
pepper, L30,ooo in faltpetre, L30,ooo in filks, raw and manufa6lured,
Li 60,000 in calicoes, and about Li 0,000 to Li 5, 000 in indigo and
other drugs*. All the refl of the returns above mentioned, amounting
to L63o,ooo value, are tranfported to foreign markets, as is alfo mofl
part of the private trade. The pepper I reckon at 8iper pound weight
(fo necefTary a fpice for all people), which formerly coif us 3y4 per
pound, being nowhere to be had but in India ; and were we obliged to
have it from the Dutch, they would probably raife it as high as they
do their other fpices : yet, fuppoling it fo low as 1/4 per pound, it
would be a farther annual expenfe of L6000 to the nation.
Saltpetre is of that abfolute neceflity, that without it we fliould be
■without the means of defending ourfelves. Poilibly, even if we had
no Indian trade, we might in time of peace purchafe it, though it
would cofl us double what it now does. But, in cafe of war, where
could we have fufhcient ? not furely from our enemies. Or, would our
gentlemen, citizens, and farmers, be willing to have their cellars and
rooms dug up (as in King Charles I's reign), and be deprived of free-
dom in their own houfes, expofed and laid open to faltpetre men ? which
method would be, befides, far fliort of entirely fupplying us.
Raw filk we might poflibly be fupplied with from other parts, though
* Tliere is here n i meiit'on of lea or coffee. Tlie company had not ytt fettled a trade to China
'*br .the fonncr, and ihc Liter was imported only by the I'urkey company. A.
A. D. 1677. 587
not fo cheap as from India. And India-wrought filks ferve ns inftead
of fo much Italian and French filks, which would cofl us almoft triple
the price of Indian filks; to the kingdom's lofs of above L2o,ooo
yearly.
Calicoes ferve inftead of the like quantity of French, Dutch, and
Flemifh, linen, which would cofl; thrice as much : hereby 2 or L30o,ooo>
is yearly faved to the nation. And if the linen manufadure were fettled
in Ireland fo as to fupply England, our calicoes might be tranfported to-
foreign markets *.
Indigo is neceflary for dying and perfecting our own manufadures.-
And the other drugs, &c. brought from India, are inconfiderable.
The value of L630,ooo in India goods of the company's, and L20o,ooo ■
value of private traders, are tranfported yearly to France, Holland,
Spain, Italy, Turkey, &c. whereby thofe trades are the better carried
on by the Englifh to a farther advantage of the kingdom, and cannot
be calculated to yield lefs than ten per cent clear profit, being L83,ooo
yearly : yet, as fome part may be exported by ftrangers, I fiiall efi:imate
the net profit at only L6o,ooo, being fo much farther addition to the
nation's flock. And here, by the way, it may be obferved, that the
kingdom hath a greater advantage, when the trade is driven by the Eng-
hfh merchant, than when it is carried on by fi:rangers, feeing all the
profit arifing by the trade of the one is brought back to England ;
whereas the profits of the others remain abroad. This I note for redi-
fying the miftake of fome, who fay, it is all one to the kingdom, fo the
trade be carried on, whether it be by the Englifh or by ftrangers ; as alfo
to evince, that it is the nation's intereft to encourage the king's fubjeds
in their trade preferably to ftrangers.
The India goods are exported in Englifh fhipping, whereby much em-
ployment is given to our own fhips ; the very freight of which, being
about 5000 tons, cannot amount to lefs than L2o,ooo, being fo much
farther addition to the kingdom's ftock.
From all thefe confiderations there will arife a full and clear anfwer
to the objection made againft this trade, becaufe of the quantities of
gold and filver exported to India. And thus the fending out of our
treafure increafeth it : whereas to coop it up would render it wholely
ufelefs. Had we all the gold and filver in the world, if it were abfo-
lutely kept and confined within this kingdom, it would neither in-
cre^^fe our trade, nor render us more formidable m ftrength and power.
If fome other foreign trades do wafte and confume our treafure, let us
find out expedients to prevent it. But, in the meantime, it would be
deftrudive to ftop the current of our real fupplies of it, by breaking
in upon, or obftruding, the courle of the Eaft-India trade, by which, if
* • This is now in our time happily verified and effected yj..
4.-E 2
588 A. D. 1677.
the kingdom had not been fupplied, all its treafure might, ere this, have
been exhaufled.
Next, that the Eaft-India trade cannot fo well be fecured and im-
proved, for the benefit and advantage of the kingdom, in any other
way, as by a company in a joint Hock ; !et it be confidered.
That no other nation trades thither otherwife than by a joint ftock,
except the Portuguefe, who are now almofl beaten out of the trade.
It is well known that prefents are to be made to kings, princes,
and governors, of India, for obtaining licence to traffic there : and
there is alfo a neceflity of hiring fome great houfe for fecuring their
perfons and goods there, at each refpeilive place.
Our company has been at vafl charges and hazards for obtain-
ing freedom of trade, and many great privileges and immunities, both
from the great mogul, and very many other kings, princes, and gover-
nors ; and likewife for the fecurity of their factors, eftates, and trade ;
alfo to purchafe, build, and maintain, great houfes and ftorehoufes in all
the places of their refidences, <;alled fadories ; and in fome places, as at
Fort St. George, Bombay, and St. Helena, to make confiderable fortifi-
cations, and to keep large garrifons.
If therefor this trade fliould be left entirely open, fo as every one
might trade thither as he pleafed, would not all the privileges and im-
munities purchafed at great expenfe by our company be either loft, or elfe
rendered void and infignificant ? and when every man minds only his
own particular concern, the national honour and intereft would decline.
Would not the kings and governors in India, and the European na-
tions, our competitors there, take all opportunities to make their ad-
vantages, and to put hardfhips and injuries upon the Englifh, wanting
imited counfels and ftrength to right themfelves ? would not every one
flrive to fupplant another, and thereby enable the Indians to raife the
prices of their commodities, and lower the prices of Englifli goods ? of
which there hath already been too fad experience in three or four years
of open trade, from the year 1653 to 1657 ; in which time the Englifh
began to lofe their antient honour and efteem, and many indignities
and wrongs were put upon them by the kings and governors there,
forcing the Englifh to fell their goods, and to take others at fuch prices
as they pleafed. Englifh commanders have been put to death, and
their fliips and goods feized, without means of redrefs. Private traders,
by outvying and underfelling one another in thofe four years, brought
the trade to be often a lofing one, and at befl but feldom a faving one.
It was from the confideration of thefe and many other diforders in the
open trade, that in the year 1657 it was agreed to lay afide all private
trade, and to open books for fubfcribing to a new joint ftock.
In or about the year 1665 the company took a perfedf account and
balance of all their ftock, adventures, and debts } when it appeared that
A. D. 1677. 589
the flock was really worth 130 percent; though fuch were then the
humours and fancies of people, that it was actually fold at about 70 per
cent. Yet fince then the value of the ftock has advanced to 245 per
cent.
From this Ihort view of things (fays our author), I leave it to the
confideration of all judicious perfons, whether it be not inconfiflent
with the kingdom's intereft, and irrational and unjufl, to lay open the
Eaft-India trade. Inconfiflent with the public interefl, to part with or
hazard the lofs of all thofe places of flrength, and thofe privileges the
company enjoys, but which cannot be maintained in an open trade !
Irrational, to make a fecond trial, after fo many inconveniences expe-
rienced by the firfl ! and unjufl, to deprive the prefent fubfcribers in
the Eaft-India ftock of their future advantages, who have run fo many
hazards, and been at fuch vaft expenfes, for promoting and fecuring the
trade !
With refped to what the barrifter's letter alleges, viz. that the Eaft-
India trade fhould be managed by what is called a regulated company,
as our Turkey trade is ; it certainly cannot be fo well fecured and im-
proved for the kingdom's advantage by a regulated, as by a joint-ftock,
company ; for the following reafons :
ift, Almoft every place in India is under a diftind raja or king : and
coniidering that other European nations are ftill watching all opportu-
nities of inftilling into thofe rajas contemptuous thoughts of the Eng-
lish for their own ends, this renders it abfolutely necefliiry to have fre-
quent applications to, and treaties with, thofe kings ; and that the Eng-
lifli flaould appear to them with fome port and grandeur, as being able
to carry on a confiderable trade with them, and to force them to a per-
formance of their treaties and agreements. The ftate of affairs in Tur-
key is far otherwife, where there is but one prince with abfolute domi-
nion : fo that, by one ambafllidor at court, and two or three conluls at
refidences of commerce to hold correfpondence with him, all matters
for the fecurity of the trade niay be tranfadted.
All which being duely premifed, all well-wifliers to England, it is
prefumed, would defire to have the forts, fadories, and privileges, in
India, which, by the prefent joint ftock of the Eaft- India company have
been obtained, purchafed, and fettled, at the expenfe of perhaps
L30o,ooo (and whereof the proprietors of the faid joint ftock are at
prefent the owners and poffeftbrs), to be maintained and prcferved to
our nation ; as alio, that the faid places of ftrength, houfes, and privi-
leges, being juftly the property of the faid joint ftock, they ought not
to be divefted thereof without an equitable compcniation, even as much
as if it were within the kingdom of England. And that the fucceed-
ing trade to India fliould both give fuch compenfation and maintain
the growing charge. And as the prefent deiign of fome is, that the
590 A. D. 1677.
now joint flock fliould ceafe and determine, after getting in what goods
and debts they have abroad ; and that the trade, for the future, fhould
be carried on by particular per fons, according as every one fhould think
good to adventure, without limitation, either in quantity, quality, or in
the prices of goods fent out, or returned home : yet, that there fliould
be a company legally eftabliflied, to be empowered to raife impofitions
on the trade, for maintaining the faid forts, factories, and privileges, for
the equal benefit of all Englifh people trading to India ; alfo to make
treaties with kings and governors in India as formerly ; and alfo, out
of fuch impofitions, to allot a proportion, probably not lefs than
Li 0,000 per annum, for the loan of the faid places and privileges ; and
the reft of the money to be employed for the charge of the future go-
vernment, and for treaties, &c. upon the plan of the Turkey company.
Now, let it be confidered, how infufficient this propofed method is
for fecuring this trade to the Englifh nation, in comparifon of the pre-
fent one, wherein there is a fund of at leaft a million fterling conftant-
ly engaged for the neceflary defence of the trade. And it will furely
be found difficult to know what proportion to lay, by way of impofi-
tion, as depending arbitrarily on the humour of particular perfons, whe-
ther they will trade or not, and for what value. Infomuch that there
will be a certaixi expenfe, and an uncertain revenue. And it may fre-
quently happen, that the former may be the greater, and the later the
leafl: : and this too, perhaps, in a time of war ; when, there being little
trade, there will be little to be raifed by way of impofitions ; becaufe,
when hazards are great, few will care to adventure ; whereby all may
fall into the enemy's hands.
The barrifter infinuates, in the clofe of his letter, that the Eaft-India
trade might be fo managed, under a regulation, that five times the
trade might be gained, and the prices of our own manufadlures of
cloth, &c. advanced by the multitude and freedom of buyers; and the
price of goods imported much leffened to the Englifli, and much more
trade gained with India commodities to other parts of the world !
But I am of a contrary opinion ;
For, ift, how probable is it, that private traders in a regulated com-
pany fhould gain fo much as (and far lefs five times more than) a joint-
llock company ? Thofe fuppofed trades to be gained are chiefly the
trades to China and Japan ; where indeed our trade, once well fettled,
might take off more of our woollen manufad;ures, and might return
gold, filver, and copper, in tome meafure to fupply the trade to other
parts of India, without exporting fo much trealure from Europe. But
thofe trades are not fo eafiiy gained as fome may fancy * ; and leaft of
all by the ftocks of private perfons. As the preient Eaft-India compa-
• This ftitws that we had as yet no trade with China. /).
I
A. D. 1677. ^gi
ny, even with fo great a joint flock, have in vain made frequent trials
to gain thofe trades : yet, with China, the company, after many at-
tempts and expenfes, are in hopes to fucceed ; but, with refped: to
Japan, only one undertaking for the gaining the trade to it proved in-
efFedhial, with the lofs of no lefs than L5o,ooo, which great fum
would have undone private adventurers. As to what our barrifter fug-
gefts, that a regulated company would advance the price of our manu-
factures by the multitude and freedom of buyers, and alfo lefTen the
price of goods imported to the Englifli, &c. upon a due and ferious
examination, it will be found, according to the true maxims of trade,
and didates of reafon, to be quite otherwife. For, who is there that
hath in any competent degree ftudied and confidered trade in reference
to the kingdom's intereft, but knows that all buying and felling at home
from one to another is but a mere changing of hands, neither add-
ing to, nor diminilhing,the nation's flock or wealth. It is dear felling,
or rather the felling of great quantities of our native commodities and
manufaclures, in foreign parts, and our cheap purchafing of commodi-
ties in foreign countries, whereby our kingdom is enriched. For if we
do but confider the confequence of this barrifler's pofition, it will clear-
ly appear, that particular Englifhmen, traders to India, vying upon one
another in the buying of cloth, &c. in England, may for a year or two
raife the prices in England ; and, on the other hand, they may lower
the prices and underfell one another, to get off their goods in India,
and make returns ; fome, perhaps, felling cheaper than the prime coft,
whilft others may not be able to put off their goods, and fo perhaps let
their fhips return dead freighted, &c. What probability is there then
of their continuing to fend any thereafter, or that the exportation of
our Englilh manufactures fhould increafe ? whereas the prefent joint-
flock company have fo well managed their trade, that from one hun-
dred to four hundred cloths at moft, formerly exported, they now an-
nually export four thoufand whole broad cloths and upwards. And
with refpect to goods imported from India ; the multitude of buyers in
India railing the prices there, and of fellers in England lelTening the
prices here, cannot but be very contrary to the kingdom's interefl. Be-
caufe not above one fourth part of the India goods imported are con-
fumed in England, the other three fourth parts being exported to fo-
reign parts. Now, if the prices of what is confumed in England be
lowered, the like mud inevitably follow for the other three fourths ex-
ported : fo that the nation really lofes by the cheap felling of India
commodities in England, and our real interell is to buy cheap in In-
dia, and fell dear in Europe. With refped to the building of fliips of
great burden, fo much for the public interefl, it cannot be imagined
that private perfons can eflfedt the fame in proportion to what the joint-
ilock company has done.
592 A. D. 1677.
The joint-ftock company is moreover far more national, with refpedl
to the number of perfons who have benefit thereby, than poflibly it-
could be under a regulation : for then, none could trade to India but
merchants who underftand trade, and only fuch as have great eftates,
and are able to lie two years at leafl: out of their money. So that the
trade would be confined into a few hands (100 or 150 at moft.) Where-
as in the joint-fi:ock, noblemen, clergymen, gentlemen, widows, orphans,
fhop-keepers, and all others, may have flocks there, and reap equal be-
nefit thereby.
There are at this day about 600 perfons, who appear on the compa-
ny's books to be interefted in the Eaft-India flock, and under them, it
may be, many more.
This author alleges, that the true ground of the prefent company's
many enemies proceeds from their not having fubfcribed at the begin-
ning, nor yet afterwards, when the books were laid open, but are fince
filled with envy at the company's profperity.
But whatever may have been the caufes of the difcontents againfl
that company, this advocate for them has faid fo much in favour of an
exclufive joint flock company to Eall-India, as feems not eafy to be re-
futed. We are moreover indebted to this able author's 27 quarto
pages for fundry very important hiflorical fads, which otherwife we
Ihould not perhaps have fo well known at this diflance of time : which
may well apologize for the length of what we may fairly denominate a
complete fyflem of the Eafl-lndia company's trade and condu6l at that
time, and alfo of the general theory of the commerce to India, which
may be faid to be fuitable to all times and feafons : and we cannot but
remark, that, as far as we are able to judge, whatever has fince this-
time been written and publifhed, even down to our own days, on the
Eafl-lndia trade, contains nothing materially new, or which may not
be found to be comprehended in this very diflertation ; although all"
that has been fince that time publiflied for and againfl the trade, and
alio againft an exclufive joint flock, v^ould fill up a large folio, were they
all put together.
1678.- — The a<fl for burying the dead in woollen [18 Car. II, c. 4]
not being duely obferved, it was repealed : and a new ad [30 Car. II,
c. 3] direded that a regifler fhould be kept in every parifh by the in-
cumbent, or his fi.ibfiitute, certifying that every thing about the corpfe
of the deceafed was made of fheep's wool ; of which an affidavit fhall
be made by the relation of the deceafed, and lodged with the incum-
bent, under the penalty of L5, a moiety whereof to go to the poor of
the parifh, the other to the informer. Neverthelefs, fuch flill is the
vanity of many of the rich and great, that they continue to pay the
penalty, rather than not adorn their deceafed friend's corpfe with fine
linen, lace, &.c. though fo contrary to our true national intereft,
a
A. D. 1678. ^gj
"Wliile we were wantonly, and without meafure, importing and ufing
the produd and manufadures of France, the wifer French miniftry
were from time to time laying heavier duties upon the EngU(h manu-
fadures and produd ; fo as thereby gradually to drive out of France
the confumption of almoft all EngliOi merchandize, us well as all other
foreign commodities, by their tarits of the years 1664, 1667, &c.
Hereby the Englifh foreign trade in general languiflied, rents fell, and
all ranks began fenfibly to feel its bad effeds. Yet they at firft imput-
ed this misfortune to a wrong cauie ; which made the merchants and
traders petition the parliament againft the Eafl-India and Levant com-
panies. Having at lad difcovered the true caufe, they made fuch ear-
nefi: application to the parliament, as influenced the houfe of commons
to come to a v^ote, ' that the trade with France was detrimental to the
' kingdom.' The Englifh were alfo at this time fo juftly incenfed againfi: the
French king's invaiion and encroachments from time to time on the Spa-
nifh Netherlands (and indeed, as far as he could, on all his other neigh-
bours), that the parlianient, in the beginning of this year 1678, palled an
ad [30 Car. II, c. i ] ' for railing money by a jx)ll, &c. to enable his majefty
* to enter into an adual war againft the French king ; and for prohi-
* biting, for three years to come, and to the end of the fubfcquent ief-
* fion of parliament, the importation into England of all French com-
* modities whatever.' It was indeed more than time for England to
interpofe, and fave the almoft expiring liberties of Europe ; whilft at
the fame time (he put fome ftop to an inundation of French wines,
brandies, fllks, linen, paper, fait, and an innumerable variety of frip-
pery, millinery, and haberdafliery wares, toys, &c. This prohibition,
and that of the wear of Eaft-India manui^dures, brought the general
balance greatly in our favour in twenty years time. The authors of
this time fay, that, till after this prohibition, the annual exports of Eng-
land, on an average, did not exceed three millions fterling ; but that in
about twenty years after, the exports gradually increafed to near icxtn
millions yearly ; which vaft increafe was principally occafioned by the
great increafe and exportation of our own v/oollen, filk, linen, iron, and
other manufadures, lince the prohibition of commerce with France ;
and partly alfo by the prohibition, fome years after enaded, of the wear
of Eaft-India manufadures in England, and likewife in par": by the en-
larged demand from our own American colonies of all forts of manu-
fitdures and neceffiiries.
In Jidy an alliance was concluded between England and Holland, for
compelling the French king (in coniequence of a treaty at this time
held at Nimeguen, between them, the emperor, and Spain) to reftore
to Spain the towns and forts of Charleroy, Aeth, Oudenard, Courtray,
Tournay, Conde, \'alenciennes, St. Guiflain, Binch, and tlie duchy of
Limburg, &c. as alfo, all that had been taken from the emperor and-
Vol. II. 4 F
594 ^- D. 1678.
and empire ; to reflore alfo Lorrain to the duke of that name. The
king of Great Britain, for thofe ends, ftipulated to furnifli one third
more, of naval force than the flates-general, and the ftates to furnifli one
third more of land-forces in the Netherlands tlian King Charles.
In Augufl was concluded a treaty, at Nimeguen, between France and
the ftates-general, under the king of Great Britain's mediation; con-
cerning which all that is needful to be recited is as follows.
Article VIII) The town and chatellanie of Maeftrecht (hall be reftor-
ed to the ftates-general of the United provinces.
XIII) The flates-general engage to guarantee the prefent peace and
engagements which Spain is now making with France. And by a fepa-
rate article, France was to reflore to the prince of Orange his principa-
lity of that name, and his other dominions in France.
On the fame day was alfo concluded, at Nimeguen, a treaty of com-
merce, navigation, and marine, between France and the flates-general,
in fubftance as follows.
Article VII) The fubjecls on both fides fhall pay no higher duties
than the natives in general.
IX) No refuge fliall be given in the ports of either party to fuch as
fhall have taken any prizes from the other party ; but if driven thither
by ftrefs of weather, they fliall depart as foon as pofllble.
XI) The loaded fhips of either party, driven by florm or otherwife
into any port of the other party, fhall not be compelled to unload or fell
their merchandize there.
XIII, XIV, XV) The fliips of either party may freely traffic with
the enemies of either of them, excepting with contraband merchan-
dize, defined to be all implements of war, laltpetre, horfes, and their
harnefs.
XVI, XVII) But the following fhall not be deemed contraband
goods; viz. corn and grain, beans, oil, wine, ialt, and other things for
the fuflenance of life ; all which may be freely carried to an enemy ;
unlefs to a place invefled or befleged. And fuch fliips defigned for an
enemy's port, and putting into any of the ports of either party, fhall
only be obliged to fhew their paflports, without being fearclied or de-
tained.
The articles XX, XXI, XXII, are the fame as in the commercial
treaty of the year 1677, between England and France, relating to mer-
chant fhips met at fea by fhips of war of the other party, and wherein
contraband goods may be found.
XXX) Either party m.ay build, buy, or freight, in each other's domi-
nions, any number of fhips for war, or for merchandize, and alfo fuch
ammunition as they fhall want.
XXXI) Ships of either party, driven on the coafls of the other party,
ihall be treated with juftice and humanity.
A. D. 1678. 595
XXXII) Pirates and exiles to meet with no protedion on either fide.
XXXIII, XXXIV) Merchants may make ufc of fuch advocates in
each other's country as they fhall think fit ; and may keep their books
of accounts in what bnguage they fhall think bcft : and may alfo mu-
tually fettle confuls therein.
XXXV) Neither party fiiall iufFer any fiiip of war of another power
to come and make prize, within their ports, havens, or rivers, upon the
fubjects of the other.
XXXVIII) This treaty fhall be in force for twenty-five years to
come.
A feparate article relates to the 50 fols per ton upon ftrangers fhips
failing out of the ports of France, viz, that this duty fhall not derogate
from the equality, which in other refpeds is by the 7th article of this
treaty eftablifhed on both fides ; but that Dutch fhips fliall pay the 50
fols per ton as other nations do : but this fubfidy fhall be only paid by
Dutch fhips at going out of the French ports, but not at their coming
in. And if loaded with fait, they fliall pay but half that duty. And
the ftates may, if they pleafe, lay a like proportional impofition on
French fhips going out of their ports.
On the 17th of September peace was figned at Nimeguen between
Louis XIV of France and Charles 11 of Spain : but much fliort of what
was ftipulated to be obtained for Spain in the treaty between England
and the flates-general : for, only Charleroy, Binch, Aeth, Oudenard,
Courtray, St. Guiflain, and the duchy of Limburg, were reftored to
Spain, together with Ghent and its citadel ; and in Cacalonia the city
of Puicerda. On the other hand, Spain was obliged to cede to France,
Valenciennes, Cambray, Conde, Bouchain, Aire, St. Omer, Ypres, War-
wick, Warneton, Poperingen, Bailleul, Caflel, Bavay, and Maubeuge,
with their dependencies ; alio the county of Burgundy, with the city of
Befanyon. Thus declining Spain, by every treaty with France fince
1659, was obliged to refign many noble and ftrong cities, and extenfive
territories, being deferted by King Charles of England, whole higheft
intereft and glory it would have been to fupport Spain againll the great-
ly increafing power of France. Soon after this unhappy peace, Louis,
taking advantage of the very feeble flate of Spain, feized the ftrong
city of Luxemburgb; and, moreover, he continually harafled the re-
mainder of the Spaniih Netherlands by pretended re-unions, contribu-
tions, &c.
The peace at Nimeguen, between the emperor and empire and
France, was not formally figned till the 3d of February 1679 (N. S,) :
yet, as it was ftill a part of the fame treaty of Nimeguen coudiaued, we
here give its fubftance briefly.
4 F 2
59^ A. D. 1678.
Article IT) The peace of Munfter, or Weftphalia, in the year 1648
is declared to be the bafis of this treaty.
IV, V) France yields Philipfburgh to the empire, and the emperor
Leopold yields Friburg to France.
XII, XIII, XIV, XV) The country of Lorrain to be reftored to its
duke ; only Nancy, its capital, fhall remain for ever united to France ;
which fliall alfo have ways half a league in breadth, to be fet out by
the French king and the duke, for the more eafy paffiige of the French
troops through Lorrain to the city of Nancy, and from Nancy to Al-
face, alio from Nancy to Befanfon, in Franche Comptc. Whereby
that unfortunate prince, fcr having fided with the emperor againfl
France, was defpoiled of his capital city, and the reft of his duchy now
-laid quire open to the armies of France at pleafure, in an unheard-of
manner.
It was alfo to be free for the French king to keep garrifons in the
towns of ChafTelette, Huy, Verviers, Aix-la-Chapelle, Dueren, Linnick,
Nuys, and Zons, until peace fhould be concluded between him and Swe-
den, Denmark, Brandenburg, the bifliop of Munfler, and the princes
of Lunenburg ; when they were to be reftored to the empire.
And thus alio France gradually gained ground on the German em-
pire, of which Lorrain, as well as Alface, formerly were parts, to the
ftill farther deftroying of the equilibrium of power in Europe.
The French exclufive Senegal company was now ereded, for the
trade of gold duft, leather, wax, gums, &;c. and it was confirmed in the
year 1681 by the name of the royal Senegal company. But, being
unable to pay their debts, they were diflolved in the year 1696.
So rapid were the naval and commercial improvements ot France at
this time, according to the ingenious author of the work entitled £ri-
tannia languetis, that there were now forty French trading veflels for
every one that there was tv.'enty or thirty years before. The king of
France alfo eftabliflied a fifliery to the great prejudice of ours.
1679. — The fame author afterts, that the Dutch herring and cod fifli-
ery employed 8000 veifels and 200,000 failors and fifliers, whereby they
annually gained five millions fterling ; befides their Iceland, Greenland,
and Newfoundland, fifheries, and the multitude of trades and people
employed by them at home.
1680. — The Dutch Eaft-India company having aftifted the king of
Materan, who ftiled himfelf emperor of Java, againlt two of his rebel-
lious fons, he thereupon yielded up to the Dutch the towns of Cheri-
' ban and Tarpa.
This year feems to have been remarkable for new projeds in Eng-
land, which were patronized by Prince Rupert duke of Cumberland,
more elpecially fuch as related to mechanics. We have a yellow metal
much refembling gold, which in our days is ftill named prince's metal,
A. D. 1680. ^gy
as taking its name from him : and a water-mill was thereupon ereded
on Hackney river for calling cannon of that metal, which is known at
this day by the name of Temple-mill.
Another projedt was for a floating machine worked by horfes, for
towing great (hips againft wind and tide.
A third was a machine for raifing ballaft, which was found inef-
fedual.
A fourth was a diving machine or engine, by the help of which, and
good luck, Sir William Phipps brought home from the Weft-Indies
near L2CO,ooo fterling in pieces of eight, which he fiflied up out of the
fea, where part of a Spanifh plate fleet had been loft.
We have a ftate of the Englifli Eaft-India company's trade in this
year, from a judicious anonymous work, entitled a Treatife wherein is
demonftrated that the Eafl-hidia trade is the moft national of all foreign
trades, &c. (London, 1681)* occafioned by the clamours flill railed
againft that company, in order to have the trade laid open, viz. ' laft
' year' (i. e. in 1680) ' the company fent ovit for the coaft of Coro-
' mandel and the bay of Bengal, four three-deck fliips, viz. one of 530
' tons and 118 feamen, one of 600 tons and 120 leamen, one of 530
* tons and 106 leamen, and one of 550 tons and iio feamen. For
' Surat and the coaft of India, three Ihips more of 550, 530, and 450,
' tons. For Bantam, two {hips of 600 tons each. For the South feas f
' and China, two fliips of 430 and 350 tons : in all eleven fliips, in
' which there was a ftock of L479,g46 : 15 : 6. And for the year 1681
' they are fending out five fliips for Coaft and Bay, three for Surat and
' the coaft of India, three for Bantam, and one great fhip for the South
' fea and China : in all which there will be a ftock of above L6oo,ooo,
' befides both which years exportations not yet returned, the company
* has always a coniiderable ftock left in the country to make and pro-
' vide goods beforehand : befides likewife the value of their illands,
' towns, garrifons, houfes, buildings, ammunition, &c. And they may
* have what money they will at 3 per cenv, which will be the worft
' news of all in Holland.' This is the firft time we find mention of the
company fending a Ihip to China,
The author adds, ' that the quick ftock of our Eaft-India company,'
by which he means their conftant exportations and importations, ' was
' then more than that of the Dutch company, though the ftock of the
' later fells at 450 per cent, while ours fells not above 300 per cent.'
On the other fide, the filk weavers of London had this year unfiic-
cefsfully petitioned the houTe of commons againft the wear of Eaft-India.
filks, Bengals, &c. Mr. Polexfen, in his Ipeech, alTerted, ' that we at this
* From tt': flile and fcope of the woik Sir Jofiih Child feems to have been the authoc;. /!■
f By the South feas muft'b- uaderftood the feas about MacaiTar, Borneo, Java, S:c. J.
598 A. D. i68o-.
* time con fumed to the value of L300,ooo yearly in thofe Eafl-Tndia
' manufodured goods, including printed and painted calicoes, foi-
' clothes, beds, hangings, &c : that the company annually export from
' L20o,ooo to L6oO;COO in bullion : that their trade is now increaied
' to near one quarter part of the whole trade of the nation : that the
' company find it more for their particular advantage to take up from
' 6 to Lyoopoo on their common feal for carrying on their trade, than.
* to enlarge their capital flock, thereby reaping to themfelves, not only
' the gains which they make on their own money, but likewife of the
' treafure of the nation, allowing to the lenders 4 or 5 per cent *, and
' dividing amongfl themfelves what they pleafe, which now, within
' thefe lafl twelve or fifteen months has been 90 per cent. And up-
' on an exad inquiry, it will be found that this ftock is fo engrofled^
' that about ten or twelve men have the abfolute management, and that
' about forty perfons divide the major part of the gains, which this lall
' year has been to fome one man Lao.ooo, to others L 10,000 apiece.'
The Turkey con.pany alfo preferred their ufual complaint againll
their importation of raw filk : fo between thofe two, the India com-
pany was neither to import raw nor wrought filks ; yet the grand com-
mittee for trade, to whom that houfe referred it, did nothing material
at that time.
We have fliewn, under the year 1676, that its capital ftock, by doubl-
ing, was then made up to L,']2g,yS2 : 10. Thus we may fee how hard
it is to come at the real truth in difputes of any kind, and raoft of all
where property or intereft is affedted.
This year gave rife to the noble Englifli colony of Pennfylvania in
North America. Sir William Penn, an admiral, had obtained a pro-
mife from King Charles II of a grant of this country ; but he dying
loon after, his fon Wilham Penn, an eminent quaker, and a gentleman
of great knowlege and true philofophy, had it granted to him at this
time, his charter being dated on the 28th of February 1680 ; and he
defigned it for a retreat for the people of his religious perfuafion, then
made uneafy at home through the bigotry of fpiritual courts, &c. Mr.
Penn, therefor, carried thither with him a large embarkation of thofe
quakers, and was afterwards from time to time joined by many more
from Britain and Ireland. At his firft arrival there, he found many
EngliOi families, and confiderable numbers of Dutch and Swedes,
who all readily fubmitted to his wife and excellent regulations, which
highly merit to be known by all perfons who would apply to colonizing.
The true wifdom, as well as equity of his unlimited toleration of all re-
ligious perfuafions, as well as his kind, juft, and prudent, treatment of
* This differs from the affertion of the preceding authof, that they could have what money they
pleafcd at 3 per cent, yl-
A. D. 1680. ^gg
the native Indians -, alfo his laws, pohcy, and governnient, fo endeared
him to the planters, and fo widely Ipread the fame of his whole econo-
iTiy, that his colony, though fo lately planted, is thought at this day
to have more white people in it than any other on all the continent of
Britiih America, New-England alone excepted *. And Penn, who was
a favourite of the duke of York, afterwards King James II, two years
after (1682) had a grant from his royal highnefs of the town and tract
of Newcaftle, and the two lower counties on the great river Delaware,
part of his province of New-York : thefe are now called the counties of
Newcaftle, Kent, and Suflex, and are no inconfiderable addition to his
province of Pennfylvania. Mr. Penn's beautiful and fuperb plan of his
capital city of Philadelphia, ftill ftriftly followed to this day f , and draw-
ing conftantly nearer to perfedion, may ferve for a pattern to the rich-
eft country on earth. At that city they conftantly build and employ
many good fliips, thofe of even 500 tons may lie clofe to their wharfs.
They trade to our fugar-colonies with their corn, peas, flour, bifket,
beef, pork, fifli, ftaves, peltry, lumber, horfes, &c. in exchange for fugar,
rum, melafles, ginger, pimento, and foreign filver, &c. So greatly does
this colony increafe in people, that it is thought already nearly to equal
New-England, and that it will very foon furpais it. It feeras the land-
ed gentlemen of many parts of Ireland, and particularly in the north of
it, had raifed their rents fo high, that many of the tenants threw up
their farms and withdrew to Pennfylvania, fo that about the year 1729
fome thoufands of them went thither, and Englifli, Welfli, and Scots,
and alfo many German proteftants, have at various times gone thither,
who are generally well fettled, and are much employed in raifing hemp,
flax, and other materials for our Britifh manufacT:ures, as drugs for
dyers, &c. iron, and copper. They even carry their corn, fifti, ftaves,
Sac. as far as Italy, and returning to Britain, they there take in woollen,
filk, and linen, for clothing, houfehold-furniture, hard-ware, and every
thing elfe that is wanted for that colony. They get filver alfo by their
clandeftine trade with the Spanifti main; and their trade in logwood,
which they import into England, helps to pay for what they bring back.
Thus the gi^eat evil of perfecution and reftraint, for innocent confcien-
tious opinions, has once more proved the accidental occafion of peopling
and improving one of the fineft provinces of Britifli America.
* It ouglit to be obfe:ved, that Penn, though f By the original plan tlie city was to extend
poflefied of a grant from his fovereign, did not, from the great river Delaware werl to the fmaller
like fome other founders of colonies, begin by ex- river Skuylkil. But the buildings have long ago
terminating the native proprietors of the country, extended tar beyond the plan on the fiJe of the
but honeftly bought the territory from them for a Delaware, which is of fuch a depth, that the
■fatisfattory price. The confequence was, that his grealcft merchant rtiips can lay their fides to the
colony h'ved in harmony, and enjoyed peace and a wharfs ; while they have fcarcely extended halfway
Tivutual intcrcoiirfe of trade and good office.;, with to the Skuylkil, which is navigable only by fmall
the natives. AI. craft, and but for a few miles. AL
I
6oo A. D. 1680.
Tangier being befieged by the king of Morocco, King Charles fent a
meflage to the houfe of commons to recommend its prefervation and
its importance to the EnghPn commerce in the Mediterranean, and that
the two millions already expended on it would be entirely thrown away,
tmlefs fpeedy and efFedual iupplles were granted for its relief. But the
cdmmons in an addrefs to the king, inilead of granting this, reprefent-
ed, inter alia, that Tangier had been feveral times under the command
of popifli governors, and its garrifon in a great degree made up of popifli
officers and loldiers, as alio that the money given for it had been mil-
applied, wherefor they could not grant a fupply for Tangier, unlefs
they might be allured, that thereby they did not augment the ftrength
of their popilh adverfaries. Thus the jealoufy entertained by the par-
liament and nation, that the king intended this place for a curb on
their religion and liberties, prevented its being duely fupplied, and oc-
cafioned, as we (hall fee, its being abandoned foon after.
1681. — At a parliament at Oxford, which fat but feven days, the
houfe of commons firft refolved to print their votes, which has been
continued ever fince, very much to the benefit and fatisfailion of the
public, and particularly beneficial in commercial affairs.
As far back as about the year 1670, the Englifh Levant, or Turkey,
company began to complain of the Eaft-India company, on account of
the great quantities of raw filk they imported from India, which had
formerly been imported folely from Turkey. And in the year- 1681
the Turkey company made a formal complaint to the king's council,
whereupon a hearing enfued. The fubftance of that company's allega-
tions, and the Eaft-India company's anfwers, being printed this year, are
as follow, viz.
I) The Turkey company have, for near an hundred years pafl, ex-
ported thither great quantities of woollen manufadures and other Eng-
lifh wares, to the great enriching of this nation, and do now more efpe-
cially carry out thither to the value of about Ljoo.ooo fterling yearly :
in return for which, the goods imported are raw filks, galls, grogram-
yarn, drugs, cotton, &c. all which being manufadured in England,
aiTord bread to the poor of the kingdom.
On the other hand, fay they, the Eaft-India company export im-
menfe quantities of gold and filver, with an inconfiderable quantity of
cloth ; in return for which, their chief commodities are calicoes, pepper,
wrought filks, and a deceitful fort of raw filk. The calicoes and wrought
filks being wrought in India, are an evident damage to the poor of Eng-
land, and the raw filks are an infallible deftrudion to the Turkey trade,
for, as Turkey does not yield a fufficient quantity of other merchandize,
to return for one fourth part of our manufactures carried thither, the
remaining three fourths is wholely paid for by raw filk. If that is lup-
3
A. D. i68r. 60 1
planted by India filk, the nioft confiderable part of the Turkey im-
portations, and confequently the cloth-trade of England, muft fail.
II) The conftitution of the Turkey company, as being a regulated
one, and not driven by a joint flock, is open and comprehenfive, ad-
mitting any that are bred merchants. The fons and apprentices of free-
men challenge their freedom by feven years fervice, and others are ad-
mitted to be free for L25 if under 27 years of age, and if above that
age for L50 ; each freeman to trade for as much as he is able. By
luch open trading the company is increafed from 70 perfons, who, 40
years ago, wholely drove the trade, to at leaft 500 traders.
On the other hand, the Eaft-India company's trade is managed by an
exclufive joint ftock, which is fo engroflcd, that about twelve perfons
have the abfolute management of the whole trade, and about forty per-
ions divide the major part of the gains, and alfo appropriate to them-
fclves a greater profit in a leparate trade, in mufk, ambergris, &c. and,
till of late, in diamonds alfo : neither can they breed up any perfon un-
der the notion of an Eafl-India merchant, becaule any one may pur-
chafe a fhare of their trade and joint flock for money.
III) The Turkey company's ftock is really greater than the trade will
bear, under their prefent difcouragements and checks from the Eafl-
India company ; and if any damage befalls this flock, every particular
member bears the lofs of his owrf adventure, with no damage to the
public.
On the other hand, the Eafl-India company having a fixed joint flock
of but about £370,000,* they find it more for their advantage to trade
with money at intcrefl than to enlarge their flock, and they have there-
for borrowed at leail £650,000 on their common feal, at the inconfider
able interefl of 3 or 4 per cent, thereby trading with the treafure of the
nation, and dividing to themfelves what fums they pleafe, not only out
of the profit, but alio out of the principal, as lafl year, w-hen they di-
vided £260,000, though at the lame time they owed above L6oo,ooo
a interefl.
One George White, a writer againfl this company, in this fame year,
fays, that in the compafs of five years (i 676-1 681) they divided
£741,647, and in two months afterwards they doubled their ftock:
this, lays he, was in all £1,1 11,647 produced from a capital of £370,000
only, by which extravagant dividends, together with above £300,000,
for money borrowed at inierefl, with preients to courtiers, and their
quarrel with the mogul, they were brought into great difficulties, fo
that they, in a fliort time, were forced to flop payment for fome months,
yet they recovered a little again : although by feizing many of the mo-
* How is this aflerlion to be reconciled with the duplication of tlic India company's ftock in the ■
yeai 1676? A.
Vol. II 4 G
6o2 A. D. i68r.
gul's {hips trading to Arabia, Perfia, 8cc. that quarrel cofl the company
in all about L 8 00,000.
Upon the whole, it is humbly hoped, that for relief of the now-lan-
guifhing, though moft ufeful and neceflary, Turkey trade, his majefty
will be gracioullypleafed to permit to the Turkey company the exercife
of trade in the Red fea, and all other the dominions of the grand fig-
nior, (i. e. Arabia and part of Africa) according to the large extent of
their charter, and accefs thereunto, by the moft convenient paflages,
i. e. round by the Cape of Good Hope.
More reafons againft the management of the Eaft-India trade, under
the prefent joint ftock.
I) The continuance of the ftock, which has now lafted 24 years,
(i. e. from 1657) is againft their firft propofal in their preamble, where-
by it is agreed, that at feven years end, the ftock ftiould be balanced
and divided, and a new fubfcription made : and that any perfons, at
the faid feven years end, might go out or come in upon a valuation
then to be made known : though no fuch thing be hitherto done.
II) They have fent over to India, throwfters, weavers, and dyers, and
have adually fet up there a manufadure of filk, which, by inftruding
riie Indians in thefe manufatlures, and by importing them fo made in-
to England, is an unfpeakable impoverilhment of the working people
of this kingdom.
III) Though many of the firft fubfcribers have died off, yet there is-
no liberty for young merchants to come in on anew fubfcription.
IV) The fo long continuance of the ftock is alio a reafon that its
whole management is fallen into fo few hands.
V) They export great quantities of bullion, and a fraall quantity of
cloth.
VI) Of the 550 who are members of the company, not above one
fifth are merchants, and as thefe laft are always of the committee,
hence it comes to pafs that many of the choiceft goods are lent home
on their private account, but feldom on account of the joint ftock.
VII, VIII) As their prefent ftock is too fcanty, fo new fubfcriptions
for two or three millions would bring in more merchants, as well as
more money to be employed, and alfo more fhips and mariners. At
prefent they trade not at all to Perfia, Japan, Arrachan, Acheen, Su-
matra, Pegu, Madagafcar, and many other places within the limits of
their charter, though fuch places, if traded to, would not only take off
much of our Englifli commodities, but likewife by trading there from
one port to another, would vend a large proportion of Indian commo-
dities, and the profit and bullion arifing thereby would, in a great mea-
fure, if not totally, prevent the exportation of bullion out of England.
IX) Laftly, the lenders of fo large a dead ftock as above, L6oo,ooo,
at fo low an intereft as 3 per cent, venture the hazard of their princi-
A. D. 1 68 1. 603
pal merely for that low intereft, whilfl the company makes 50 per cent
of it, without any hazard at all. Thofe lenders, in cafe of lofles, cap-
tures, &c. have only the company's common feal to depend on, which
in luch cafe is no fecurity at all : for no one member is obliged to
make fatisflidion, as has been evident by feveral late examples of the
like nature.
The Eaft-India company's anfwer, before the privy council, was to the
following effed.
I) Articles ift, 2d, and 3d. The cloth exported by the Eaft-India
company is finer and more valuable than what is exported by the Tur-
key company : and, if we are rightly informed, the medium of cloths
exported by that company in the laft three years is only about 1 9,000
cloths yearly ; a greater quantity than which (in value at leaft) the Eaft-
India company may probably fhip out this year, if their fadory at Amoy
in China be not furprifed by the Tartars, of which there was a doubt-
ful report lafl year. Yet it is admitted, that, before the Eafl-India com-
pany had any entrance into the trade of China and Japan, the Turkey
company's exportation of cloth did much exceed that of the Eaft-India
company. 4th, we alfo fay, that it will be found by the entries at the
cuflom-houfe, that the Turkey company do fend out yearly, befides
their cloth, great quantities of pieces of eight from England for the
purchafe of raw filk in Turkey, as well as great quantities of the like
fpecies of bullion from France, Spain, and Italy, which otherwife would
come to England.
II) Concerning the comparifon between the conflitution of the Tur-
key and Eafl-India companies, we fay, there hath been fo much print-
ed in moll European languages, and fo many confultations and debates
in the great councils of Europe, concerning joint flocks for the Eafl-
Indies, in all of which (except in Portugal) the refult has been for a
joint flock, that we think it would be impertinent to trouble your
lordfliips with a long difcourfe concerning it.
1 . But it cannot be denied by any reafonable man, that a joint flock
is capable of a far greater extenfion, as to the number of traders and
largenefs of flock, than any regulated company can be ; becaufe noble-
men, gentlemen, fhopkeepers, widows, orphans, and all other fubjecls,
may be traders, and employ their capitals in a joint flock ; whereas, in
a regulated company, fuch as the Turkey company is, none can be
traders but fuch as they call legitimate or bred merchants.
2. The confequence whereof is, that, if the trade for India were laid
open, the adventurers would be fewer by three quarters than they are
now, becaufe thofe who have fkill would run away with the trade, as in
fatl they did between the years 1653 and 1657.
3 and 4. The number of the prefent Eafl-India adventurers is at this
time above fix hundred ; and with refpedl to the indulged or private
4G 2
6o4 ^^" ^' 1 68 1.
trade, every adventurer hath as full a liberty, in proportion to his ftock»
as the governor, deputy, or any of the committees, the fame being not
to exceed one fifth part of his ftock ; and even that has been gradually
I'cduced every year, though per faltum it cannot be done, it not being
the work of a year, nor even of an age or two, to build up an Ea/l-
Jndia trade to perfetTion, though it may be deftroyed in a day. This
truth is mofl eminently vifible in the proceedings of the king of France,
who fpared no coll to obtain the befl advice in Europe, by immenfe re-
wards, premiums, &c. for the conilitution of his Eaft-India company ;
and yet we fee, that company makes very little of it : and even our own
company, although they had formerly a ilock of Li, 500,000 flerling,
advanced no farther in profits than 1 2^ per cent in fifteen years, i. e.
from 16 17 to 1632.
Though, inftead of eighty votes alleged to be now pofl^eiTed by fome
one fing-le perfon in the choice of the committees, we know of no one
that has fixty votes, yet it is mofl reafonable, and has ever been prac-
tifed both in ours and in the royal African company, and every other
joint flock, that each adventurer fliould vote according to his flock.
Even fince this complaint, which was firfl flarted about nine years ago,
there have been more great Ihips built by the company than were in
thirty years before, and alfo more woollen manufadures exported : and
the Dutch Eafi-India flock, which was at 580 per cent when ours was
but at 60 per cent, has fince ftood flill, or rather declined, while ours
has advanced, fo as almoft to equalize theirs in value : and his majefty's
cuftoms are alio more than doubled from our Eafl-India trade. The
company has alfo made many generous, chargeable, and fuccefsful, at-
tempts for obtaining a trade to Siam, Cochin-China, China, and Japan.
Ill) I. Our Eafl-lndia fi:ock now in trade is at lead Li, 7 00,000 clear
of all our debts.
2. Our debt at intereft is about L55o,ooo, and has been reduced from
6 to 3 per cent : and fuch is the company's credit, that they cannot per-
fuade their creditors to take their money.
3. And your lordfliips, in the houfe of peers, did formerly refolve,
that the abatement of interefl: tended to the increafe of trade and the
advancement of the value of the lands of England.
With refped- to the Turkey company's objedions againfi: the Eafl-
iddia company's importations of raw filk, plain wrought filk, and
wrought filks mixed with gold and filver, we fciy,
1. As for raw filk, it is fo efl^ential for the good of the kingdom, that
it may well held comparifon with our flieeps wool and cotton wool.
2. Since our importation thereof our filk manufadures have increaf-
ed from one to four.
3. With rcCped to the quality of our India iMw ftlk, it is the fmie as
with all other commodities on earth, fome good, fome bad, and fome
indiflerent.
A. D. 1 68 1. 605
4.. Plain wrought filks from India are known to be the ftrongeft and
moft durable, as well as the cheapeft that come from any part of the
world, and are generally re-exported from England to foreign parts.
5. Wrought India filks, flowered and ftriped, do, we confei's, a little
impede the growth of our own filk manufactures, but not to that de-
gree, in any meafure, as the raw filk imported from India doth advance
it.
6. If they could be efFedually forbidden from all parts, the Eaft-India
company would be glad to further an ad of parliament for that purpofe,
and alfo for the fupprefiion of French filks, fo much in wear in Eng-
land, though againft a law in being.
7. Wrought India filks, mixed with gold and filver, are not imported
by us, but merely by our permilfion ; becaufe, if we fliould not permit
them, they would come in, as much as now, by Health, and without
paying the king's cuftom *.
8. With refpect to our fending to India throwllers, weavers, and dy-
ers, the whole is a miftake, excepting only as to one or two dyers, ufu-
allv fent to Bengal, and to no other part of India ; and this for the na-
tion's as well as the company's advantage, eipecially as to plain black
filks, generally exported again.
9. As to the Turkey company's requefl: to deftroy what is efteemed
by all foreigners the glory of the trade of England, (i. e. by extending
the Turkey company's trade to the Red fea, &c.) we cannot help ad-
miring the confidence of the propofers.
Lailly, our Eafi:-India company can prevent none by their charter
from buying their ftock, provided they will pay L5 for their admifilon.
With relation to what the Turkey company adds, in the fecond part
of their allegations, concerning a valuation of their flock every feven
years, our Eaft-India company aver, that, purfuant to a general court
in "the year 1664, their flock was valued at the end of the firft feven
years at 130 per cent ; and, within a year and a quarter after, there was
50 per cent divided ; and a fecond valuation was afterwards 'made in the
lame 'manner.
The Turkey company's other objedions are indeed fo trifling and in-
conclufive, that the Eaft-India company gives them ftiort anf^vers, ap-
pealing at the f^m.e time to their lordfhips for their weight, &c.
From the allegations of thefe two rival companies we learn a great
deal of their hiftory ; and although both fides may have fomewhat ex-
aggerated in their own fwour, it is neverthelefs very eafy for the reader
to determine the truth in all the material points in queftion between
them. The Eaft-India company, among their other allegations, made
great complaints againft the interloping fliips for the laft three years ;
* TliL- ufe of nil fuch msnufaftures has fir.ce bten effcftually prohibited. ^.
6o6 A. D. iCii.
and that as they were at Li 00,000 annnual expenl'e for forts, foldiers,
&c. it would be n"«pofrible to carry on a profitable commerce if inter-
lopers were tolerated. Yet the interlopers went on with their voyages
to India ; one of whom, however, named Captain Thomas Sands, going-
out with a cargo of L50,ooo value, was, at the company's requefl, flop-
ped by the king ; and, after a long and curious trial, a decifion was
made by the chief-juflice Jeffreys in favour of" the company ; fo that
the fhip and cargo were fold off, to the proprietor's great lofs : notwith-
ftanding which the interlopers continued their voyages to India, being
encouraged by the opinions of fome of our greatefl lawyers, who freely
declared, that the king could not legally obflrucT: them by any charter
whatever granted to the company, unlefs their exclufive powers had the
fancftion of an a6t of parliament. Neverthelefs, King Charles fent a fhip
of war to India for the protedion of the company from interlopers and
pirates.
According to Voltaire, Louis XIV was at this time maffer of above 1 00
fhips of the line, feveral of which carried 100 guns, and fome more, and
of 60,000 failors. He conftruded and fortified the famous ports of Toulon
and Brefl at a prodigious expenfe ; and Rochefort alfo, in fpite of na-
ture, was made a place of trade and naval force.
So much had Colbert, the late prime minifler of France, applied him-
felf to the improvement of the naval affairs and commerce of France,
that the author of his life fays, that, in this year, the town of St. Male
alcnc fet forth in one month 6^ well-rigged fliips for the Newfoundland
fifhery, befides the fhips employed to the Levant, to Spain, and to the
Wefl-Indies, and had alfo ten fhips on the flocks.
Piiffendorff obferves, that at this time the French king's revenue was
coiTiputed at 150 millions of livres ; whereas, he obferves, that in the
laft age it did not amount to above nine or ten millions ; in the time
of Henry IV to 16 millions; and in the year 1639, to 77 millions,
which vaft difference is chiefly to be afcribed to the different value of
money fince thofe limes, and partly alfo to the great taxes impofed 011
the fubjeds.
Andrew Yarranton, in a work entitled England's improvement hy fea
and land, {2 V. 4to) afferts, that tin plates, (i. e. iron plates tinned over)
were now made in England through his means, he having been employ-
ed by fome gentlemen to go to Bohemia, where he learned the manner
of making them. When he returned home, he fet proper perlbns to
work, who made better ones than any he had feen abroad, the metal
being better, and the plates more pliable. But a patent being obtained
by fome great man at court, who had fmelt out the fcheme, for the fole
making of them, that manufadure was dropped by his employers, who
had with fo much charge made the difcovery.
That manufad Lire remained for many years unpradifed in England,
A. D. 1 68 1. 607
infomucli, that among the projects, called bubbles, of the year 1720, we
fliall fee, that this was made one of them ; yet, fince that year the ma-
nufadure of tinned plates is brought to greater perfedion in England
than in any other part of the world.
The proteftants in France being dayly more and more perfecuted by
their moft chriftian monarch. King Charles was advifed by his council
to ifllie a proclamation, or order of council, promifing to all proteftants,
who fliould withdraw from France, ample privileges in England, where-
upon confiderable numbers of them came hither, even before the linal
revocation of the famous edid of Nantes, in the year 1685.
So great was the ftrength and power of the Dutch in Eaft-India, at
this time, that Sir William Temple, who was well acquainted with their
affairs, obferves, that, befides the eflablifhment or conquefts of their com-
pany there, they had, in a manner, ereded another fubordinate com-
monwealth in thofe parts, where, upon occafion, they could bring to fea
40 or 50 fhips of war, and 30,000 landmen, by the loweft computa-
tion.
1682. — After the Englilh Hudfon's-bay company had, with much la-
bour, and charge in fadories and fettlements, eftablifhed their trade
with the natives, while they were building a fort at Port-Nelfon, in the
fouth part of that bay, the French from Canada came privately and
fuddenly, with two {hips, into the river Nelfon, and furprized our com-
pany's men, difpoflefled them of that fettlement, and carryed them pri-
soners to Canada. This was the firfl time that any French veflel had
ever failed into Hudfon's bay. But this piratical expedition was dil-
owned by the French king, who promifed fatisfadion to our company,
though whether any adequate fatisfadion was really made, docs not ap-
pear. Our company there alfo ereded a fort at Charleton ifle, whither
all the peltry, &c. were to be brought from the other fadories, for load-
ing the fhips for England. On Albany river, and on Hay's illand, were
forts and fadories alfo fettled ; and the company fent urgent inftrudions
to their governors, by all means to endeavour to fave the great expenfe
they were put to in fending annual fupplies of proviiions from England,
by trying to raife corn, &c. in that country. But this was foon found
to be impradicable, by reafon of the intenfenefs of the cold, and long
winters there, which foon deftroys almofl every thing fowed or planted
in it. They had by this time live fettlements there, viz. Albany river,
Hay's ifland, Rupert's river, Port Nelfon, and New Severn.
hi this year the Englilh Eafl-hKlia company loft one of the bed fac-
tories which they had ever pollelled in all India, occafioned by a quar-
rel between the old king of Bantam and his fon. Our company took
part with the father, as the Dutch company, on the contrary, fidedwith
the fon, and fent their forces to his aifiltance from Batavia, whereby
the old king was vanquiilicd, and fhut up in prifon. Hereupon the
6o8 A. D. 1682.
young king gave the Dutch pofleflion of the caftle of Bantam, which
commanded both the town and port, whereupon that company drove
out the Enghfli company's factors and fervants, and have ever fince pof-
fefled the place. This is our company's account of that affair, concern-
ing which they had many difputes and conferences v»-ith the agents of
the Dutch company ; and the later publifhed a pamphlet at London in
1688, for their vindication, the fubflance whereof is, that it was not the
Dutch, but the young king, who drove the Englifh from Bantam. On
the other fide, our company made it but too plainly evident, that the
voung king was purely the Dutch compatiy's inftrument for that vio-
lence, which enabled them to engrofs the entire commerce of Bantam ;
for which end, and at the fame time, they got him to expel the French,
Danes, and Portuguefe, as alfo the fubjeds of the mogul, and of all.
other Indian nations, although none of thefe had been parties in the
quarrel with his father. Our company alleged, moreover, that the
Dutch had formerly pradifed the like, in a fimilar cafe, at Macaflar,
and were now actually doing the fame, in a difpute between two rajas
on the Malabar coaft. It would be almoft endlefs, and alfo to very
little purpofe, to enlarge on the complaints of our company againfl the
Dutch, for injuries done them in India, or the Dutch company's vindi-
cation in anfwer to thofe complaints, and their accufations, in their
turn, of wrongs done them by the Englifli company.
The Dutch, by obtaining the command of Bantam, became entirely
mafters of the wefl end of the great ifland of Java ; as Batavia had long
before given them a large dominion on the north fide of it. Yet, be-
fides the king of Materan on the fouth fide of Java, there are flill feveral
other lefTer fovereigns remaining unfubdued by the Dutch company.
The Englifh Eafl-India company now began to fortify Bencoolen in
the great ifland of Sumatra ; by which important fetclement they have
preferved to England the pepper trade, which otherwife would have
been loft to our company, after being driven from Bantam. This fort
coft our company for completing it, in about ten years time, no fmaller
a fum than L25o,ooo.
i6S^. — It was about this time that the ufeful conveyance of letters
and parcels by the penny-poft was firft fet up in London and its lub-
urbs, by a private undertaker, named Murray, (an upholfterer by
trade) who afterward afligned the fame to one Dockwra, who carried it
on fuccefsfuUy for a number of years, till the government laid claim to
that projeft, as conneded, and partly interfering, with the general poft-
ofHce, which was part of the crown revenue ; it was therefor annexed
to that revenue, in lieu of which Mr. Dockwra had a yearly penfion of
L200 fettled on him for life : but the firft mention we find of this re-
venue in the ftatute book was not till the year 1711, as will be feen
under that year. i
A. D. 1683. ^°9
It was in the year 1683 that moft authors reckon
France to have been in the meridian of power and glory ;
for at this time the produce of the feveral branches of her Livres.
revenue was reckoned annually to amount to - ^^ 5>5^(^,63^
And, in the opinion of many who have made flricl in-
quiry into her revenue fince that period, fhe feems to
have gradually funk in this rel'peft, fo that, according to
a well-written piece, in Englifh, publiOied in 1742, en-
titled, an Enquiry into the revenue and trade of France,
the annual revenue in 1733 did not amount to more than 140,278,473
Difference between the years 1683 and 1733, - 75,288,160
This is indeed a very great difference, and yet much of it may be
accounted for from the unbounded ambition of Louis XIV in draining
his kingdom of men and money for his wars, it being the opinion of
fome, that ever fince his invafion of Holland in 1672, his revenue gra-
dually funk, and the price of French lands therewith alfo funk ; and
from, foon after this time, expelling a vaft number of his mofl induf-
trious proteftant fubjeds, who, befides the wealth of many of them, car-
ried along with them their arts and induftry, and taught the nations,
who wifely, as well as pioufly, received them, almofl all kinds of French
manufadures ; hereby it was, that France foon began to feel a great
abatement of her exports of manufadures, both to England and Hol-
land.
1 . With refpect to England, France formerly fupplied her with ma-
nufadured filks of all forts, to the value in fterling money, of
about __-_-_ L6oo,ooo
but now none at all.
2. With linen, fail-cloth, and canvas, to about L7oo,ooo j
but fince the high duties we have laid on French goods,
amounting to a prohibition, theie are partly manufadured
at home, and partly imported from Holland, Germany, and
Rullia, (and more lately from Scotland and Ireland) who
take off our own goods in return. Deduding, therefor,
about L200,ooo for French cambrics, which, in time of
peace, are faid to come by way of Dunkirk, 8cc. the clear
annual lofs to France, in this article, will be - 500,000
3. In beaver hats, in glals, watches, and clocks, - 220,000
(Since entirely our own manufidures, ot which we
alio export a great quantity.)
4. In paper of all kinds, of which we now make much
at home, and the reft we take of Holland and Genoa, - 90,000
5. In iron ware, which we formerly had from Auvergne,
Vol. II, 4 H
6io A. D, 1683.
bu; now make better and cheaper at Birmingham, Sheffield,
&c. and of which alfo we export immenfe quantities to our
plantations, as well as to fundry parts of Europe, - 40,000
6. In {halloons, tammies, &;c. from Picardy and Cham-
paigne, now made better at home, of which alfo much is
exported _____ 150,000
7. In French wines, inftead of which we now take thofe
of Portugal in return for our own manufactures, - 200,000
8. In French brandies, 2000 tons, (which is lefs than fbr-
m.erly, owing to the great improvement of our own dilfil-
Icry, and to the much increafed tafte for plantation rum) at
L40 per ton, _ « _ _ 80,000
Total lofs per annum to France, by England's great im-
provement in manufadures, and turning her imports into
more profitable channels, - _ _ Li, 880, 000
With refpeft to the Dutch, they had formerly but few, and moflly
inconfiderable, manufadures of their own ; they contented themfelves
with behig the common carriei's of the manufadures of France and
other parts of Europe from one country to another, and their immenfe
fifhery ; but now they make vaft quantities of rich filks and velvets, be-
fides their woollen, linen, and paper, manufadures, &c. So that (accord-
ing to Mr E\.\rn{h''s ^^cco/nit of the Dutch trade) they do not, in our times,
take oft above half the quantity from France they formerly did, or
about _ _ - _ L6oo,ooo
2. In hats (mofi: of their fi:ner ones coming from Eng-
gland) they have abated about _ _ _ 217,000
3. The like in gtafs, clocks, watches, and houfehold fur-
niture, (chiefly of late years from England) faved about - 160,000
4. The like of fringes, gloves, and paper, - - 260,000
5. Linen, canvas, and fail-cloth, _ _ _ 165,000
6. Saffron, foap, woad, honey, and woollen yarn, abated
about _ _ - _ 300,000
Total of the former Dutch imports IcfPened yearly, - 1,702,000
Total decreafe of Englifli and Dutch imports from France
yearly, fince about the year 1683, - - L3, 582,000
If fo great a lofs could be exadly afcertained, which is not here pre-
tended to, though probably near the mark, and conlldering alio all the
ether condud of Louis XIV, we are not much to be furprifed at the
decreafe of the French revenues, even after allowing much for the late
great increafe of the commerce of the French American colonies, and
alio of their territory by the addition of Lorrain.
A. D, 1683. 6ir
The EngliOi Interlopers to Eaft-Tndia becoming fo very numerous,
our Eafl-India company this vear obtained a new charter from King
Charles II, (being his tlfth charter to them) whereby all former charters
were confirmed, and they were empowered, to feize the fhips and mer-
chandize of the interlopers, with the forfeiture of one half to the king,
and the other half to the company, who were thereby empowered to
raife, train, and muller, fuch military forces, as they Ihould judge requi-
fite ; and at their forts, factories &c. to exercife martial law. More-
over, for redrefling injuries and wrongs committed on the high leas with-
in their limits, a court of judicature might be erected by the company,
to confift of one civilian and two merchants, who were to determine all
cafes of forfeitures and feizures of fliips and goods within their limits,
and all maritime and mercantile bargains, policies of infurance, bills,
bonds, contracts, charter-parties, wages of mariners, trelpaflts on the
high feas, &c.
The people of the ifleof St. Helena being this year in a ftate of rebel-
lion and infurredion, and the company bemg enabled by their new"
charter to reduce them to obedience, executed lome perlons who tu-
multuoufly refufed to pay certain taxes, which they alleged to be con-
trary to their contrad with the company when they went to fettle there:
a great clamiour was thereupon raifed by their widows and relations,
whofe cafe being laid before the houfe of commons in the year 1685,
that houfe voted what the company had thereby done to be arbitrary
and illegal, which created the company many enemies. Iheir ftock,
however, at this time fold from 360 to 500 per cent.
This year the Turks, infligated by Louis XIV of France, and by the
Hungarian malcontents, and encouraged by the feeblenefs of the empe-
Tor Leopold, made their way through Hungary, and lat down betore
Vienna with 150,000 men. The taking of this city would have open-
ed a way for the Turks and French to conquer much, if not all Ger-
many ; the appreheniion whereof made moil part of Europe tremble,
and England, in particular, while her monarch cared for nothing but his
pleafures and arbitrary power. Providence, however, fruflrated thofe
great enterprifes, by the jimdion of John Sobielky, king of Poland, with
the duke of Lorrain and the imperial army, whereby the liege was-
railed, and the Turks forced to retreat precipitately through Hungary,
with the lofs of all that they had conquered n\ that kingdom. The im-
perialifts loon reduced all Tranfylvaaia, as the Venetians did all the
Morea, the city and territory of Athens, and the ifle of Scio, which,
however, they again loft in the year follo\\mg. Could they have held
that ifland, it would in fome meafure have tut off the Turks trom a
maritime communication with their territories in the Archipelago, Alia,
and Egypt. Thus the Turks, who, for two centuries paft, had extended
their boundaries as far as, and in lome parts farther than, the Roman.
4H 2
6i2 A. D. 1683.
empire in its meridian glory, northward, eaflward, and fouthward, now
received a confiderable check ; but they have never yet been able to
get ground weftward, maugre all their bold efforts againfl the eaftern
fhores of Italy, and alfo in this and the preceding renowned fiege of
Vienna.
This year, Dr. Hugh Chamberlain, a phyfician, and one Robert Mur-
xay, both great projectors, made a mighty flir with their fcheme of a
bank, for circulating bills of credit on merchandize to be pawned there-
in, and for lending money to the induftrious poor on pawns, at fix per
cent interefl : yet it came to nothing.
This year King Charles fent Lord Dartmouth, attended by the able
Mr. Pepys, fecretary of the admiralty, with 20 fhips of war, to demolifli
the town, caftle, and mole, of Tangier, and to choke up its harbour. It
was faid to be very ftrong when the Portuguefe delivered it up to Eng-
land in the year 1662, but King Charles rendered it almotl impregna-
ble. He, for the fecurity of its haven and fl^iipping, conftruded a fu-
perb mole, the extremities whereof run out 600 yards into the fea ; and
its ftones were as ftrongly cemented together as if it had been one en-
tire rock, infomuch, that they were forced to drill it in many parts, and
fo to blow it up piece-meal, whereby it took up fix months in its entire
demolition. The mole had been made extremely commodious for our
fliipping and commerce, by reaibn of its fituation on the African fide of
the Straits.
1684. — In April 1684 Lord Dartmouth returned to England with
the garrifon, artillery, and ftores. As fundry towns on the fame fhore
are flill held by Spain and Portugal, Tangier would probably, at this
day, have been lefs an object of jealouly to the other European powers
than Gibraltar is on the oppofite fhore : but whether its harbour and
fituation on the fouth fliore, where the current is laid to run much
ilronger into the Straits than on the oppofite fhore, would have in all
refpects equally anfwered our cammercial and political ends, is a point
we will not prefume to determine. Yet we imagine it will fcarcely be
denied, that our retaining it, along with Gibraltar, would have been a
confiderable additional fecurity to our commerce, and pofllbly alfo an
augmentation of our naval power and influence, by keeping conflantly
a fquadron of fliips in fo fecure a port. Leaving this point, however,
for ftatefmen to determine, we fliall only add what fome hiflorians far-
ther relate, viz. that the rubbifh of the demolifhed mole, and of the
walls of the town, being thrown into the harbour, has fo efirftually
choked it up, that it can never hereafter be a couimodious port, which,
however, is at leafl doubtful till a trial fhall be attempted. Mr. Burchett,
in his Naval hiftory, relates, ' that by our king's direction there v.^ere
' buried amongfl the ruins a confiderable number of milled crown
' pieces of his majefly's coin, which, poflibly many centuries hence
4
A, D. 1684. ^13
' may declare to fucceeding ages, that that place was once a member
' of the Britifh empire.' And (let us juft fubjoin) who can tell but
that hereafter it may be judged the intereft of the Britifli empire to re-
affume its right to that ports ? More efpecially, if what is faid by fome
be true, that the foundation of its demoliflied mole, as well as of its
walls, remain entire, and that it is very poflible for its haven to be en-
tirely cleared of the rubbifli. ProfefTor Oakley, in his Account of fouth-
weft Barbary, thinks it would be an enterprife worth attempting, and
eafily to be effedled, to recover the place again. For, fays he, if 2CCO
men were to go, with three men of war and two bomb-ketches, they
might make themfelves matters of it in twenty-four hours time : for
upon the heaving of a fcore of bombs, not one foul of the Moors would
ftay within the town, and then the foldiers might land at pleafure, who
would have nothing elfe to do but to plant their guns on the walls, and
by night to empty a few places of the ditches that are filled.
The French hitherto mifmanaged their Eaft-India company : for
though they kept up the figure of a great fociety, yet, upon a full ftate
of their circumftances, it now plainly appeared they had aftually run
out half their capital, or about L30o,ooo fi:erling. Whereupon it was
refolved to put that company upon a new bottom, laving afide the me-
thod of chambers of diretlors in the fea-ports, which had been fet up
in imitation of the Dutch company, and to place its entire management
in twelve directors refiding at Paris, with proper falaries. This com-
pany had, in the year 1670, furrendered their property of the ifland of
Madagafcar ; and then- king, in the year 16B5, in confirming their new
conftitution, left them at Hberty either to refume Madagafcar, or to
leave it in his hands, and they chofe the later. There were fundry
caufes of the company's misfortunes, as their war with Holland from
1672 to 1678, the mercenary management of their fervants in India,
and efpecially their intermeddling fo boldly, agreeably to the genius of
their nation, in the affairs of the kingdom of Siam, whereby the king
of Siam was murdered in his palace, and the French garrifon totally de-
ftroyed, after they had been at the expenfe of fending thither a fquadron
of Ihips, with land-forces, for making that king more abfolute than the
people liked him to be, and flattered themfelves with converting all
Siam to their chriftian religion. Tlais was the ftate of that company,
when Pont-Chartrain fucceeded Colbert as prime minifi;er. He was far
from being a friend to this company, as will briefly appear hereafter.
In this year we have the lord chief-juftice Polle.xfen's argument, as fo
termed, printed in a fuit brought by the Eafl:-India company againfl;
Thomas Sands, who had fitted out a ftiip for India without being li-
cenced by that company, lit. Sands in his defence, pleaded a ftatute
[18 Edzv. Ill, c. 3] whereby it is enaded, that the feas fliall be open
for all merchants to pafs with their merchandize wherever they pleafe_
6 14 A. D. 1684.
2dly, The ftatute [21 'jac. I, c. 3] declaring all monopolies to be againfl
the common law. 3dly, That the grant of any fole trade whatever is
contrary to magna charta. [9 Hen. Ill, c. 30] and to divers other antient
ftatutes, as 25 Edzv. Ill, c. 2, 2 Ric. II, c. i, and 11 R'rc. II, c. 7, both
which enad, that all letters-patent and commands, to the contrary of
the freedom of commerce, fliall be void. Then he proceeds to fhew,
that the Eaft-India company is a true monopoly, as deicribed by our
law books, and is not like the Turkey, Rullia, and Hamburgh coni-
panics, where there is no joint flock, but every member uies his own
trade, buys and fells his own commodities, and has his own fervants
and factors. Thefe companies only order what fhips fhall go, but leave
to every member to lend his merchandize at his own will and pleafure ;
and no man is refufed to be free of their companies that has a mind,
paying fome fmall fum for his freedom. But this body-politic, the in-
vifible corporation, trades perhaps for a million fterling yearly. The
laft three fales that they made came to Li, 800, 000, and nobody hath
thefe commodities but they. No man can vote in their company un-
lefs he has L500 flock, which cofls above L1500. In fhort, his lord-
fhip laboured, not unfuccefsfully, to prove the company to be a true
monopoly, and Sands to be innocent, as the company was not eflablifli-
ed by any ac"^ of parliament. Yet the king's order for the fliip not to
fail obliged Sands, atter a year's fufpenfe, to fell his (hip and cargo with
great lofs. The {hips and goods of fome other interlopers, as they were
then ftiled, were likewife feized and confifcated in the following reign,
in the years 1686 and 1687: but they took out no licence from the
company. All which was decided dired;ly againft the fpirit and maxims
of our common law, purely for fupporting a lawlefs prerogative in the
crown, which, under another monarch, fix years after this time, was
agreed to be legally difclaimed-
About this time, (according to Dr. D'Avenant's Eflay upon ways and
means of iupplying the war, London, 1695) the poor-rate, or the ex-
penfe of maintaining the poor of England, came to about L665,ooo
yearly : and, England, being certainly richer than it was then, it is the
general opinion, that in our days it cofls the nation about a million of
money. And it is much to be feared, with our author, that as this
money is managed in moft places, inflead of relieving fuch as are true-
iy poor and impotent, which the laws delign, it ferves only to nourilh
and continue vice and floth in the nation. Such a patriot fpirit may,
it is to be hoped, fome time or other ftart up in the great council of
the nation, as fhall be able to devife an effedual means of obviating the
too juft objedions againft the prefent legal methods of providing for our
poor, lb as to five to the nation the greateft part of the expenfe, and at
the fune time find ufeful employment for the greateft part of the poor,,
now maintained in floth at the pubHc expenfe.
3
A. D.I 684. • 615
Louis XIV of France, in the plenitude of his power, delighted to
exert his infolent fuperiority by heaping public difgracc on feebler
ftates. Of this we have a pregnant inflance in his treatment of the de-
cayed repubhc of Genoa. He pretended, in the year 1682, that the
republic had held certain fecret practices with the Spanilh governor of
Milan, of which he accufed and admonillied them by his ambafiador
St. Olon.
The duke of Mantua had made a treaty with Louis to take all the
fait uled in his country from France. St. Olon demanded of Genoa,
not only a free paflage for the falc through their territories, but aUb
leave to ei'eft magazines thereof at Savona. And he alio demanded that
the republic fhould pay to the heirs of the count de Lavagne, formerly
a rebel Genoefe, who were then fettled in France, the amount of the
effeds which that count's rebellion had made to be forfeited to the
flate.
Both thefe niodefl demands were juftly looked on with indignation
by the Genoefe, more efpecially that of the folt, as interfering with
their own commerce. The French author ot the Hiflury of Genoa
neverthelefs adds, that, though this demand might indeed fecm fome-
what uncommon, yet the republic on this occalion ought to have yield-
ed in favour of a prince, now looked upon by all the world as the ar-
biter of the fate of Europe.
There w^as yet a third inftance of infolence which exceeded both the
former, viz. Louis's declaration, that in cafe Genoa fliould fend to fea
four new galleys they had juft built, he would conftrue it as an hoflility
againft himfelf, and would in that cafe feize on all their fliips and ef-
fects, wherever they could be found. In fliort, Spain having broke with
France, in the year 1684, ^^'^'^ the Genoefe refuling to comply with the
above arbitrary demands, and putting themfelves under the protection
of Spain, Louis determined to bring down their pride, as he termed
it, by bombarding their ftately capital city, and laying it almofl entire-
ly in allies with his bombs and cannon, and thereby alio dellroying
multitudes of their citizens. Not content with this cruel proof ot his
power and refentment, he obliged the republic, by a treaty in the year
1685, to fend the reigning doge, or head of their ftate, in his ducal
robes to Verfailles, with four of the principal fenators, there folemnly
to aik pardon of the grand monarch in the mod abjedt manner : they
were thereby alfo bound to difarm their new galleys, and to reduce their
navalforce to its former flate of fix galleys only. So low was this ftate
now fallen, whole naval power had formerly been the terror of all the
ftates on both fides of the Mediterranean. They were moreover obliged
to difcharge all the Spanifli troops quartered on their territories, to re-
nounce the league with Spain made fince 1683, and finally, to pay
1 00,000 crowns to the heirs of their rebel fubject, &:c. After their
6i6 A. D. 1684.
hupable compliance with thefe and fuch articles, Louis condeicended to
permit this miierably fhattered people to exift as a free ftate. The un-
paralleled article of obliging the reigning doge of Genoa, who repre-
fents the majefty of the republic, to leave the feat of fovereignty, and
in his robes of ftate to abafe himfelf before the grand monarch, occa-
fioned a well-known witty reply of that doge to a queilion of a French
courtier, who aflcing him, which was the greateft rarity of all the fine
things he had feen at Paris ? (which, after his humiliation, Louis had
commanded to be fliewn to him) facetioufly replied, that he thought
himfelf the greateft rarity he had feen at Paris.
1685 — We are now come to the famous revocation of what was be-
fore deemed the perpetual and irrevocable edift of Nantes, by which
the proteftants in France enjoyed the free and public exercife of their
religioii ; a revocation which, on one hand, proved very lamentable to
many hundred thoufands of honeft and innocent people in that king-
dom, more efpecially to fuch as by age and infirmities were difabled
from feeking an aiylum elfewhere : but which, on the other hand, was
produdive of much good to almoft all the proteftant countries of Eu-
rope, but more efpecially to the commerce of Holland and England,
while it greatly diminiftied that of France, and deprived her of great
funis of money carried away by thofe refugees into other countries.
It is neither our province nor intent to defcribe Louis's motives for
fetting on foot a cruel perfecution of fo many of his beft and moft in-
duftrious fubjeds, of which fo much has been written and publiftied in
moft European languages, our proper province being purely to ftiew its
very confiderable influence on the commerce and manufadures of the
other nations of Europe. The people, whom Louis thus violently forced
out of his kingdom, were, generally throughout all France, the beft mer-
chants, manufadurers, and artificers, of that kingdom. There are very
various accounts of the total number of them : thofe who reckon up
all who retired from France fome time before, as well as immediately
upon, and alfo fome years after, this revocation, go fo high as one mil-
lion of men, women, and children. Poflibly this may be fomewhat
over-reckoned. Others, reckoning only thofe who withdrew immedi-
ately upon the revocation, make them only fomewhat more than 300,000
perlons. Thofe who had moft money retired into England and Holland ;
but the moft induftrious part of them fettled in Brandenburgh, where
they introduced the manufactures of cloth, ferges, ftuffs, druggets, crapes,
caps, ftockings, hats, and alfo the dying of all forts of colours. They
were in number about 20,000 at firft, but they foon multiplied : and
loon alio made ample returns to their generous benefador the eledor
Frederick William. Berlin now had goldfmiths, jewellers, watchmak-
ers, and carvers : and luch as were fettled in the open country planted
lobacco, and variety of fruits and pulfe. Others make the total num-
A. D.I 685. 617
ber of refugees to be 800,000. A part of the fubtirbs of London, fays
Voltaire, in his Age of Louis XIV, (meaning Spitalfields) was peopled
entirely with French manufadurers in filk. For other arts, fome thou-
fands of them helped to people and increafe the fuburbs of Soho and
St. Giles's. Others of them carried to England the art of making cryftal
in perfedtion, which for that reafon was about this fame time loft in
France. He fays, that only 600,000 fled from the perfecution of Louis,
carrying with them their riches, their induftry, and implacable hatred
againft their king. And wherever they fettled, they became an addi-
tion to the enemies of France, and greatly inflamed thofe powers, al-
ready inclined to war. It may feem fomewhat ftrange that more of
them did not fettle in England, confidering the general liberty of this
free nation ; yet, through the too general and impolitic averfion of the
Englifti to all ftrangers, even though fuffering for the proteftant reli-
gion, and their monopolizing-corporation cities and towns ; and, on the
other hand, the great immunities, &c. allowed them in Holland, Swit-
zerland, Germany, and Pruflia, we are not to wonder that not above
50,000 of them did adually fettle in England, where, inftead of doing
us hurt, they have proved a great and manifelt bleffing, by improving
fome of our antient arts and manufadures, and likewife by introducing
fundry new ones. Others, however, think, that in all there were fet-
tled in Great Britain and Ireland at leaft 70,000 of thofe refugees.
France, by its profitable commerce with England, &c. having ac-
quired great riches in the times preceding this revocation, did not im-
mediately feel the bad effeds of driving out fo many induftrious mer-
chants, manufacturers, and artificers ; yet in procefs of time fhe found
her manufactures and inland trade thereby greatly decayed. The Eng-
lifti people, afllfted by thofe refugees, fet on foot fundry French manu-
fadures and fabrics, never before made in England, and which we ftiall
never more take from France, as we have in moft cafes outdone our
teachers therein. But as many of thofe refugees were eminent mer-
chants and manufadurers, and did undoubtedly bring along with them
much money and effeds, I have feen a computation, at the loweft fup-
pofition, of only 50,000 of thofe people coming to Great Britain, and
that, one with another, they brought L60 each in money or effeds,
whereby they added three millions fterling to the wealth of Britain.
The author of the Hiftory of the edid of Nantes, (printed at Delft,
1695) takes fpecial notice of the great number of civil officers who had
been in the French king's fervice, fo confiderable as to fill all the courts
of Europe with them. That, moreover, fo many of the young no-
blefte, trained up for the army, withdrew at the fame time, as to form
whole companies of foldiers in the Dutch and Brandenburgh fervice.
In England, even in King James IPs reign, large colledions were made
for the refugees, who, at the revolution by King WilHam's acceftion to
Vol. II. 4 I
6i8 ■ A. D. 1685.
the throne, had Li 5,000 yearly fettled on fuch as either were perfon*
of quality, or were through age, &c. unable to fupport themfelves :
which allowance is now reduced, as there are very few proper objeds
for it left alive. To the French refugees England owes the improve-
ment of fundry manufadures of flight woollen fluffs, of filk, linen,
paper, glafs, hats, (the two lafl fince brought to the utmofl perfedion
by us.) The filks called alamodes and luftrings were entirely owing to
them ; alfo brocades, fatins, black and coloured mantuas, black padua-
foys, ducapes, watered tabbies, black velvets ; alfo watches, cutlery-ware,
clocks, jacks, locks, furgeons inflruments, hard-ware, toys, &c.
The two firfl kings of Pruflia caufed colledions to be made for them
throughout their dominions ; they alfo fettled flipends on their clergy,
built them churches, granted them immunities from taxes and ofHces.
Thole princes adually placed their agents on the confines of France to
condud the refugees to Brandenburgh, and bear their expenfes all the
way. They alio fettled great numbers of them in their new kingdom
of PrufTia, which was then but thin of people, where they had lands
affigned them, gratis and tax free, as alfo in Brandenburgh : in Berlin,
they have fince built many new flreets, and greatly improved the whole-
country, by manufadures, arts, agriculture, &c. Thofe kings divided,
them into colonies, and appointed them magiflrates of their own.
The great eledor Frederick William allowed them a yearly penfion-
of 40,000 crowns ; he brought in the ufe of poft-houfes, till then un-
known in Germany. The l^reets of his towns were paved and hghted
by lanthorns ; for till then the courtiers were obHged to go on flilts to
Potfdam, when the court relided there, becaufe of the heaps of dirt in,
the ftreets.
' Nothing,' fays the author of Memoirs of the Dutch commerce,
' has increafed the inhabitants as well as manufadures of Holland fo
' much as the French proteftant refugees, who were almoll all of them
' merchants and artifans.' And even this French and popilh bifhop
adds, that ' whenever trade is clogged or eonftrained in any country,
' it will retire to other countries where it can have m,ore fafety.' The
author of the Hiftory of the edid of Nantes, obferves, ' that the li-
' berality of the ftates-general of the United Netherlands to thofe in-
' nocent refugees was fo great, that it can fcarcely be too amply de-
' itribed. They fettled a flind for an incredible number of penfions
* to military officers, gentlemen, and minillers, and for fupplies to vir-
* gins and ladies of quality. Great fums alio were railed for fupport-
* ing their poor, for whom Uberal colledions were made in all their
' towns and villages : and the prince and princefs of Orange were
' bright examples of that charity, both before and after they became
' monarchs of Britain. The prince of Eafl Friieland alio teftified his
' zeal for their relief.'
3
A. D. 1685. 619
\'oltaire [Jje of Louis XIF, V. ii, c. 2] fays, that near 50,000 fa-
milies left France in the ipuce of three years, and were afterwards fol-
lowed by others, who introduced their arts, manufadtures, and riches,
among Grangers : that almoft all the north part of C-ermany (a country
hitherto rude and void of induftry) received a new face from the mul-
titude of refugees trandated thither, peopling entire cities, wlierc (lulls,
lace, hats, (lockings, formerly imported from France, were now made
in thofe countries.
Neither were the protedant cantons of Switzerland lefs kind and
bountiful to fuch of thofe good people who took flicker amongd them,
by fupplying them with every necellary, and even fettling penfions on
them. In a fevv^ months after this revocation, the city of Geneva
doubled her inhabitants : yet, led France fliould relent it, her magif-
trates were obliged to fend them away again. The landgrave of Hefle
Cadel received them in great numbers, and was extremely kind to them.
Even the lutheran princes received them kindly, and ereded churches,
fchools, and holpirals, for them, particularly the princes of Lunenburgh,
the free cities of Germany, the margrave of Bareith, &c. They, in
fhort, fpread themfelves throughout every other part of Europe where
any degree of freedom or toleration of private judgment in matters of
religion was allowed, as in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Livonia, Po-
land, and Ruflia. Some even wandered as far as our American colonies :
and wherever they were received, they became a fubdantial blefling to
their benefadors by improving their trade and manufadures : more-
over, many of them having been eminent merchants, fuch of thofe who
fixed in England and Holland, fettled correfpondences all over the world,
greatly to the increafe of commerce.
On this intereding fubjed: we can fcarcely judge it a digredion to
join with Fenfionary De Witt (in his Intcrcji of Holland') in behalf of the
freedom of toleration of religion, ' as being highly conducive to the
' increafe of commerce, preferving our people at home, and alluring
* drangers to come and fettle with us : for,' adds he, * all civilized peo-
' pie mud be fuppofed to pitch upon fome outward fervice of God as
' the bed, and to be averfe from all other forms ; and fuch perfons
' will abhor even to travel, and much more to refide, in countries where
* they are not permitted to ferve God outwardly after the manner they
* like bed. Yet the clergy (almod everywhere but in Holland) having
' a fettled livelihood, which depends not on the poHtical welfare of the
* land, do, through human frailty, teach and preach up all that can have
* a tendency to their own credit, profit, and eafe, even though it be to
* the ruin of their own country.' He then goes on to diew how they
perfecute didenters from them, odio thcologico, as he phrales it : ' where-
' as,' adds he, ' all chridian clergymen ought to red fatisfied, according
* to their mader's doctrme, with enlightening and periuafion alone, and
4I2
620 A. D. 1685.
* fhould be far from compulfion, either by fpiritual or bodily punifh--
* ments. How prejudicial fuch coercive practices are, efpecially in ricli
' trading cities, Lubeck, Cologne, and Aix-la-Chapelle, may inflrudl us,
' where both the rulers and fubjedls of thofe lately fo famous cities
' have, fince the reformation, loft moft of their wealth, chiefly by fuch
' compulfion in religion ; many of their inhabitants being thereby driv-
' en out, and ftrangers likewiie difcouraged from coming to refide in
'- them.'
In this firft year of King James II an ad; of parliament [c. 4] granted
to him new duties on tobacco and fugar ; and this, we muft obferve,
was the firft time that tobacco and fugar of our own colonies were par-
ticularly taxed by name ; there being till now only 1 2d per pound (or
5 per cent on their value) laid on them, under the general name of
poundage, as on all other imported goods : but fince this time thofe
two moft valuable commodities have proved very confiderable aids to -
the nation in its revenue.
French merchandize being prohibited to be imported into England
in the year 1678, as we have feen, for three years to come, and to the
end of the next feflion of parliament, and there having been no parlia-
ment during the remamder of King Charles IPs reign, King James IT,
in the very beginning of his reign, having great occafion for the friend-
fhip of the French king for enabling him to accomplifh the two grand
points he had in view, viz. the eftablifhment of popery and of defpotic
power in England, got an ad: of parliament paffed [c. 6] abfolutely re-
pealing that prohibition ; whereupon enfued an inundation of French
commodities, to the value of above four millions fterling, within the
compafs of lefs than three years, whereby all the evils formerly com-
plained of were renewed, infomuch that the nation would have been
foon beggared, had it not been for the happy revolution in the year
1688, when all commerce with France was eftedually barred.
It appears from the cuftom-houle books that the linen alone imported
in the year 1686 was valued at no lefs than L398,6ii : 14 : 10, befides
clandeftine importations thereof: and at a medium of three years, viz,
1686-7-8, there were annually imported from France 18,150 tons of,
wine, and 4000 of brandy.
And in the fame three years there were upon an average imported
annually from France,
Linens to the value of - L700,ooo o o
Luftrings and alamodes - 212,500 o o
Other filk fabrics - - 500,000 o o
Paper _ _ _ - 50,000 o o
[Britijh merchant, pp. 319, 325.]
Sueh, however, was the kindnefs of Louis in return, that but two
A. D. 1685. 621-
years after this (1687) he prohibited the importation of mofl; of our
woollen manufactures into France : yet King James, though naturally
inclined to favour commerce, facrificed the great interefts of his king-
dom to his enthufiafm and his high ideas of his royal prerogative.
By an ad of parliament [15 Car. II, c. 14] the revenue of the gene-
ral poft-office, and afterwards alfo L24,ooo yearly out of the hereditary
excife, was fettled on the duke of York and his heirs male. In this firfl
year of that prince's reign, by the name of King James II, his obfequi-
ous parliament enaded, [c. 1 2] that both thofe revenues fhould here-
after be to him, his heirs, and fuccefFors, one entire and indefeafible
eflate in fee-fimple : fo that the poft-office revenue was made the king
of Great Britain's private eftate forever, and therefor is never to be ac-
counted for by him to parliament, as all public revenues are. It was
now eftimated at L65,ooo per annum.
For the encouragement of ftiip-building, greatly decayed in New-
caftle, Hull, Yarmouth, Ipfwich, and other ports of England on the
eaftern coafts, occafioned chiefly by employing foreign-built fhips in
the coal-trade, and other inland or coafting trades, there was a duty
of 5/ per ton laid on all fuch fhipping by ad of parliament, [i Ja. II,
c. 18] one half thereof to be for the ufe of the cheft at Chatham, and
the other to the corporation of the trinity-houfe, towards the relief of
wounded and decayed Teamen, their widows and children.
The weftern fuburbs of London continually increafing, more efpeci--
ally in the parifh of St. Martin's in the fields, on a parcel of ground call-
ed Kemps-field, whereon, towards the later part of the reign of King
Charles II, fundry new ftreets were ereded, the inhabitants obtained an
ad of parliament [i Ja. II, c. 20] to enable them to ered the fame in-
to a diftind parifli, by the name of St. Anne's, within the hberty of
Weftminfter, and to tax themfelves for finifhing their new church of.
that name.
Another ad of parliament, the laft ad palled in King James's reign, .
[i Ja. II, c. 22] ereds another parifh in the fuburbs, to be called St.
James, in the liberty of Weftminfter, till now part of the parifti of St.
Martin's in the fields. It appears by that ad, that the earl of St. A1--
ban's, (Henry Jermyn, then deceafed) and the other inhabitants of the
new ftreets called Jermyn-ftreet, &c. in a place formerly called Sr.
James's fields, had been at the expenfe of above L7000 for ereding
their new church and laying out their churchyard ; but not having yet
finiftied the church, nor a manfion-houfe for its minifter, &c. they were
hereby enabled fo to do by a rate on the inhabitants. It appears by this
ad:, that fundry parts of this new parifli were not then built up into
ftreets, which, however, are fo in our days.
About this fame time, and particularly in this fame year, there was ■
622 A. D. 1685.
not a little written both m England and Holland on the fubject of mak-
ing lea-water frefli. Propofals were made, and patents granted, for the
fame, as being of fo great a benefit to failors on long voyages ; yet even
to this day, notwithftanding fundry later propofals, there has been no
effedual progrefs made therein.
In this firft year of King James IPs reign, he coined gold of 22 car-
rats fine and two carrats allay into L44 : 10 by tale per lb. of gold,
viz. into pieces of 10, 20, and 40/", and L5 pieces : and his filver coins
contained in a pound weight of the old ftandard 62/ by tale, viz. crowns,
half-crowns, fliillings, fixpences, groats, twopences, and pence. The
ftandards the fame as in our days.
Pope Innocent XT, being indebted 40 millions of Roman croMais,
(equal to about i i millions fterlingl executed a fcheme of redudion,
probably copied from what had been done by the dates of Holland in
the year 1655, as we have flievvn under that year.
The pope finding that his public debts, though bearing only 4 per
cent intereft, were now fold fo high as 122 per cent, in the firft place
took care to provide three or four millions of crowns in ready cafli, and
thereupon ifliied a declaration, that fuch as would for the future be fa-
tisfied with an intereft of 3 per cent, ftrould declare their content by a
limited time ; and that fuch as chofe rather to be paid off their princi-
pal debt, might come and receive it. This option made all the cre-
ditors accept the propolhl of continuing at 3 per cent, by payments of
one half per cent every two months, rather than take their principal
money : and it feems, though the intereft was thus reduced, the prin-
cipal, in a very fiiort time after, rofe at market to 112 per cent. [Bi-
Jljop Burnet's Letters and travels.']
This is the fecond inftance of the good fuccefs of a national finking
fund in Europe.
The king of Fi-ance, obferving that the great extent of the limits of
the Senegal company (no lefs than about fifteen hundred leagues of the
coaft of Africa) excluded all his other fubjeds from trading in negro
Haves for the ufe of the French Weft-India colonies, now eftabliflied a
new Guinea company, with an exclufive right for twenty years to trade
in negroes, gold duft, &c. between the i-iver Sierra Leona and the Cape
of Good Hope ; the coaft from Sierra Leona to Cape Blanco being re-
ferved to the Senegal company.
On this occafion it will be no digreflion to remark the great altera-
tion which the tranfplantation of animals, as well as of vegetables, makes
by the difference of climate, air, latitude, &c. The Porttiguefe fettled
in Angola, &c. on the African coaft, in a few generations gradually
contrad the compledion of the natives, even their woolly hair, thick
lips, and flat nofes ; and negroes born in Europe become gradually more
A. D. 1685. 623
light-coloured *. Our Englifli maftifF-dogs are known to degenerate on
the contment. Spanifli horfes do the fame in the Spanifh Weft-Indies;
yet in ChiU alone they are faid to mehorate the breed. By tranfplanc-
ing the vines on the banks of the Rhine the rich wine of the Canaries
was firft produced. Some fay alfo, that from the fame vine, tranfplant-
ed a fecond time to the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope, has
been produced that moft delicious Cape wine ; though others think it
fprung from a Burgundy vine. The China oranges, which are fent in
fuch immenfe quantities from Portugal all over Europe, came originally
from a China plant, and have fmce been tranfplanted, and profper in
Spain and Italy. And the like may be obferved of many other fruits,
plants, and vegetables, which, through the advantages of commerce and
navigation, all the countries of Europe now enjoy, though unkno\vn ta
older times.
Although the Englhh Eaft-India company's affairs were faid at this
time to have been fo profperous, that their profits in nine years time,
viz. from 1676 to i6(S5, amounted to l^g6^,6;^g, yet, as all things on
earth are unflable, a reverfe of fortune happened at this very time.
It feems the Indians had killed fome of the company's people at
Hughley, in the bay of Bengal, and that thereupon their governors
commenced war againft the mogul..
The company alleged, that the proper origin of this war was the falfe
reports induftrioufly fpread by the interlopers againft them ; fuch as,
that the company was fallen under the difpleafure of our king, that our
nation at home was under great difturbances, and that they themfelves
(the interlopers) were the true company. They alfo had corrupted
many of the company's fervants, whereby a revolt had been occafioned
at Bombay, and alfo at St. Helena, where they fet up for themfelves.
The company farther urged, that this dividing of the Englifti intereft
in India made the mogul's governors and rajas break through all their
antient engagements and ftipulations with the company, and deprive
them of many valuable privileges in India, and alfo extort great fums
of money from both parties : for the company alleged that the inter-
lopers fubmitted to any irapoiilions, fo as they might carry on the
trade ; they having, moreover, formerly given a handle to the Dutch
to expell the company from Bantam in the year 1682..
* Mr. AndtTfon has here fallen into an error Indies, if bom of ivhite women, have nothing in
in common with many others, who, proceeding common with the negroes in their ptrlons. The
upon mifrcprefentatioiis, or theories imagined by change eflfcfted upon the Portngucfc on the Afri-
themfelves, or imph'citly adopted from others, have can coall proceeds folely and entirely from copu-
negicited teat fads. But it is a certain and well- lation with black women, whereby ^, -J ^, or pcr-
known truth, that white people never become black, haps |^ of their blood, are deiived irom negro pa-
or woolly, neither do negroes become white, by rentage. A contrary change has in many iiiHanccs
the influence of climate. The defcendants of the been effefted in the Well-Indies, where fome,
firil negroes, who were carried to the coldell re- whofe great-great -grandmothers were negroes, can-
gions of North-America, are as black and as wool- not now be dillinguillicd by the eye from genuine
ly as their African anceltors were. The dtfcend- white men. M.
ants of the firft white men who fettled in the Well-
624 A. D. 1685.
AH thefe confiderations being laid before King James, and it being
apprehended, that, unlefs fome effedtual care was fpeedily taken, the
whole Englifh intereft in India would be utterly loft, a {hip of war was
immediately difpatched to India, with orders to feize all interlopers, and
therewith a proclamation from the king for all his fubjects in India to
repair to the company's forts and fadories, and to fubmit to their jurif-
didion. The company alfo fent out feveral warlike fliips for the fame
purpofe. Laftly, for corroborating the whole, on the 12th of April
1686 the king granted them a new charter, (being their fixth fince the
reftoration) wherein he recites at large the five preceding charters, and
fubjoins, ' that whereas feveral perfons, in contempt of thofe charters,
have of late years prefumed, without licence from the company, to
fend out fliips and to trade within their limits, to the company's great
damage and the deftrudion of that trade : he, well weighing how
highly it imports the honour and welfare of the realm to redrefs fuch
diforders, and to improve that trade to the utmoft ; and being fully
fatisfied that the fame cannot be maintained and carried on to na-
tional advantage but by one general joint ftock, and that a loofe and
general trade will be the ruin of the whole ; being alfo fatisfied that
the trade lias been managed by the company to the honour and pro-
fit of this nation, and being defirous to encourage the company in
their difiiicult and hazardous trade and adventures to thofe remote
parts, he ratifies all the preceding charters in their favour forever,
and in their fulleft extent, notwithftanding any nonufer, mifufer, or
abufer ; and farther, grants to the company, and their refpedlive
prefidents, agents, chiefs, and councils, in India, or to any three of
them, (whereof fuch prefident, agent, or chief, to be one) power to
adminifter to all perfons employed by the company the oath taken
by every freeman of the company, and fuch other lawful oaths as
their court of diredors Ihall appoint. The ufe of the martial law Ihall
extend to the ifland of St. Helena, and to the company's fort of Prya-
man on the weft coaft of Sumatra, as well as to their other hmits.
And farther, underftanding that many of the native princes and go-
vernors of India, &c. taking opportunity from the divifions, diftrac-
tions, or rebelHons, amongft the Englifti, occafioned by the late licen-
tious trading of interlopers, have of late violated many of the com-
pany's privileges, furprifed their fervants, fliips, and goods, befieged
their fadories, invaded their liberties, and have many other ways,
without juft caufe, abufed their chiefs and fadors, to the nation's dif-
honour : for all which the company intends to demand fatisfadion in
a peaceable way ; and, if not obtained that way, to ufe force of arms,
wherein they will have occafion to ufe their fhips in a warlike man-
ner ; therefor the king hereby grants full power to the company
to appoint admirals, vice-admirals, rear-admirals, captains, &c. from
4
A. D. 1685. 625
' t\mc to time, who may raife and mufter fcamen and foldiers onboard
* their fliips, as fliall be direded by the company, or by their captain-
' general in India, who may feize on and compell all Englifh interlopers
' to fubmit, and may take their fliips and goods ; alfo to make war on
' fuch Indian princes as may hurt the company. And in time of open
' hoftility with any Indian nation, &c. they may, on the otlicr fide the
' Cape of Good Hope, ufe the martial law onboard their fliips, as well
* as on land ; referring, however, liberty to the king, at plealure, to
' revoke this grant of martial law in their fliips. The company may
' alfo coin in their forts any fpecies of money ufually coined by the
' princes of thole countries only, lb as it be agreeable to the fl:andards
' of thofe princes in weight and finenefs ; and that they do not coin
* any European money ; and that all fuch money fo to be coined by
' them, and not otherwife, fliall be current in any city, town, port, or
' place, within the company's limits.'
1686 In confequence of the great power given to the companybythis
charter, they proceeded rigoroufly againfl: the interlopers, who, on the
other hand, by their abettors and agents, did not fail to raife a great
clamour againfl: the company, who, however, continued in the exercife
of thofe powers till after the accefllon of King William to the throne.
As Jamaica was hitherto principally inhabited by the military men
and their offspring, who had polfeifed it ever fince it was taken in the
year 1656, thofe people, as generally difliking agriculture, betook them-
felves to cruifiiig againfl the Spaniards on the American feas, even after
peace had been concluded between England and Spain, in America ;
and, allured by the wealth acquired thereby, they continued that illegal
pradice throughout all the reign of King Charles II, and to this time,
and got the appellation of the buccaneers of Jamaica, fome of whofe
bold exploits againfl the Spanifli towns, and ports in Mexico, &c. would
pafs for mere romances, had they not been too well known by both na-
tions *.
In this year the French, though at peace with England, in Europe,
marched from Canada over land, and furprifed four of the Hudfon's-bay
company's forts, fo that there only remained to us the fort at Port-Nel-
fon.
In November, this fame year, the kings of England and France con-
cluded a treaty of peace and neutrality for America, whereby.
Articles I, II) It is agreed, that there fliall be between them a firm
* Tlie ferocious and dcfpcvate valour, and the their colonies. Such were the wonderful, import-
aftonifhing fuccelTes, of the buccaneers, fbuck the ant, and permament, effedls produced by a hand-
Spaniards with fuch a terror, tliat they abandoned ful of dcfperadoes. [See Raynal, Hijl. philof. et
all thoughts of navigation; aud, rcg;.rdlefs of what polit. V. v, p. 180.] If the indudry and vigour
they owtd to their fame, their intcreft, and their of the Spaniards were equal to the local advant-
policy, they gave themfclves up to a habitual in- ages they poflefs in Europe, America, and Afia,
dolence, which has ever fince been the bane of all they alone would drive thii trade of the world. M-
Vol. II. 4 K
626 A. D. 1686.
peace, as well in South as in North America, in both continents and
iflands, by fea and land ; and that no fhips of either nation fhall be per-
mitted to invade or attack the dominions of the other in America.
Ill) Nor fhall any foldiers, or armed men, living either in the Eng-
lilh or French American iflands and colonies, commit any a6l of hoftil-
ity or damage to either party ; nor fliall they give any afliflance or fup-
plies of men or vi<Sluals to the v?ild Indians, with whom either king
Ihall have war.
IV, V) Both kings Ihall retain and poflefs all the dominions and pre-
rogatives they now enjoy in America ; and, therefor, the fubjefts, inha-
bitants, commanders, and mariners, of each king, refpeftively, fhall ab-
folutely abftain from trading to, or fifhing in, all or any of the places
fo pofTefTed, or which fliall be poflefled by the other, either in their ha-
vens, bays, creeks, roads, or other places ; and fhips or vefTels, found lb
trading or fifhing, fhall be confifcated with their cargoes ; always pro-
vided, that the freedom of navigation be in no manner difturbed, where
nothing is committed againft the genuine fenfe of this treaty.
VI) Ships of war, as well as merchant fhips, being forced, through
flrefs of weather, or pnrfued by pirates and enemies, or through any
other urgent neceflity, to take fhelter into any of the rivers, creeks, ha-
vens, ports, &c. belcnging to the other in America, fliall be treated
kindly, proteded, and fupplied With refrefliments, and all things need-
ful, at reafonable rates, and may depart whither, and when, they fliall
pleafe ; provided they do not break bulk, nor fell any of their cargoes,
nor receive any merchandize onboard, nor employ themlelves in fifh-
ing, under the forfeiture of fliips and goods. But before they enter
luch ports, they fliall, at coming in, hang out the flag of their nation,
and fhall alfo give notice of their fo coming in, by firing a cannon
thrice, or, if they have no cannon, a mulket thrice, otherv/ife they fhall
forfeit as above.
VII) Ships of either nation, flranded or fliipwrecked, fliall have
friendly aflillance and relief.
VIII) But if three or four fhips together be driven into the ports of
either nation, fo as to give jufl ground of fufpicion, they fhall flay no
longer than the governor or other magiftrate of fuch port will allow
them, after fupplying them with neceflaries as above.
IX) The king of Great Britain's fubjeds of the ifland of St. Chriftc^
phers may fetch fait from the fait ponds there. As, on the other hand,
the French fubjeds of St. Chriftophers may enter into the rivers of the
great road, to provide themfelves with water ; but both thefe mutual
permifllons muft only be in the day-time. And they fhall, on both
fides, hang out their flags, and fire a cannon thrice, &c. as in the lixth
article *.
* St. Chriftophers, it muft be remembered, was ftttled on by both nations. A.
A. D. 1686. 627
X) Neither nation fliall harbour the barbarous or wild inhabitants
and Oaves, or the goods which they rnay have taken from the fubjeds
of the other nation, nor fliall they proted them.
XI) The governors, officers, and fubjeds, of either nation fliall not
molefl: nor difl;urb the fubjeds of the other in fettling their refpedive
colonies, and in their commerce and navigation.
XIT, XIII) The fliips of war and privateers of either nation fhall be
ftridly enjoined not to injure the other, as fliall alfo their privileged
companies, otherwife they fliall be puniflied, and alfo make fatisfadion
for all damages ; for which end they fliall be obliged, before they re-
ceive their commiffions, to give fecurity to the amount of Liooo flier-
ling, or 13,000 livres ; and if anyfuch fliip has above 150 men, then for
L2000 fterling, or 26,000 livres, on pain of forfeiting their commif-
fions ; and the fliip fliall alfo be liable to make fatisfadlion for injuries
and damages done by her.
XIV) The governors and officers of either nation fliall be fliridly en-
joined to give no afllftance nor protedion to any pirates, of what nation
foever they may be ; and fliall alio punifli as pirates all iuch as fliall fit
out any fliip without lawful commiilion and authority.
XV) No fubjed of either king fliall take a commiilion, or letters of
mart, for privateering in America, from any prince or fl:ate with which
the other is at war, otherwife he fliall be puniflied as a pirate.
XVI) The French king's fubjeds fliall have liberty to fifli for turtles
in the ifland of Cayaman *.
The other four articles contain the ufual forms of provifos, in cafe of
a rupture between the two nations, or of complaints of differences arif-
ing on either fide, in America.
It is eafy to fee by this remarkable treaty, how egregioufly the French
king impofed on King James. For, i fl:, France's American ifles were then
much more feeble than ours ; and, as the buccaneers from Jamaica
might pofllbly have made very free with them, James hereby gave them
entirely up as pirates ; 2dly, the uti pojfidetis, hereby flipulated, fecured
to France the polTeflion of fonie of her colonies, to which England, till
now, had fl;rong pretenfions ; and, jdly, it may be faid, that by this pa-
cification France had an advantageous refpite for the improvement of
her ifland, and continental colonies in America, and of which Ihe made
a very good ufc to our cofl ; 4thly, here is no mention of the four forts
taken from our company in Hudfon's-bay, not known in England when
this treaty was concluded.
We muft, however, on the other hand, obferve, that by thefe treaties
of peace and neutrality, for America, ift, between Spain and Holland
in 1648 ; 2dly, between Portugal and Holland in 1661 ; 3dly, between
England and Spain in 1670; and, 4thly, this treaty between England
* A fmall ifland weft of Jamaica.
4K 2
628 \, A. D. 1686.
and France ; the pofTeflions of thofe feveral potentates in America were
afcertained, and the freedom of commerce in thofe feas was more firm-
ly eftabUfhed than had hitherto been effeded.
The Dutch being at war with the Algerines, the later were fliame-
fully encouraged therein by King James, who, for fome time, permitted
them to have the ufe of his ports, and allowed them to fell their prizes
in England, whereby they had opportunities, as obferved by Burchett,
in his Naval hiftoiy, to go out as they pleafed, and to cruile againft the
Hollanders, from whom, in the fpace of fix months, the Algerines took,
in or near the Channel, above 30 rich merchant (hips.
According to Sir William Fetty's fourth eflTay on political arithmetic,
(licenced in 1686, and printed in 1687) the proportion of the eight fol-
lowing cities, as to their numbers of inhabitants, is as follows, viz.
London, - 696,000 Rome, - 125,000
* Paris, - 488,000 DubHn, - 69,000
* Amfiierdam, - 187,000 * Rouen, - 66,000
* Venice, - 134,000 * Briftol, - 48,000
N. B, He makes the medium of the annual burials at London to be
23,212, which number, multiplied by 30, (as one out of every 30 is
generally fuppofed to die in London in a year) gives 696,360 *.
1687 The commiflioners appointed by King James to treat with
the French commifiloners for the reftitution of the forts in Hudfon's
bay, taken in the preceding year, reported to him, that they had clearly
made out his right to the whole bay and ftraits, and all the adjacent
lands, together with the fole right of trading within the ftraits and bay.
The king thereupon declared, that he would infift on full reftitution and
fatisfadion to the company, whofe lofs, by the invafion of the French
in the preceding year, amounted to Lio8,5 14 : 19 : 8, as was afterwards
fet forth by the company, in their petition to Queen Anne, in the year
171 2, though never paid to this day. The refult of this patched-up
treaty with France was, that Louis agreed to reftore thofe forts to the
company.
This year the Dutch Eaft-India fliips imported from Ceylon 170,000
lb. weight of cinnamon ; which, though lefs in quantity than in fome
years before, does, neverthelefs, demonftrate the great importance of
the ifland to that company.
We may here, once more, remark, that perfecution, and the dread
of the prevalency of popery in this reign, as well as towards the clofe of
* This humour of magnifying London, and ceeds that number. This, therefor, could anfwer
lefiening Paris, and other foreign cities, was pro- no good end, and was only deceiving ourfelves.
bably plcafmg to the king, but, I conceive, was PofTibly every one of the cities marked thus *, are
far from being juft ; and, with refpetl to London, conliderably under-computed, but more efpecially
furely the prefent bills of mortality, in our time, Paris and Amfterdam, v\'hich furely could anfwer
mud be cgregioufly erroneous, if, after fo many no wife or folid purpofe, j1.
thoufand heufes have been added, it fcarcely es-
A. D. 1687. 629
the laft, drove numbers of proteftant dilTenters to fettle in New-England,
New-York, &c. which brought a confiderable acceffion of flrength and
improvement to thofe colonies.
Pont-Chartrain, the French prime minifter, being an enemy to their
Eaft-India company, it is no marvel that they did not profper. Their
importing vafl quantities of white cottons, and caulhrg them to be paint-
ed in France in the manner of the Indies, drew upon them the enmity
of the French manufadurers, who were much injured by the iale of the
company's cottons and filks. So that Pont-Chartrain this year procured
an edid againfl the unlimited importation thereof, whereby the com-
pany declined more and more ; and the war of the grand alliance
againfl France added to their diftrefs, from which they never recovered,
till after the peace of Utrecht ; in the meantime, having no ability
themfelves to carry on an extenfive trade, they were conftrained to let
out their privileges to fome private merchants of St. Maloes, who got
rich by a trade in which the company could not profper ; and thus it
remained till the regency of the duke of Orleans, in the minority of
Louis XV, and the year 17 19.
1688 The gradual increale of the foreign commerce and home
manufadures of England, the improvement of her lands and mines at
home, and of her foreign colonies and plantations, had occafioned very
much wealth to be accumulated in the fpace of about 150 years paft,
the nation not having been engaged much or long in foreign wars, and
thofe, too, moftly naval wars, which had not cauied much of our trea-
fure to be carried from us, any more than did our own civil wars.
Fi'om thefe, and fuch like confiderations, fome authors, who wrote foon
after this time, have been of opinion, that the Englifli nation was now
in its zenith of commercial profperity ; yet, iince that period, notwith-
flanding our many, and very expenfive, toreign land wars, the great con-
fumers of treafure, our commercial, as well as royal, fhipping, have
greatly increafed ; as have allb' manufadures and foreign plantations,
and almoft every part of our general commerce, both foreign and do-
nieftic. Neverthelefs, it mufl be acknowleged, that about this fame
year, 168S, we were arrived at a very great degree of profperity in all
thofe refpeds ; for the proof and illuflration of which, the following
brief memoirs of feveral very able authors, will afford us conliderable
light, viz.
I) We have an eminent inftance of the increafe of England's com
merce and fhipping in only 22 years fpace, from Dr. D'Avcnant's Dil^
courfes on the public revenues and trade of England, and alio from
Coluber's Hiftory of Englifh naval affairs, (odavo, fecond edition, 1739)
if the computations be abfolutely exad, viz. that the tonnage of the
iTierchant Ihips of England in this year i688 was near double to the
tonnage of the year 1666.
630
A. D. 1688.
Alfo that the tonnage of the royal navy, which in the year 1660 was
only 62,594 tons, was now increafed to 101,032 tons.
II) D'Avenant farther acquaints us with what he niufl have been
perfectly well verfed in, as he was infpedor-general of the cufloms, that
in the year 1666 the farm of the culloms of England was but L390,ooo
yearly. Yet, from michaelmas 1671 to michaelmas 1688, being feven-
teen years, the cufloms yielded net to the crown L9, 447 ,799, which, at
a medium, was, per annum, L555,752.
III) The fame able author gives us alfo a view of the gradual increafe of
the general rental of England, occafioned principally by the increafe of
commerce, and in part alfo by the great improvements made in lands,
by inclofing, manuring, and taking in wafte grounds, and meliorating
what was poor and barren, viz.
The general rental of England, for land, houfes, and mines, before
we became confiderable in trade, viz. about the year 1600, did not ex-
ceed, per annum - - L 6,000,000 o o
Which general rental we take now (1698) to be' 14,000,000 o o
Moreover, in 1 600, the faid fix millions, at 1 2
.years purchafe, the common price of lands at that
period, was worth but - - 72,000,000 o o
But the lands, &c. of England, at the rental of
fourteen millions, and worth 1 8 years purchafe, in
the year 1688, amounted to - - 252,000,000 o o
How amazing is this alteration in the fpace of lefs than one cen-
tury.
So profperous was the Dutch Eaft-India company at this time, ac-
cording to Conful Ker's Remarks on Holland, publilhed at Amfterdam,
1688, and fmce in Englifli, in Ker of Kerfland's memoirs, that they
were faid to have 30,000 men in conflant pay, and above 200 capital
fhips, befide floops, ketches, and yachts.
The fame author, treating of the city and repubUc of Hamburgh,
.obferves, that its greatnefs and vafl commerce were partly occafioned
by the refidence of our Englifh company of merchant-adventurers, but
much more by the Netherland proteftants, who, in the duke of Alva's
time, forfook the Low countries and fettled here ; and by the proteftants
turned out of Cologne and other parts of Germany, even though Ham-
burgh be forced to keep 6 or 7000 men in pay, to guard againll the
continual alarms of the king of Denmark, or other neighbours, befides
two or three (hips of war to guard their merchant fliips from pirates,
yet their wealth and trade increafe dayly. And it is believed, that,
fmall and great, there are belonging to the commonwealth of Ham-
burgh, 5000 fail of fliips *. He adds, that the bank of Hamburgh,
* Surely this author muft be fomewhat miftaken, even though he fliould include all the hoys, light-
ers, &c. employed in carrying goods upon the n'ver Elbe. ^.
A. D. 1688. 631
next to thofe of Amfterdam, Genoa, and Venice, is reckoned the chief
in credit : but in trade that city is accounted the third in Europe, and
comes next to London and Anifterdam, having now become the ma-
gazine of Germany and of the Baltic and Northern feas. Hamburgh
gives great privileges to the jews, and to all flrangers whatever ; but
more efpecially to the Englifli company of merchant-adventurers, to
whom they allow a large building, where they have a church, and where-
in the deputy -governor, fecretary, minifters, and other officers of the
company live, to whom the magiftrates make an annual prefent of wine,
beer, fheep, falmon, and fturgeon, in their feafons. Yet he acknow-
leges their bigotry in not permitting the calvinifts to have a public
church within their city, who are forced to go out of the gates to Al-
tona, a fine village, a quarter of an hour's walk from Hamburgh, be-
longing to the king of Denmark, who, though a lutheran prince, has
the wifdom to allow the calvinifts a public church there : which con-
duit of the Ham.burghers may poflibly hereafter turn to their great pre-
judice. He aUb obferves, that the city of Lubeck has been guilty of
the like bigotry, and is at prefent much fallen from its prifline fplen-
dour and commerce, having been in old times fo powerful as to wage
war againfl Denmark and Sweden, and to conquer fundry of their
places and iilands, &c. But here our author fhould have noted, that
generally thofe conquefls were made by Lubeck only as the head, but
in the name, and by the aid, of the other cities of the Hanfeatic league.
We have elfewhere traced the rife, profperity, and decline, of that city,
and fhall therefor now only obferve, with this author, that their bigot-
ry to luthcranifm made their magiftrates, through the perfuafion of
their clergy, banifli the papifts, calvinifts, Jews, and all other diflenters,
from their city and territory, to the almoft entire ruin of their com-
merce. He lays, that in his time (168H) they had not above 200 fhips,
nor any other territory but the city itfelf, and a fmall towTi named
Travemund, at the mouth of the river Trave, eight miles below Lu-
beck ; the reft of their antient territory being long llnce in the hands
of the Danes and Swedes, (the former from Holftein, the later from
Wifmar) by whom the burghers, fays he, are kept in fuch continual
alarm, as to be quite tired out with keeping guard and paying taxes :
yet, he fays, they ftill maintained 15CO foldiers in pay; and, befides
them, 400 of their burghers, in two companies, are obliged to watch
dayly. To this once-glorious city, we, in England, ought to acknow-
lege ourfelves beholden for fome of our earlieft improvements in fhip-
building and commerce, and for our firft water-conduits in London,
Briftol, Exeter, &c. taken from their models : the Lubeckers having had
much the ftart of us in refpect of many advantageous improvements,
the natural effeds of an earlier extended commerce, though now it be
only the fkeleton of its antient commerce and grandeur.
632
A. D. 1688.
Ker alio obferves, that Cologne is fo much depopulated by intoler-
ance and perfecution, that vines and corn now grow within its wall, and
that Strafburg has alfb fufFered in the fame manner and from the fame
caufe.
The conquefls of Mexico and Peru, where fuch immenfe treafures
were more eafily to be had, induced the Spaniards to negled the noble
and extenfive ifland of Hifpaniola, although it is faid there are ftill
mines of gold and filver, as well as of copper, therein, which were for-
merly worked to very great profit ; but they are faid to have deftroyed
three millions of the natives of that ifland, who, while they were per-
mitted to enjoy their polTeflions, were very ferviceable in fifliing for
them, and in tilling their lands, &c. fo that they were then in greater
affluence, than they have been ever fince, the greateft part of the coun-
try being depopulated, whereby they have been rendered unable to
work their mines. This, it is faid, makes them carefully conceal their
having any fuch, left foreigners fliould be allured to invade them.
They have ftill, however, plenty of fugar, cocoa, cotton, ginger, in-
digo, coffee, tobacco, wax, honey, ambergris, fait, drugs, and dying
woods. In this feeble ftate, a company of pirates, ufually then called
buccaneers, fettled themfelves on the north-wefl part of Hifpaniola, till
then folely pofTefled by Spain, and occupied the port and town of Petit-
Guaves * : after fonie years, they applied to King William for his pro-
tedion, promifing fubmiflion and allegiance to the crown of England :
but that king being in alliance with Spain againll France, difregarded
their application. Whereupon thofe buccaneers applied to the French
court, who readily took them under their protedion, and fupplied them
with proper alTiftance. From this obfcure and fingular beginning has
gradually grown up the prefent powerful French colony in our days,
poffefTed of the beil part of the great ifland of Hifpaniola, where they
have excellent fugar-works, coffee, ginger, cotton, indigo, and all the
other produdions of the Weft-hidies ; while the Spaniards, on the other
part of that ifland, proved rather ufeful than huitful to them, by fup-
plying them with cattle, &c. in return for the French Eafl-India mer-
chandize, and their own manufadures and produd, with which
alfo the French there fupply fhips from the continent of Terra Firma
and New-Spain, 8cc. coming to St. Domingo, where is fixed the lafl ap-
* A fcttlement was made in the year 1630 by taken by the Spaniards, and after feveral quarrels
fome Enghfli and French refugees who had been between the French and Engh'fh inhabitants, was
driven from St. Chriftophers, firft on the north wholely given up in the year 1659 to the French,
fide of Hilpaniola, and afterwards on the adjacent who foon after removed to more ample poffeffions
fmall idand of Tortuga or Tortue. Mod of the on the greater ifland of Hifpaniola (or St. Do-
firll fettlcrs were maffacred by the Spaniards ; but mingo). In 1665 the firft governor arrived from
the remainder of them, under the direftion of France, who by his prudence and virtue brought
Willis, an Englifli adventurer or buccaneer, re- the rude and diforderly colonifts to be ufeful to
fumed the pofTcffion of Tortuga in 1633, and for- themfelves and their mother countiy. \_Rayna!,
tified it. The ifland, after being feveral times H'ljl. philof. et politique, F.\i\, p. g<),ed. l-]'i2.'} M.
2
A. D. 1688. 633
peal', or dernier refort, in all fuits at law for Spanifli America, which
therefor draws thither many people. This has proved an unkicky inci-
dent for the neighbouring Englifh iflands ; and fo much the rather, as
the feeblenefs of Spain obUged that crown, at the treaty of Ryfwick in
the year 1697, to cede to France that noble part of Hifpaniola, of which
they had till then violently poireffed themfelves.
1689 — The Englilli nation, as well as thofe of Scotland and Ireland,
having at this time had their religious and civil liberties and free conftitu-
tion openly invaded and trampled on by King James II in a mofl flagrant
manner, by the united voice of all true protefl;ants and lovers of our
national conftitution and laws, William prince of Orange, that king's,
nephew and fon-in-law, was invited over from Holland to refcue us
from thofe worfl: of evils, and was eftabliflied on the throne of thefe
free nations, whofe religious and legal conflitutions were thereby fet-
tled on more fure and firm foundations than ever they had been in any
former period whatever : which felicity of ours even foreigners have
celebrated in their writings. Voltaire, in his Age of Louis XIV, gives
us the following remarks thereon, viz. ' this was the proper era of
* Englifh liberty. The nation, reprefented by its parliament, now fix-
* ed the fo-long-contefled bounds between the prerogative of the crown
* and the rights of the people. They prefcribed the terms of reigning
' to the prince of Orange, and chofe him for their fovereign, in con-
* junction with his confort Mary.'
The efl:abliftiment of this free conftitution did mofl: certainly contri-
bute greatly in its confequences, as it was natural to fuppofe and exped-,
to the increafe and advancement of our commerce. This will, in part,
be feen in King William's declaration of war againft France, whithei*
the unhappy abdicated king had retired for protection.
In the beginning of 1 689 the prince and princefs of Orange were re-
cognized by the convention of eflates, and the voice of the people, as
king and queen of thofe realms, and by an aft of the convention of
eftates of England, afterwards turned into an act of parliament, [i Gnl.
et Mar. c. 6] a new form of a coronation oath was prefcribed to be
taken by them : whereby they (as all their fucceflbrs muft do) folemnly
promifed, and fvvore on the gofpels, to govern their people according to^
law : to caufe law and juftice, in mercy, to be executed in all their judge-
ments; that, to the utmoft of their power, they will maintain the laws
of God, the true profeflion of the gofpel, and proteftant reformed re-
ligion eftabliflied by law; and will preferve to the bifliops and clergy of
this realm, and to the chvurches committed to their charge, all fuch
rights and privileges as by law appertain unto them.
Moreover, by a flatute of this firft fefllon \c. 8j the tyrannical oaths-
of allegiance and fupremacy were abrogated ; and in their flead were
the two following fubflituted, viz, i, * I, A. B. do fincerely promife
Vol. II. 4L
634 A. D. 1689.
' and fwear, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to their ma-
' jefties ;' and 2, ' I do, from my heart, abhor, deteft, and abjure, that
' damnable doftrine and pofition, that princes excommunicated or de-
' prived by the pope, or any authority of the fee of Rome, may be de-
' pofed or murdered by their fubjeds, or any other whatfoever. And
' I do declare, that no foreign prince, perfon, prelate, ftate, or poten-
' tate, hath, or ought to have, any jurifdi6lion, power, fuperiority, pre-
eminence, or authority, eccleliaftical or fpiritual, within this realm.'
The revenue of hearth or chimney money being found grievous to
the people of England, by occafioning many difficulties and queftions ;
a great oppreflion to the poorer fort, and a badge of flavery upon the
whole people, expoiing every man's houfe to be entered into and fearch-
ed at pleafure, by perfons unknown to him ; it was therefor abfolutely
abolilhed forever, [i Gul. et Mar. c. 10.]
It then appeared, fays the continuator of Rapin's hiftory, {V.Ti\,p. 52,
notes'] that the number of houfes in England and Wales, foon after the
reftoration, was about 1,230,000. And reckoning fix perfons at a me-
dium, to each houfe, it fixes the number of the people then to be
7,380,000^.
In the fame fefilon it was enaded, that, when malt or barley is at
Li : 4 per quarter, or under ; rye, at Li : 12, and wheat, at L2 : 8 per
quarter ; then it fliall not only be lawful to export the fame, but the
exporters fhall alfo receive the following bounties, viz. for malt or bar-
ley per quarter 2/6, rye ^f6., wheat 5/ per quarter ; without re-
quiring any thing for cuftoms or fees whatever ; provided fecurity
be given for fuch corn being legally landed beyond fea, and that the
fhip and its crew, in which it fliall be exported, be duely qualified ac-
cording to the a6ls of navigation, [i Gul. et Mar. c. 22.]
This was the firfl; law for allowing any bounty on corn exported ;
which bounties have generally been efi;eemed fo beneficial to the landed
interefi:, by enabling tenants to pay their rents in years of plenty, that
unlefs in years of fcarcity, when the current prices were higher than the
above-named ones, it has been judged prudent to continue the fame.
How much this bounty contributed to the improvement of hufl^andry is
too obvious to be difputed. Yet fome are of opinion, that, inftead here-
of, all the corn of plentiful years ftiould be purchafed of the farmers
by the public at a moderate price, to be laid up in granaries againfl; a
year of dearth. This would not only be a great help to our poor in a
year of fcarcity, but would bring foreign fliips to purchafe it at our
price, and would alfo employ great numbers of our own fliips, for fup-
plying other nations at higher rates, as is done in Holland. In other
countries, fays a French author, the people pay their fovereign for leave
to carry out their corn, but wifer England pays her people for export-
ijig it.
A. D. 1689. 635
As nothing tends more to the advancement of commerce and induf-
try than giving eafe to fcrupulous confciences in the exercife of their
religion, an a6t was palled, for exempting all their majefties proteftant
fubjeds, of the feveral denominations diflcnting from the church of
England, from the penalties of certain laws : which, as its preamble fets
forth, might be an effedual means to unite their majefties' proteftant
fvibjeds in intereft and affeftion. [i Gul. et Mar. c. 18] This legal to-
leration, fome wicked party meafures at certain times excepted, has
generally anfwered the wife and good ends propofed by that law.
The ftatute [^Hen. IV, c. 4] againft the multiplying of gold and filver was
repealed; becaufe ' fince the making of the laid ftatute men are arrived to
' great flcill and perfedion in the ai't of refining of metals, and of extrad-
' ing gold and filver therefrom ; but yet dare not exercife their ikill, for
' fear of incurring the felony of that ftatute ; but do therefor exercife
' their flcill in foreign parts, to the great detriment of the realm : pro-
* vided, however, that all the gold and filver fo to be extraded from
' other metals, be employed for coinage in the king's mint, and no
' other way. Provided, alfo, that henceforth no mine of copper, tin,
* iron, or lead, fliall hereafter be adjudged to be a royal mine, even
' although gold or filver may be extraded out of the fame.' [i Gul. et
Mnr. c. 30.]
Louis XIV, by his great injuftice and violences againft England,
Germany, Spain, and Holland, brought about a grand alliance of thofe
four potentates this year, for reducing that lawlefs monarch to reafon ;
the confequence whereof was an immediate declaration of war, by each
of them. That of King William of England, dated the 7th of May,
1689, after reciting Louis's unjuft invafion and ravaging of the terri-
tories of his ally, the emperor and empire, as fur as is relative to com-
mercial concerns, was fummarily as follows, viz.
I) ' That although it was not long before, that the French took out
' licences from the Englifti governor of Newfoundland, to filh on
' that coaft, paying tribute for fuch licences, as an acknowlegement of
' the fole right of the crown of England to that iflatid ; yet, of late,
' their encroachments on that ifland, and our fubjeds trade and fifti-
' ery, have been more like the invafions of an enemy, than becom-'
' ing friends, who enjoyed the advantages of that trade only by per-
' mifllon.'
II) ' But that the French king fiiould invade our Caribbee iflands,
'' (St. Chriftophers, &c) and poflefs himfelf of our territories in New-
' York and Hudfon's bay, in an hoftile manner ; imprifoning fome and
' murdering others of our fubjeds ; burning their houles and feizing on
' their effeds ; are adions even not becoming an enemy. Yet at that
' very time, Louis, far from declaring himfelf fo, was, by his miniftei-s
4 L 2
67,6 A. D. 1689.
' in England, foliciting a treaty of neutrality and good correfpondence
' in America.' [Anno 1686.]
III) ' His proceedings, moreover, againfl our fubjedls in Europe are
' fo notorious, that we need not enlarge thereon: fuch as, countenancing
* the feizure of our fhips by his privateers ; prohibiting a great part of
' our produ6l and manufadures ; and impofnig exorbitant cuftoms upon
' the reft : thefe are fufficient evidences of his defign to deftroy the
' trade and navigation, upon which the wealth and fafety of this nation
* very much depend.
IV) ' His difputing the right of the flag, inherent in the crown of
* England.
V) ' His unchriflian profecution of many of our Englifh proteflant
' fubjeds in France for matters of religion, contrary to the law of na-
' tions and exprefs treaties ; forcing them to abjure their religion by
' unufual cruelties; imprifoning fome of the maflers and feamenof our
' merchant fliips, and condemning others to the galleys, on pretence of
*■ having onboard, either fome of his own miferable proteflant fubjeds
' or their effeds.
VI) * And, laftly, his endeavouring, for fome years paft, by infinua-
* tions, and promifes of affiftance, to overthrow the government of Eng-
' land ; and now, by open and violent methods, to invade Ireland, in
' fupport of our fubjeds in rebellion againfl us.'
This prohibition of commerce with France produced the good con-
fequences of inducing the people of England to improve their old, and
to invent fundry new, manufadures, &c. which they formerly took from
France ; not a little to the detriment of that kingdom in the end.
In the declaration of Holland, amongft many other allegations againft
Louis, they affirm, i ft, that he had endeavoured, by all manner of ways,
to ruin their navigation and commerce, as well in Europe as elfewhere,
by feizing their fliips and cargoes. 2dly, By violently forcing even
their fliips of war to be fearched, at a time of profound peace. 3dly,
By his new tolls and impofitions, hindering their fubjeds from felling
their manufidures and filb in his country, fo as it was become impof-
fible to continue their trade to France, where their complaints were
rejeded with fcorn. 4thly, Having begun a horrible perfecution of his
own proteftant fubjeds, he had therein involved the fubjeds of the ftates-
genera], though only living in France, on account of commerce ; part-
ing wives from their hufbands, and children from their parents, &c.
The declaration of Spain, of the 3d of May this year, was in confe-
quence of France's prior declaration of war againft that crown, on the
15th of the preceding month, though deftitute of all juftice ; as alfo of
his invading and ravaging the empii-e, and bringing the Turks to in-
vade and ravage Hungary.
And that of the emperor and empire was much to the fame effed.
A. D. 1689. 637
In the remarkable convention between the commillioners of King
William and thofe jof the flates of the United Netherlands, (dated in
Auguft 1689) concerning their prohibition of commerce with France,
it was ftipulated :
' I) That the fubjeds of neither nation fliall be allowed to traffic to or
with thofe of France, either with fliips of their own or of any other na-
tion. Neither fhall they import into either country any merchandize
being the produce of the French king's dominions.
' II) If, during this war, the fubjedts of any other potentate fliall
have commerce with France, or their fhips are met with in their paf-
fage thither, they fhall be feized and condemned as lawful prize.
* III) The other potentates of Europe, at peace with France, fhall have
due notification, that if their fhips or vefiels fhall be found at fea, be-
fore this notification fhall have been given, making their way to France,
they fhall be obliged by the fhips of England and Holland forthwitli to
turn back ; and if failing from France, loaded with French merchandize,
they fhall be obliged to fail back to France, and there leave the faid
merchandize, upon pain of forfeiture. And in cafe the fhips of thofe
kings, princes, and flates, or their fubjeds, fhall, after the faid notifi-
cation, be found at fea, and failing either towards the ports of France,
or returning from thence, they fhall be feized and forfeited, together
with their cargoes, and fhall be reputed good prize.
* IV) And as to the princes and allies who are already at war with
France, notification fhall be given them as aforefliid ; and thev fhall
be defired at the faine time to concur with fuch methods as are fo
conducive to the common interefi:, and to give and execute fuch or-
ders as tend to the fame end.
' Done at Whitehall, Augufl 12th — 22d, 1689.'
Part of a fecret article, viz.
' It is agreed, thatiii cafe either the one or the other party fhall be in-
' commoded or molefled, by reafon of the execution of this prefent treaty,
* or any article thereof, his Britannic majeily King William, and the
' lords the flates-general, do promife and oblige themfelves to be gua-
* rantee for and to one ai:iother upon that account.' [General coll. of
treaties, V. i, p. 284, ed. 1732.]
Voltaire (in his Age of Louis XIV) obferves, " that France was ne-
* ver in fo flourifhing a condition as in the period from the death of
' Cardinal Mazarine to this war of 1689 ; contrary to the opinion of a
* certain author, who (it feems) had affirmed, that France, fmce the
' year 1660, had funk in real value 1,500 millions ; the very contrary
' whereof was true ! Thus (adds he) in England, in^the moll dourifli-
' ing times, papers are continually coming out to prove, that the king-
* dom is undone !" Which obfervation is extremely juft.
Although King Charles II, and his brother King James II,
638 A. D. 1689.
had in their treaties with France generally ftipulated, that in cafe of
any rupture between the two nations in Europe, the fubjeds of both
crowns in America fhouid remain in a ftate of neutraUty, yet, at the
grand revolution in England, the French broke through that agreement,
by entering in an hoftile manner into the Englifh pale at St. Chrifto-
phers, even before war was declared there between thofe two nations :
and, although the Englifh of that ille had fent for fuccour from Barba-
dos, ;after taking ihelter in their fortreffes) yet they were neceffitated
to furrender their part of it to the French in July 1689, and to retire
to the neighbouring ifle of Nevis, to the great lofs of many merchants
in London and Briftol.
Soon after which the French drove the Dutch out of their own ifland
of Euftatia in that neighbourhood.
It was about this time that the firfl convention was made at London
between England and Spain, for fupplying the Spanifh Well-Indies with
negro Haves from the ifland of Jamaica.
About this time (according to a pamphlet, faid to be written by Mr.
William Wood, a great undertaker in metals, entitled, the State of the
copper and brafs manufadure in Great Britain, humbly offered to the
confideration of parliament, 410, 1721) ' the railing and refining of cop-
' per-ore was revived in England, and chiefly in the county of Corn-
' wall, after having been lofl: or difufed ever fince the time of the Sax-
' ons, who, as well as the Danes, formerly made copper in England, as
* appears by the old mines wrought by them in feveral counties : but
' by reafon of great quantities of thofe metals being imported from fo-
' reign parts, (on which high duties fhouid have been laid) that valu-
' able branch of our produdl was dropped for many ages.' Yet General
Malynes, in his Lex mercatoria, (1622) obferves, that copper mines were
then adually worked in many Englifh counties : ib that Mr. Wood
mufl, in this refpect, be under an hiflorical miflake. Under the year
1399 we have likewife noted that feveral projeds for mining were fet on
foot in the reign of Richard II. Mr, Wood obferves, ' that formerly
' we had all our copper and brafs from Sweden and Germany, though
' now (1721) we are in a great meafure fupplied from our own mines.
' It was later (he fays) that the art was gained to England of convert-
' ing copper into brafs.'
On the breaking out of King William's war agalnft France, a com-
pany of fword-cutlers was erecT:ed by patent, for making hollow fword-
blades, in the county of Cumberland, and the adjacent counties, for the
nfe of the army. But though they were enabled to purchafe lands, to ered!
mills, and to receive and employ great numbers of German artificers,
yet it did not fucceed as was expeded. The firfl: patentees, therefor,
fold or afl^igned their patent to a company of merchants in London,
who thereupon purchafed under that patent to the value of L20,ooc per
A. D. 1689. ^39
Tinnum of the forfeited eftates in Ireland. But the Irifli parliament, in
the reign of Queen Anne, knowing they had purchafed thofe lands at
very low rates, would not permit them, in their corporate capacity, to
take conveyances of lands, left they might have proved too powerful a
body in that kingdom. This obliged them to fell off their IriOi eftates,
w^hich put a period to the corporation. Yet a private copartnerOiip of
bankers in London, pofleffed of their obfolete charter, retained the ap-
pellation of the fword-blade company till after the year 1720, though
Jong fince broke up.
King William having found it neceffary to declare war againft France,
an aft was pafled, for prohibiting all trade and commerce with France,
from the 24th of Auguft 1689, for three years, and to the end of the
next following feffion of parliament, if the war ftiall laft fo long. The
preamble remarks, that it hath been found by long experience, that the
importing of French wines, vinegar, brandy, linen, filks, fait, paper, and
other commodities of the growth, product, or manufadure, of France,
hath much exhaufted the treafure of this nation, leiTened the value of
the native commodities and manufadlures thereof, greatly impoveriflied
the Englifh artificers and handicrafts, and caufed great detriment to
this kingdom in general *. All fuch French merchandize imported
fhall be forfeited to the crown, and fhall be deftroyed : with fundry pe-
nalties on the importer, vender, and pofFeiTor ; on the refifter of execu-
tion; on the informer ading by coUulion ; on the mafter, feamen, &c.
importing them ; and the fhip to be forfeited likewife, as alfo the carts,
&c. bringing thofe goods from fuch fhips. No brandy, or other ipirits,
fhall at all be imported from any country whatever, on forfeiture there-
of and of the fliip f . And though the faid French goods are to be de-
ftroyed, yet a value is hereby put on them, viz. wines L30 per ton, and
brandy L40 per ton ; the reft as in the book of rates of the i 2th of
Charles II, or by a jury trying the caufe, in cafe they be not found in
the book of rates : one third of which value fliall go to the feizer or
fuer, and two thirds to the crown. With power for officers to fearch
houfes, and to break open locks. Perfons refifting, puniftiable, &c.
[i Gill, et Mar. c. 34.]
In the fecond feffion of the parliament of the firft year of King Wil-
liam and Queen Mary, a moft memorable and glorious ftatute \c. 2] was
enaded, entitled, an ad declaring the rights and liberties of the fubjed,
and fettling the fucceffion of the crown : ' Or, a legal confirmation of
' the Declaration of Right, prefented to the prince and princefs of
' Orange, on the 13th of February preceding, by the lords and commons
* Inftcad of this abfolute prohibition of French f This abfolutc prohibition was intended to en-
wines and brandies, high duties were afterwards courage the home diftillery of brand)' and fpirlts
laid on them in the zd, 4th, an d jth years of this from corn, on which a duty was laid by an aft of
reign. A. 4 the fecond year of this reign, c. 4. A.
640 ' A. D. 1689-
aflembled at Weilminfter, lawfully, fully, and freely, reprefenting air
the eftates of the people of England, viz.
' I) Whereas the late Khig James II, by the alliflance of divers evil
counfellors, judges, and minifiers, employed by him, did endeavour to
fubvert and extirpate the proteftant reUgion, and the laws and liberties
of this kingdom,
' I. By afluming a power of difpenfing with the laws, without the
confent of parliament ;
' 2. By committing and profecuting divers worthy prelates, for hum-
bly petitioning to be excufed from concurring to the faid afTumed
power ;
* 3. By his commiflion, under the great feal, for erecting a court,
called the court of commiflioners for ecclefiaflical caufes ;
* 4. By levying money by pretence of prerogative, for other time,
and, in other manner, than the fame was granted by parliament ;
' 5. By railing and keeping up a Handing army in time of peace,
without confent of parliament, and quartering of foldiers contrary to
law ;
' 6. By caufing feveral good fubjeds, being proteftants, to be difarm-
ed, at the fame time when papifts were both armed and employed,
contrary to law ;
' 7. By violating the freedom of eledions of members to ferve in:
parliament;
' 8. By profecutions in the court of king's bench for matters and
caufes cognizable only in parliament ; and by divers other arbitrary,
and illegal courfes ;
' 9. By obtaining partial, corrupt,, and unqualified, perfons to be re-
turned to ferve on juries in trials for high treafon, who were not free--
holders ;
' 10. By exceffive bails being required of perfons committed in cri-
minal cafes, to elude the benefit ©f the laws made for the liberty of
the fubjeds ;
' II. ' By exceffive fines having been impofed, and illegal and cruel
punilhments inflided ;
' 12; and laflly. By feveral grants and promifes made of fines and
forfeitures, before any convidion or judgment againfl the perfons up-
on whom the fame were to be levied.
* All which are utterly and diredly contrary to the known laws, and'
ftatutes, and freedom, of this realm ; wherefor, the faid lords fpiritual
and temporal, and commons, now aflembled in a full and free reprefent-
ative of this nation, do, in the firfl place, as their ancefiors, in like
cafe have ufually done, for the vindicating and aflerting their antient
rights and liberties, declare,
* I. That the pretended power of fufpending laws, or the execution
A. D. 1689. 641
of laws, by regal authority, without confent of parliament, is illegal ;
* 2. As is alfo the diipenling with laws ;
' 3. And the like of the court for ecclefiaftical caufes ;
' 4. The like as to levying money without grant of parliament ;
' 5. That it is the right of the fubjects to petition the king ; and all
commitments and profecutions for fuch petitioning are illegal ;
' 6. That the railing or keeping a ftandmg army within the king-
dom in time of peace, unlets it be with confent of parliament, is
a gain ft law ;
' 7. That the fubjeds, who are proteftants, may have arms for their
defence, fuitable to their conditions, and as allowed by law ;
' 8. That the eledion of members of parliament ought to be free ;
' 9. That the freedom of fpeech, and debates or proceedings in par-
liament, ought not to be impeached or queftioned in any court, or place
out of parliament ;
' lo. That excellive bail ought not to be required, norexceflive fines
impofed, nor cruel and unufual punifhments inflided ;
' II. That jurors ought to be doely impanneled and returned ; and.
that jurors who pafs upon men in trials for high treafon, ought to be
freeholders ;
' 12. That all graiits, and promifes of fines and forfeitures, of parti •
cular perfons before convitT:ion are illegal and void ;
' 13. And that for redrefs of all grievances, and for the amending,
ftrengthening, and preferving, of the laws, parliaments ought to be
held frequently.
' And they do claim, demand, and infift upon, all and fingular the
premiies, as their undoubted rights and liberties ; and that no declar-
ations, judgments, doings, or proceedings, to the prejudice of the peo-
ple, in any of the faid premiies, ought in anywife to be drawn here-
after into conlequence or example.
' Having therefor particular encouragement from the declaration of
his highnefs the prince of Orange, and an entire confidence, that he
will perfed: the deliverance fo far advanced by him, and will ftill pre-
ferve them from the violation of their rights, which they have here
aflerted, and from all other attempts upon their religion, rights, and
liberties.
' II) The faid lords fpiritual and temporal, and comm.ons, alTcmblcd
at Weftminfter, do refolve, that William and Mary, prince and prin-
cefes of Orange, be, and be declared, king and queen of England,
France, and Ireland ; to hold to them during their lives, and the life
of the furvivor of them ; but the fole and full exercife of the regal
power to be only in the prince, though in the names of both ; and,
after their deceafe, the crown to defcend to the heirs of the princefs,
and, failing fuch, to the princefs Anne of Denmark and the heirs of
Vol. II. 4 M
642 A. D. 1689.
* her body ; and, for default of fuch ifFue, to the heirs of the body of
* the faid prince of Orange.
' III) That the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy be abrogated, and
' in their flead the two following oaths be fubflituted.' [Thefe we have
already exhibited with the new coronation oath.
' IV) Upon which their faid majefties did accept the crown and royal
' dignity aforefaid.
' V) And thereupon their majellies were pleafed, that the faid lords
' and commons, being the two houfes of parliament, fhould continue to
* fit ; and, with their faid majefties royal concurrence, make effedual
' provifion for the fettlement of the religion, laws, and liberties, of this
' kingdom.
' VI) Now, in purfuance of the premifes, the faid lords fpiritual and
' temporal, and commons, in parliament allembled, for the ratifying
' and confirming of the faid declaration, by the force of a law made in
' due form by authority of parliament, do pray, that it may be de-
' Glared and enabled, that all and fingular, the rights and liberties, af-
' ferted and claimed in the faid declaration, are the true, antient, and
' indubitable rights and liberties of the people of this kingdom, and fo
* fliall be efleemed, allowed, adjudged, and firmly and ftridly holden
* and obferved ; and that all ofl&cers and miniflers, whacfoever, fhall
' ferve their majefties and their fucceffors, according to the fame, in
' times to come.
* VII) And the faid lords and commons ferioufly confidering, how
' it has pleafed Almighty God, in his marvellous providence, and merci-
' ful goodnefs to this nation, to provide and preferve their faid majefties
' moft happily to reign over us, for which they render unto him, from
' the bottom of their hearts, their humbleft thanks and praifes, do firm-
' ly, afluredly, and in the fincerity of their hearts, think, and do hereby
' recognize, acknowlege, and declare, that King James II, having abdi-
' cated the government, and their majefties having accepted the crown
' and royal dignity, are, and of right ought to be, by the laws of this
' realm, our fovereign liege lord and lady, king and queen, as aforefaid,
' .&c.
' VIII) And for preventing all queftions and divifions in this realin
' bv reafon of any pretended titles to the crown, and for preferving a
" certainty in the fucceflion thereof, the faid lords and commons pray,
' that it may be enacted ;' [here the fucceflion, as in the preceding ar-
' tide II, is enaded] ' and thereunto the faid lords fpiritual and tem-
' poral, and commons, do, in the name of all the people of England
' aforefaid, moft humbly and faithfully fubmit themfelves, their heirs,
' and pofterities, forever ; and do faithfully promife, that they will
' ftand to, maintain, and defend, their faid majefties ; and alfo the limit-
' ation and fucceflion of the crown herein fpecified and contained.
A. D. 1689. ^43
' with their lives and eftates, againft all perfons whatfoever that ftiall
' attempt any thing to the contrary.
' And whereas it hath been found by experience, that it is incon-
' fiflent with the fafety and welfare of this proteflant kingdom to be
' governed by a popifh prince, or by any king or queen marrying a pa-
' pifi:, we pray that it may be enafted, that every perfon holding com-
' munion with the church of Rome, or elfe that fliall marry a papift,
' fhall be for ever excluded, and be incapable to inherit and poflefs the
' crown of this realm ; and in every fuch cafe, the people of this realm,
' and of Ireland, are hereby abfolved of their allegiance, and the crown
' fhall defcend to the next proteflant in fuccefhon, who fliould have en-
' joyed the fame, had the other been naturally dead.
' X) And whoever fhall hereafter fucceed to the crown, Ihall, if of
' twelve years of age or upwards, make and fubfcribe the declaration in
' the flatute of the 30th year of King Charles II, entitled an Ad: for
' the more effedual preferving the king's perfon and government, by
' difabling papifls from fitting in either houfe of parliament.
' XI) AH which fhall hereby be declared, and enaded to be the law
' of this realm forever.
' XII) And that no difpenfation by non ohjlante, of, or to, any ftatute,
' or of any part thereof, fliall hereafter be allowed, except it be allowed
' in fuch flatute ; and except in fuch cafes as (hall be fpecially provided
' for by a bill, or bills, to be paffed during this prefent feflion of par-
' liament.
' XIII) Provided that no charter, grant, or pardon, granted before
• the 23d day of Odober 1689, fhall be invalidated by this ad; but
' that the fame fhall remain of the fame force and effed in law, and no
' other, than as if this ad had never been made.'
Whoever is even but flenderly acquainted with the hiflory of feveral
preceding reigns in England, but mofl efpecially with that of King
James II, cannot fail to pronounce this ad of parliament, which we have
here contraded as far as the very important matter of it would permit,
ro be a new and complete magna charta, or a folemn re-eflablilhment,
with improvements, of all the privileges of the EnglilTi people, former-
ly at any time claimed by virtue of the power of parliament, and of the
laws and ftatutes of England ; and, in one word, that this folemn flatute
has moft efientially fixed the juft boundaries of the prerogative of the
crown, and of the rights and privileges of the fubjed, the moll; happy
confequences whereof have ever fince been fenfibly feen and felt, and,
it is to be hoped, will fo remain to the end of time.
The good eflfeds of this firm eflabhfhment of the liberty and property
of the people of England have in nothing been more confpicuous, than
in the great increafe of commerce, fhipping, manufadures, and colonies, ,
4 M 2
644 A. D. 1689.
as well as of riches and people, fince that happy period, notvvithflanding
our having been fince engaged in feveral very expenfive and bloody
wars, in vindication of our invaluable liberties, civil and religious.
We may here farther note, that the parliament of Scotland, about
the fame time, made a like ad:, claim, or declaration, of their rights
and liberties, when they recognized King William and Queen Mary,
for king and queen of Scotland.
King James's net revenue, when he abdicated, was L2, 061, 855 year-
ly ; for which yearly revenue, though granted by parliament, neither
he, nor any of his predeceflbrs, deemed themfelves accountable to their
people or parliament. It is, therefor, one of the great bleflings of this
happy revolution, that exad; boundaries are fet by parliament to the ex-
penfe of the civil lift ; and that, excepting the poft-office revenue, and
the fmall remains of the hereditary crown rents, the application of the
fupplies granted annually by parliament, have conftantly and pundtually
been accounted for in every fucceeding leflion of parliament.
The ground on which the llreets called the Seven Dials, in the parifh
of St. Giles's in the fields, in the weftern fuburbs of London, ftand, was
not begun to be built on till about this year, as appears by the continu-
ator of Rapin's Hifi:ory of England, [F. iii, p. 97, notes.'] It was crown
land, and granted by King WiUiam to the earl of Portland.
In Dr. D'Avenant's Eflay on way and means, (publiilied in 1695)
he tells us, that the ordinary revenue of France was, before this war,
yearly, about one hundred and fifty millions of livres, or about twelve
millions fi;erling. ' We all know' (fays he), how hardly this great fum
' was extorted from the people ; but they were enabled to pay it by the
' balance that arofe to them from the vent of their commodities and
' manufadures. Their mofi; fi:aple trade was in wine, oil, fait, linen,
* and paper; their other manufaftures are innumerable: and a vafl pro-
' fit they did conftantly make by the refort of ftrangers to their coun-
' try, and likewife by furnifliing all Europe with their fineries and va-
' nities.'
It is not very certain how long the Englifla Eaft-India company have
been fettled on the famous river Ganges in the kingdom of Bengal.
Their firft fadory in that kingdom was at the town of Huguely, on a
river of that name, being a branch of the Ganges, 160 miles from its
mouth. About this year the company removed to Calcutta, on the
fame river, where they built Fort William, for proteding their vcfTels
coming down that river from Patna with piece goods, raw filk, and
faltpetre, being the principal ftaple commodities of Bengal, otherwife
the rajas, whofe dominions lie on that river, and who are either tribu-
taries to, or elfe powerful governors under, the mogul, were apt to
make, and fometimes have made, arbitrary demands of duties for pail-
A. D. 1689. ^45
ing that way. Higher vip, at the town of Huguely, the Dutch have
a noble fort and fadory for the hke trade, and alfo for Bengal fluffs,
calico, cotton and muflin, for the European markets ; and opium, gin-
ger, long pepper, tobacco, &c. for the country trade.
On the fame river too the French lately had a fort and factory. Here
hkewife, the Danes had formerly a fadory. Likewife, in the year 1723,
the late Oftend company had a fadory.
At Huguely the great Mogul has a cuftom-houfe, and on that river
there is a vafl trade carried on for all kinds of India goods, backward
and forward ; and, belkles their ftaple goods before mentioned, they
trade in Huffs of herba *, aloes, opium, wax, laque, civet, indigo, canes,
fpices ; and alfo in fugar and rice, carried all over India in immenfe
quantities. This great kingdom of Bengal had its own monarchs till
the year 1582, when it was conquered by the mogul. It is one of the
fineft countries of all Afia, and is fa id to bring five millions flerling an-
nually into the mogul's treafury ; and is likewife obliged, on occafion,
to fupply him with 40,000 horfe, and 80,000 foot foldiers.
The Portuguefe had once fundry fadories here, but have been long
fmce expelled by the moguls, for their rapacious and outrageous con-
dud.
Higher up Huguely river, at Coflimbazar, the Englifla and Dutch
have their out-fadories ; as at Dacca, an ifland in the mofi; eafterly
branch of the Ganges ; and at Maldo on another branch of that vafl
river ; all depending on the before-mentioned principal and fortified
ones. The Englifh, Dutch, and French, have each a fadory at Balafore,
or Baffora, in the bay of Bengal, chiefly for taking in pilots to condud
them up the Ganges. At this time the Englifh company publifhed a
flate of their trade, fliipping, and forts, viz. ' ifl, that within feven years
* paft they had built 16 great fhips, from 900 to 1300 tons each. 2dly,
' that in lieu of Bantam, from whence they had been expelled, they
* have ereded and garrilbned three forts in other parts of India, for the
' pepper trade. 3dly, That they had now at fca, in India, and coming
' home, eleven fhips and four permiflion fliips, whole cargoes amounted
' to above L36o,ooo. 4thly, They had feven great fhips and fix per-
' miffion ones, all for Coafl and Bay, whofe cargoes arnounted to near
' L570,ooo. 5thly, They had feven fhips for China and the South feas,
' whole cargoes amounted to near Li 00,000, befides about 30 other
' fniall armed velTeis, conftantly remaining in India. 6thly, 1 hat they
' have now remaining India goods unfold at home to the value of
' L700,ooo. 7thly, That, by means of their ifle of Bombay, they
' have brought thither the principal part of the trade of Surat ; where,
' from 4,000 families, computed when the company firft took poflefhon
* The rind of a certain tiee, which they drefs and draw out fo fine, that it works like filk, with
which, a:id ah'b witli cotton, it is woven. /I.
646 A. D. 1689.
' of it, they are fince increafed to 50,000 families, all fubjed to the
' company's laws. Laftly, the company had made a moft fuccefsful
* war with the mogul, and brought him to reafonable terms, confirmed
' by that prince's own phirmaund, and fecured by a ilrong garrilbn at
' Bombay; which, being one of the befl ports in India, and lying fo
* near Surat, the great emporium of the Indian trade to Arabia, Perfia,
' Ballbra, and the Red fea, if the Englifh trade had not been brought
' thither to load home, and not at the river of Surat, as formerly, it
* would not have been near fo beneficial.' This is indeed a very pomp-
ous view of that company's condition, as publilhed by themfelves ; but
their enemies foon after gave a very different view of it.
1690. — Befides the benefits elfewhere mentioned, as received by Eng-
land from the French king's revocation of the edift of Nantes in 1685,
it did good fervice to the Englilh colonies in America ; and particularly
in the year 1 690, when King William fettled fome hundreds of French
refugee families on the fouth fide of James's river in Virginia, above the
falls, where they have fince much improved that naturally-fine country.
The French in the province of Canada growing troublelome neigh-
bours to the Englifli province of New-York, by endeavouring to draw
to themfelves the whole trade of peltry with the Indian nations, the go-
vernment of New-York made an attempt on Quebec, the capital town
of Canada, difi:ant about 400 or 500 miles from New- York city. For
this end they marched from Albany, with 300 Englhh and 300 allied
Iroquois Indians ; and though the FrencTi governor of Canada had with
him above double the number of regular troops, befides Indians, yet the
Englifh defeated him, and killed about 300 of his men : but not having
artillery, &c. proper for attacking their forts, which furely they fhould
have forefeen, they were fain to be content with this vidory, and fo to
return home.
But in this fame year General Coddrington, commander in chief of
the Englifh leeward iflands, had better fuccefs in the Weft-Indies ; for,
by the help of fuccours from England, joined to the regiments he had
raifed in thofe iflands, he retook from the French, with the lofs of 200
men, the ifland of St. Chriftophers, from whence he conveyed the French
inhabitants, confifting of i ,800 men, befides women and children, to
Hilpaniola and Martinico. The fame year he likewife retook the ifle
of St. Euflatia, which the French had, the preceding year, taken from
the Dutch : he alfo took from the French St. Martins and St. Bar-
tholomew, but he failed in his attempt on Guadaloupe.
Sir William Phipps, with a fleet and land forces from New-England, fail-
ed for Nova-Scotia, and took the fort and town of Port-Royal, fince nam-
ed Annapolis Royal, in the bay of Fundy, which had fo greatly annoyed
our commerce in America, by means of the French privateers, as to ob-
tain the appellation of the Dunkirk of America. He alfo deraolifhed a
A. D. 1690. 647
fort at St. John's river ; and ereded better forts in their ftead. The
French till now had, from Port-Royal, carried on a confidcrable trade
to the fugar ifles, &c. with fifh, lumber, and peltry. Yet King Wil-
liam's prelTures obliged him to reftore it to France by the treaty of Ryf-
wick, and fo it remained till the following century.
So great is the quantity of timber in that country, and the adjacent
parts of New-England, that, in after years, the furveyor-general for the
woods of the crown of Great Britain in America had directions to fet
out 300,000 acres of the bell woodlands, in order to prcferve the white
pine trees for marts and other fhip timber, near the fea or navigable
rivers, for the navy ; which, it is hoped, will be ever carefully looked
after, whatever reports there may be of negleds therein.
The number of houfes in England and Wales this year, as returned
by the books of the hearth duty at lady-day 1690, was 1,391,215;
which, at fix perfons to a houfe, makes the number of fouls 7,915,290,
or very near eight millions. [UAvenaiifs EJfay on ways and means of
fupp/jinj the war, Lofidori, i6gS-] So that, reckoning one million and
a half in Scotland, which may be near the truth, and two millions in
Ireland, which we have elfewhere fhewn to be near the truth, there is
good ground to believe, there may be at leaft eleven millions of fouls in
England, Scotland, and Ireland : that author makes the houfes in York-
fhire to be 121,052; in Wales 77,921 ; and in London, Weftminfler,
and Middlefex, 111,215.
Till about this time there was fcarce any other kind of paper made
in England but the coarfe brown fort. But the war with France oc-
cafioning high duties on foreign paper, the French proteftant refugees
fettled in England, and alfo our own few paper-makers, now began to
make white writing and printing paper : which, in length ot time, has
been brought to fo great perfedion, both for beauty and fubftance,
that, in our own time, we import only certain kinds of Genoa and Dutch
paper ; which, however, bears but a fmall proportion to all the paper
ufed in the Britifli dominions. How great a laving this has proved to
Britain, may partly be conceived from what has been often formerly
affirmed by fuch as were well acquainted therewith, viz. that to France
alone, from which we now take none even in time of peace, we paid
annually to the amount of Lroo,ooo for paper only.
At this time, or a little before, fome mines of lead and copper were
found in the lands of Sir Carbery Price in Cardiganfhire, in South
Wales ; which requiring great expenfe to work, he this year divided
them into 24 fhares. This was the original rife of the mine-adventurers
company, by the mifmanagement of which fo many perfons and fami-
lies were greatly hurt, and others utterly ruined. In the year 1693,
that gentleman and his partners fubdivided their 24 fhares into 4,008
fhares, for the term of twenty-two years and an half; in which fundr)
648 A, D. 1690.
lords and gentlemen of worth were deeply concerned. Yet for want ofa
iufficient ftock of money for carrying on fo expenfive a work, it lan-
guiflied and went retrograde until the year 1 698, when a new conftitution
was eftablifhed, by indenture, in a pompous manner; the duke of Leeds
being thereby eftablhhed governor of this company, and Sir Humphry
Mackworth deputy-governor, both during life, with a felect committee
of managers or diredors ; and a new capital ftock of L2o,oco was railed,
for paying off debts before contracted, and for vigoroufly carrying on
the mines ; and five years were hereby added to the laid twenty-two years
and an half of their grant. Sir Humphry Mackworth's propolal and
plan were accepted ; and he undertook to difpofe of the 4,008 lliares by
a lottery for Li 25,000, confifling of 25,000 tickets, at L5, whereof 2,500
were to be fortunate ; with abundance of wild, perplexed, and romantic,
articles, which, however, drew in many perfons of worth and character.
Sir Humphry Mackworth brought into this new conftitution, his own
lands, coal-pits, and mines, near Neath in Glamorganfhire, where
wharfs and warehoufes, refining-houfes and mills, were ereded, and
much lead ore was railed, from whence quantities of filver were extrad-
ed, and alio litharge of lead, which is ufed by apothecaries, furgeons,
and painters ; but chiefly by potters for glazing their earthen ware,
and by the makers of fine glafs, and of red-lead, into which litharge
is eafily transformed. Thus they went on, at a vaft expenfe, till next
century, till when we fliall leave them, after only obferving, that it is
fomewhat ftrange, fo many fagacious perfons as Sir Humphry Mack-
worth drew into this projed, did not entertain any fufpicion of his
vafi:ly pompous out-fet, and of his propofal of one twelfth part of the
clear profit of the mines to be difpofed of to fuch charitable ufes as he
fliould dired, previous to their knowing any thing certain whether
there would be any profit at all from a mere embryo projed. By fuch
means, and likewife by his charity-propofal, many clergymen's widows,
and orphans, were engaged therein.
1 69 1. — After the Englifh Eafl;-India company's very great expenfe of
money and men in their war with the great mogul, they at length ob-
tained peace with him, and the refi:itution of their former privileges, in
the year 1691 ; when they likewife re-ellabliflied their revolted fadory
at Bombay, and quieted the ifle of St. Helena. Neverthelefs, the above
great expenfe, the inceflant clamours of the interlopers, and of the
friends of thofe put to death at St. Helena, jointly confpired to bring
that company into great difcredit ; infomuch, that printed papers were
handed about, difplaying their crimes and mifcarriages, doubtlels not
without exaggerations : propofals alfo were publilhed for diflblving this,
and ereding a new company. And fo far was the houfe of commons
influenced thereby, as in this fame year to addrefs King William to dif-
lolve the company, agreeable to the power referved by the crown in
A. D. 1 691. 649
their charter, and to incorporate a new one. Tlie king's anfwer was,
* that, it being a matter of very great importance, it required fome
' time to confidcr their addrefs.' In the meantime he referred it to a
committee of the privy council ; whereupon the company did, in writ-
ing, declare their fubmiflion to fuch regulations as that committee of
council fhould prefcribe ; which were in liibftance, that their capital
ftock fliould be made up Li, 500,000 at leaft, but not to exceed two
millions; of which the prefent company's capital of L74o,ooo was to
conflitute a part : and the prefent company, jointly with the new fub-
fcribers, {hould be incorporated for twenty-one years *.
The government of New-England, flill finding the French in Canada
very troublefome neighbours, fent out a fleet of 32 fail, v/ith 2000
land forces onboard, to attack Quebec ; but being eight weeks in
failing up the river of St. Laurence, they thereby gave time to the
French to bring all their flrength to Qijebec ; before which place, our
people being repulfed, they were obliged to re-embark, many of their
fhips in coming down that river were wrecked or loft ; and when
2000 Englifh and 1 500 Indians had marched over land from New-
York, Connecticut, &c. they found no canoes to tranfport them over the
lakes ; they were therefor likewife forced to return home. In this un-
fortunate and ill-conduded expedition, the province of New-England
contraded Li 40,000 debt ; and there were faid to have been 1000 lives
loft, one way or other.
1 692. — We ftiall now give the Englifti Eaft-Tndia company's vindication
of themfelves, by way of reply to the regulations propoled by the com-
mittee of the privy council, at the clofe of the preceding year, viz.
' that their prefent quick and dead ftock and revenue are really worth
' more than Li ,500,000-1-, the prefent current price of their capital
* ftock at market being 150 per cent : that they knew no law nor rea-
' fon for their being thus difpoftefled of their eftates at an undervalue :
' that their forts, towns, and territories in India are theirs for ever by
* their charters, and have coft them, firft and laft, above a million fter-
' ling : that all the other propofed regulations are better provided for
' by their prefent charter than they can be by any new one, &:c.' [j4c-
connt of fome tranfnEtions in the houfe of commons and before the lords of the
frivy council, relating to the late Eajl-lndia company, quarto, 1693.]
The anfwer given by the king this year to the addrefs of the com-
mons, for ciiflblvhig the Eaft-India company, was, in fubftance, that,
upon due confultation, he found he could not diflolve the company in
lels than three years warning; during which time they could not be
hindered from trading, nor could a new company trade, till thofe three
years were expired ; that the company having rcjeded moft of the re-
* The company's anfwer nnd vindication will be found under the next year, yi
+ Qiiick (lock comprehends flu'pa and mtrchandize ; and dead ilock, forts, faftories, houfes, &c. jf.
Vol. II. 4 N
650 A. D. 1692.
gulations made by the committee of council, he was of opinion, thaiT
what was needful to preferve this valuable trade could not be perfeded*'
without the concurrence of parliament ; wherefor he recommended to
them to prepare a bill for that purpofe. This was fpeaking like a good
king to a free people. Hereupon the houfe of commons took the fettle-
ment of this trade into confideration, yet, through their divifions, and
the company's great interefl, they did nothing effedual ; only at the
clofe of that fefTion they addrefled the king to difTolve the company at
the end of the three years ; which, he told them, he would confider of.
A war with France having before been feen to be unavoidable by
England, it was foon found to be very unfortunate for the later, that as
her maritime commerce was much greater than that of France, fhe was
thereby very much expofed to captures by French privateers ; info-
much, that by an account laid before the parliament in this year, it ap-
peared, that the French had in the two years paft of this war, taken
from England no fewer than 3000 fail of trading vefTels, great and
fmall : and within the fame period we had taken from France only
67 merchant {hips. A terrible difference indeed, yet not fo difficult to
be accounted for as fome might imagine, when it is confidered that fo
great a part of France's commerce was at this time driven in foreign,
fhips, chiefly till now in Dutch bottoms.
On the other hand,, (for balancing part of this great misfortune) the
llridl prohibition of commerce by both nations during this war, proved
the occafion of gradually deftroying fundry very profitable French ma-
nufactures, which were either transferred to England diredly, or elfe fet
on foot by other nations. Thus, I) France was almoft entirely deprived
of a mofl: profitable hnen manufacture (never likely to be regained) of
two particular fpecies, viz. dow^las and lockram, chiefly manufactured in:
Normandy and Eritanny ; of which England was faid to have taken off
to the value of L200,ooo flerling annually. For England, not being
well able to be without thofe two forts of linen, fet the Hamburghers on
imitating them fo well, that the very names of thofe French linens with
us are buried in oblivion.
TI) France, before this war, manufactured good and cheap felt hats af
Caudbeque, Havre de Grace, and other places in Normandy ; and by
our prohibition of them, we have in time learned to make them better^
as well as cheaper, than the French can do..
Ill) Before this war the fine glafs manufacture was almofl entirely
French : for, not only the greateft part of the plate-glafs of our coaches
and chairs, and of our fine looking-glafTes, came from France, but like-
wife our finefl window-glafs, which was ufually called Normandy glafs,
and French crown-glafs ; both which we have fince made entirely our
own manufacture, in the greateft perfection.
We h^ve before noted, under the year 1685, the great benefits which
A. D. 1692. 651
Tiad accrued to England by receiving the French protcflant refugees,
who introduced fundry new manufadtures : neverthelcfs, the improve-
ment of them, and of the others above mentioned, could not have been
fo fpeedily nor fo effedually accompliflied, had it it not been for the
ftriit prohibition of intercourfe between the two nations by this war.
Whereby alfo (IV) cutlery-ware, Avatcb'js, toys, ribands, &.c. and mod
eipecially England's broad-iilk manufacture, have been lb greatly im-
proved as even to outdo the French in all of them. Hence it may well
be imagined, how great the lofs of France muft have been in the de-
creafe of thefe manufacftures.
This year was propitious to England, by the great and fignal victor^"
over the naval power of France off La Hogue on the coaft of Normandy,
where an army of 20,000 men lay ready to embark with the late King-
James to invade England, in cafe the French fleet {hould prove victori-
ous. Voltaire (in his J^e of Louis XIF) relates, that 300 tranfport-
fliips v%-ere got ready at Breft ; and Admiral Tourville, with 44 fliips of
war, waited for them on the Norman coaft. D'Etrees alfo was on his
way from Toulon with another fquadron of 30 fhips of war, but hap-
pened to be detained from joining Tourville by contrary winds. The
combined fleet of England and Holland, according to him and others,
conliflied of near 100 fail, commanded in chief by Admiral RulTel, (af-
terward created earl of Orford.) In this tremendous naval engagement
21 of the beft fliips of France were defl:royed, amongfl; which was the
fuperb admiral-fliip the Royal fun, of no brafs cannon, fee on fire in
fight of that army and of the late King James. Voltaire relates, that
14 of the largefl: French fliips of war were run a-ground on the adjacent
coafl:, two of which number carried each 104 cannon; and their com-
manders, knowing that they mufl: be defl:royed by the enemy, with
their own hands fet fire to them. This (he adds) was the firfl: check,
which the maritime ftrength of Louis XIV had as yet received.
This year the French refugees in England, having formed a fuccefs-
ful projed for making luftrings and alamode filks, articles then in great
vogue, and for which France had received from England great fums of
money yearly, they got a patent for the fole privilege of making thofc
filks, which they foon brought to great perfedion. And, though, by
the change of fafliion, thofe filks are not now in requeft, the projed how-
ever contributed to the improvement of the Englifli filk manufadure in
general. By an ad of the 8th and 9th of King William, {c. 36] it ap-
pears, that the Royal luftring company had then brought this manufac-
ture to the greateft perfection ; wherefor foreign luftrings and alamodes
were thereby prohibited. This obfolete charter was made one of the
bubbles of the year (720, and fell with them foon after to nothing. It
was called the Royal luftring (vulgarly luteftring) company.
1 6p3. — The parhament pafTed an ad for continuing certain ads therein
4 4 N 2
652 A. D. 1693.
mentioned, and for charging feveral joint flocks ; whereby, inter alia, it
was enaded, that for every Lioo of Eaft-India joint (lock, there fliould be
anfwered to their majefties, L5, valuing the whole joint flock of that
company at L744,ooo, to be paid quarterly by their governor or trea-
furer, and to be deducted from the feveral peribns interefted in the faid
flock, according to their fevc/al fliares and proportions therein, upon
their next dividends.
And for every fliare in the joint flock of the Royal African company.
Li.
And for every fliare in the joint flock of the Hudfon's-bay company
L5* _
And in cafe any of the companies fhall make default in payment a':
the times herein fpecified, the charter of fuch company refpedively,.
fhall be, and is hereby, adjudged to be void. [4, 5 Giil. et Mar. c. 15.]
Thefe were the only joint-flock commercial companies then in Eng-
land ; the other three great commercial companies, viz. the Rufiia,
Turkey, and Eaflland, ones, being only regulated companies, wherein
every member or freeman traded folely on his own bottom ; iubjed only
to certain regulations and reflridions by the bye laws and general orders
of each company ; which have therefor the appellation of regulated'
companies.
It happened (either intentionally or mofl unaccountably) that the
Eaft-India company negleded to pay the tax within the time limited by
this ad: ; whereby they legally forfeited their charter. Yet King Wil-
liam was unwilling to take advantage thereof, as it would have occafion-
ed great dilorders and loiFes to the proprietors. The company, however,
hereupon was faid to have diflributed great funis of money to men in
power \ : they therefor obtained a new charter, on the 7th of Odober
1693, refloring them to all the powers, &c. which former charters had
given them ; but with the following provifo, viz.
' That if the company do not accept of, fubmit to, and effedually
' execute, fuch orders, diredions, additions, alterations, reftridions, &c.
* relating to the conflitution and powers of their corporation, and its trade
' and joint flock, &c. as the king fhall by charter ordain, under his great
' feal, before the 29th September 1694, then their majeflies may revoke
' this charter.' Which regulations and orders were accordingly made;
* The aft does not afcertain the number of ' traced to the king ; L5000 to the duke of Leeds,
rtiares, or amount of flock, in the two later com- ' and other funis to other men in power.' — The
panics. duke was impeactied by the houfe of commons :
f Great fums indeed ! the houfe of commons the moil mateiial witnefs was fent out of the
having ordeicd an examination of the Eall-India country •, and, in nine days after it was demanded
company's books, it appeared, that die fums paid by the lords, a proclamation was iffued to flop.
ior fpecial fcrvices, which before the revolution his flight. — ' Thus ended a wretched farce.'
fcarccly ever exceeded 1, 1200 in a year ; had ever [Macpherfon's llijlory of Great Britain, V. ii..
fmce gradually increiftd, and in the year 1693 p. 79.3 M,
they amounted to near L90.C00. — ' L 10,000 were
A. D. 1693. ' 653
by two royal charters : the firft of which was on the nth of November
1693, in fubftance as tollows, viz.
' I) All fubici-ibers fliall be members of the company.
' II) L744.,ooo fliall be the whole capital of the company.
' III) None fliall iubfcribe above Li 0,000.
' IV) In general courts Liooo Itock fliall have one vote j and none
* fliall have above ten votes.
' V) Such as fliall become proprietors by purchafe, fliall pay for their
' freedom L5. Who (as alio the new fubicribers) Ihall take the oaths
* appointed by law, and alio the freeman's oath.
' VI) The governor, or, in his abfence, the deputy-governor, to have
* a cafl:ing vote in all courts ; each of them to have L4000 in their own
* right' and each committee-man Liooo *.
' VII) No permillion fliall be granted for fliips to India on a private
* account, on the penalty of forfeiting the charters.
' VIII) No private contrad is to be made, for fale of the company's
' goods, (faltpetre only excepted, fold for the king's ufe.) But all to be
' openly and publicly fold. And no one lot (jewels excepted) to ex-
* ceed L500 value.
' IX) The company fliall annually export to India, of the growth and
* produd of England, to the value of at leafl; Lioo.coo.
* X) The company fliall annually fupply the crown with 500 tons of
' faltpetre, at L38 : 10 per ton in time of peace, and at L45 in time of
'' war.
' XI) All dividends of the company's profits fliall, for the future, be
* made in money only.
' XII) A book fliall be hereafter kept by the company, wherein the
* value of their flock fliall be entered, as attefl;ed upon oath, to be view-
* ed by all concerned ; and the like as to all mortgages, alienations,
' transfers, and aflignments.
' XIII) The joint fl:ock of the company fliall continue for 2 1 years :
' and one yeaj- before its expiration, books fliall lie open for new fub-
' fcriptions to a new jotnt fl:ock.'
In an adl of parliament for regaining, encouraging, and fettling, the
Greenland trade, it is obferved, that the trade to the Greenland leas, in
the fifliing for whales, had heretofore been very beneficial to England,
both in refpeft to the employment of feamen and fliips, and the con-
fumption of great quantities of provifions f , as alio in the imporiaiion
of great quantities of oil and whale-fins ; yet that this trade had been
wholely lofl; to the kingdom, and could now no othcrwiie be revived
than by united endeavours in a joint llock : ' wherefor this acl incor-
' porates Sir William Scawen, and forty-one perlons more, to be a cor-
* The committee-men are now called direftors.
•}• How different is this ftile from the proclamations of King James and King Cliarles I \ ^.
3
654 A. D. 1^93.
poration, by the name of the company of merchants of London trad-
ing to Greenhmd, with the ufual powers of fucceflion, &c. this com-
pany having already fubfcribed L4o,ooo for that end : the mafter and
only one third of the mariners to be Englifli *, and the fliips to be
EngliOi-built. All contrafts, agreements, and bargains, for their ftock
to be void, unlefs transferred within ten days after. This corporation
to exifl only for fourteen years from the ift of Odober 1693.' [4, 5
€ul. et Mar. r. 17.]
The Englifli and Dutch naval exploits in this year proved almoft as
unfortunate as they had been profperous in the preceding one : for Sir
George Rooke, with 2^^ fliips of war, having the Turkey fleet under his
convoy, was attacked by the grand fleet of France, commanded in chief
by Tourville, oif Cape St. Vincent, who took or defl:royed 12 Englifli
find Dutch fliips of war, together with 80 merchant fliips, Englifli and
Dutch ; which was a fevere lofs to both nations.
The French, we have feen, having, even in time of peace, feized on
all the forts of England in Hudfon's bay, excepting that at Port-Nelfon,
in the year 1686, King William now fent out fuch a force as retook
them all. Nevertheleis, foon after, the French, with a flronger force^
^gain took all the forts in that bay.
1694. — The revenues of the city of London having in fome former
times been under bad or negligent management, the fund for the orphans
of freemen was fufFered to run fo far in arrear, that the chamber of Lon-
don (where that fund was and is flill kept) was fliut up for feveral years.
•Hereof great complaints were made at difl'erent times, infomuch that
this fliutting up was compared to the fliutting up of the exchequer in
the year 1672. After three or four years folicitation, the magifl:racy
coming into better hands, they obtained an ad of parliament [5, 6 GuL
et Mar. c. i o] for reUef of the orphans and other creditors of the city
of London, purporting, * that whereas the mayor, commonalty, and ci-
' tizens, are anlwerable for all monies of their orphans ; but that, by
' reafon of fundry accidents and calamities, they are now indebted to
' the faid orphans and other creditors, for principal and interefl:, in a
^ much greater fum than they are able to fatisfy, (viz. L6oo,ooo) un-
' lefs fome afllfl:ance be given them. It was therefor enaded, ifl:, that
' towards raifing a perpetual fund to pay the yearly intereft of 4 per
' cent for the whole debt, to any orphans, or their afligns, or other cre-
' ditors, of the city of London, all the manors, meflliages, markets,
' fairs, aqueduds, and revenues, of the city, (excepting the public hoi-
' pitals and the revenues of London bridge) fliould be charged forever,
' from midfummer 1694, towards raifing the clear yearly fum of L8000
-' .forever, and L2000 more per annum to be raifed on perfonal eflates.
* The want of EngliQi harpooneers, &c. being at this time fo great. jI.
A, D. 1694. 6^^
And, for the incrcafe of this fund, L600 per annum was to be paid
out of the profits oi the convex lamps, (then in vogue, fince come to
nothing') 4<i per chaldron for metage on coals imported, and 61^ more
per chaldron or ton, (for fifty years, from michaelmas 1700) to be
colleded in the fame manner as by the ad: of the 1 9th of Charles II
for rebuilding the city of London ; alfo 4/ per ton on wines import-
ed, 275 for binding every apprentice, and sj" for every new freeman.
And to the intent that this fund might be perpetual, it was now ena6l-
ed, that from the time when the impofition of 6d on coals fhould
ceafe, (viz. michaelmas 1750) then the city lands, manors, mefTuages,
markets, &c. and all other the city's revenues, (hould be charged with
the farther yearly fum of L6000, over and above the before-named
annual fum of L8000 applicable to the fame ufe. All which fums
fhould, in the firfl: place, be applied to pay the faid 4 per cent yearly
for interefl on the fiid orphans debt, to be paid half-yearly, on mid-^-
fummer and St. Thomas's day : which debt fliould be a perpetual
transferable flock. But no orphan fhould for the future be compel-
lable to pay any money into the chamber of London. And any or-
phan (under 21 years of age) applying hereafter to pay a fum of mo-
ney into the chamber of London, may take advantage of this acft, and
the chamberlain may thereupon pay off the like fum to any who arc
not orphans under 21 years of age, and admit the faid orphan in his
ftead. There are alfo claufes in favour of the corporations of the war
ter companies of the New river, York-buildings, Shadwell, and Lon-
don bridge.'
We may here add, that, upon the credit of this new orphans fund, a
projed: was afterward propofed to be ingrafted by Mr. William Pater-
fon (the firfl projedor of the bank of England) and others, for raifing
an additional joint flock of L6oo,ooo, for lending money on land iecu-
rities, for a voluntary regifter of lands, and for iffuing and circulating
a paper-credit, &c. ; which, however, did not take place.
By the great increafeof the fhipping of London, the fuburbs eafl of
the Tower and below St. Catherine's, called Wapping, were become fo
populous, that it was now found necelTary to ered a new church and
parifhfor the inhabitants thereof, by the name of the parifh of St. John
in Wapping, in the county of Middlefex.
A tax was laid on London hackney coaches (then fixed at 700 in
number) of L4 per annum each, befide a fine of L50 for a licence for
twenty-one years, and L8 per annum on flage coaches. [5, 6 GuL et
Mar. c. 22.] And (that we may have no more to fay hereafter on this
point) by an ad of the 9th year of Qiieen Anne, [c. 23] the hackney
coaches of London were fixed at 800 in number, to commence from
midfummer 171 5, when the former term was to expire; from which
term each of thofe coaches were to pay 5/ weekly. Alfo 200 hackney
656 A. D. 1694.
chairs were thereby licenced at lof each per annum ; in the year fol-
lowing they were increafed to 300; and by another acl [12 Geo. I,
c. I 2] the hackney chairs were increafed to 400 in number, by reafon
of the great increafe of new buildings weftward.
This year is memorable for the eredion of the prefent mofl ufeful
and laudable corporation of the Bank of England, which has not only
proved extremely beneficial to commerce, but has alfo on many emer-
gencies been a great fupport of the pubUc credit of the nation. We
have Teen, that before this time there were propofals and fchemes offer-
ed to the public for a like purpofe : and it is indeed fomewhat flrange,
that a public or general bank, capable of not only fupporting its own
credit by a paper currency, for the benefit of commerce, efpecially with
refped to large payments, but alio fupporting the national credit, was
not fooner eflablilhed in a country fo much abounding in wealth and
commerce.
There were in Europe at this time but four very confiderable banks,
thofe of Amfterdam, Venice, Genoa, and Hamburgh ; of which all but
that of Genoa are folely for the conveniency of merchants. At Am-
fterdam, Venice, and Hamburgh, all bills of exchange and other large
payments arc ufually paid in their banks, which faves much trouble to
merchants.
There are banks in other parts of Europe, which are not only for the
conveniency of commerce, but alfo for the emolument of their pro-
prietors, who had originally advanced money to the ftate, for which
they had a perpetual fund of intereft ; and they obtained alio the pri-
vilege of being cafh-keepers for merchants and others. Such are the
banks of Genoa, Naples, and Bologna ; there being two fuch in the
later city, in one of which, though only 10 per cent was ever paid in,
they are laid to make a dividend on the whole nominal capital ; and
they are alio laid to lend money at i per cent per annum, proceeding
from the great calh they are entrufted with without intereft. After this
fecond fort of banks was the bank of England modelled, as were alfo
the two incorporated banks of Edinburgh.
Moft of th? former prmted propolals for public banks in England
feem to have had that of Amfterdam principally in view : but although
that famous bank be doubtlefs a noble and very ufeful one amongft a
people whole v/eakh confifts almcrft entirely of money, and what we
call perfonal eflates. it is at leatt doubtful whether one entirely on that
model would be fo fuitable for England. Be this as it may, it is cer-
tain that fundry men of good abilities had for feveral years paft employ-
ed then- thoughts oh a bank ncriy refembling that of Genoa, and part-
ly thofe alfo of our own private bankers, having circulating notes or
bills, but with more than all the conveniencies of thofe private ones,
and without the hazard of bankruptcies. It was alfo well judged, that,
A. D. 1 694. 65 7
in order to bring down the high rates of interefl and premiums at this
time paid by the government, (which was big with mifchief to com-
merce, by inducing men to draw their money out of trade), it would
be requifite to eftabhfh a pubhc transferable fund of interefl ; and that
the bank fhould alio be for the conveniency of dayly receipts and pay-
ments ; and fliould be conflituted a body-poUtic, with proper powers,
&c.
Mr. "William Paterfon, merchant, who had been much in fundry fo-
reign countries of Europe, had laboured this point ever fmce the year
1 69 1 with Michael Godfrey Efq. and others of the fame mind : and
as the government at this time was put to very confiderable difficulties
for railing the annual fupplies, in order to fupport an expenfive war
againft fo potent a foreign enemy, while the public meafures were at
the fame time clogged and diftreffed by a violently-dilTafFeded fadion
at home, who alleged, that banks could thrive nowhere but in a re-
public, and yet would at other times argue, that fuch a bank as was
propofed would make the king abfolute ; he hoped that the government
would therefor readily incorporate, with certain powers and privileges,
a number of well-affected gentlemen, who would advance a large fum^
by way of loan, for the public exigencies : yet, as he himfelf relates in
his ' Account of his tranfadions in relation to the bank of England and
* the orphans fund,' (1695, folio) he found it much more difficult to
get it confented to by the privy council, (the king being in Flanders)
in order to be brought into parliament, than he had at firft apprehend-
ed. The monied men alio oppoled it, left it fhould diminifh (as it cer-
tainly foon after did) their exorbitant gains from the public diftreiTes ;
for even 8 per cent on the land-tax, befides additional premiums, though
payable within the year, did not fatisfy them. Other anticipations of
the public revenues were much higher, the intereft, premiums, and dif-
counts thereon running up to 20, 30, and 40, per cent. And fad it was
to confider, that contracts for things fold to the government were made
on the foot of 40, 50, to 100 per cent above their current value, ac-
cording to the lame author, who was known to be well acquainted with
the ftate of things in thofe times.
At this time, Mr. Paterfon obferves, (in his ingenious book called the
Conferences on the pubUc debts, by the Wednefday's club in Friday
flreet) that fo great was the difficulty of railing the annual fupplies,
that the miniftry v.ere obliged to ftoop to folicitations to the London
common council for borrowing only one or two hundred thouland
pounds at a time, on the firft payments of the land-tax, as particular
common-councilmen did to the private inhabitants in their refpedive
wards, going from houfe to houfe for the loan of money.
The debates held long in the privy council, (Queen Mary prefent)
many being of opinion that a bank would not anfwer, as they were.
Vol. U. 4 O
65 S A, D. 1694.
only to have 8 per cent interefl on the Li, 200, 000 to be advanced by
the propofers of this bank. The diffaffeded were all againfl it, alleging
it would ingrofs the money, ftock, and riches, of the kingdom.
At laft, the parliament having pafTed an ad [5, 6 Gul. et Mar. c. 20]
for granting feveral rates and duties on tonnage of fhips, and on beer,
ale, and other liquors, for fecuring certain recompenfes, &c. to fuch
perfons as fhould voluntarily advance Li, 500,000, it was thereby enad-
cd, that their majefties might grant a commiffion. to take particular fub-
fcriptions for Li, 200,000, part of the faid Li, 500,000*, of any perfons,
natives or foreigners, whom their majeflies were empowered to incor-
porate, with a yearly allowance of Li 00,000, (viz. L96,ooo, or 8 per
cent, forintereft, till redeemed, and L4000 for charges of management.)
The corporation to have the name of T^be governor and company of the
hank of England. Their fund to be redeemable, upon a year's notice
after the ill of Augull 1705, and payment of the principal ; and then
the corporation to ceafe. The company were enabled to purchafe lands,
&c. unlimitedly, and to enjoy the other ufual powers of corporations :
their flock to be transferable. The corporation were not to borrow or
give fecurity under their common feal, by bill, bond, covenant, or
agreement; nor owe at any one time more than Li ,200,000, except
by future ads of parliament, upon funds to be agreed on in parliament.
And in cafe of their borrowing any greater fum than Li, 200 ,000 un-
der their common feal, then every private member, and their heirs, ex-
ecutors, and adminiflrators, are proportionably chargeable therewith, or
for the repayment thereof. This corporation mvift not employ or trade
with any of their flock, monies, or effeds, in buying or felling any
goods or merchandize whatever, on forfeiture of triple the value of
what is fo traded for. They may deal in bills of exchange, and in buy-
ing and felling bullion, gold, or lilver, and in felling any goods or mer-
chandize which {hall be pledged to them for money lent, and which
(hall not be redeemed at the time agreed on, or within three months
after ; and may alfo fell fuch goods as fliall be the produce of lands pur-
-chafed by the laid corporation. Provided always, that all bills obliga-
tory under the feal of the corporation may be aflignable by indorfe-
ment ; and fuch allignment fhall abfolutely vefl the property in the af-
fignees. Provifo, that if the governor, deputy-governor, diredorsf , ma-
nagers, or other members, of the corporation, io to be eftablifhed, fhall,
upon the account of the faid corporation, at any time purchafe any
crown-lands or revenues, or ihall advance to the crown any money by
way of loan or anticipation on any branch of the revenue, other than
on fuch branches on which a credit of loan is or fhall be granted by
* The miiiiftry would not ti\ift the whole money to this new fcheme. Jl.
f The name of dircdun now begins to come into ufe inllead of committees. A.
A. D. 1694. 659^
parliament, they fliall forfeit triple the value of money fo lent *. Pro-
vided, that no letters of fignet, privy feal, or great feal, of the crowni
fhall pardon or remit any fine or amerciament charged on this corpora-
tion on account of any fuit brought againft them ; but fuch fine (hall
be deducted out of their annual fund. The reft of this long ad relates
to annuities for one, two, or three, lives, for L^oo.ooo principal money ;
the refidue of the Li, 500,000 raifed by this ad to be granted by the
king. ( '
In confequence of this ad of parliament, the fubfcriptions for the
L 1,200, 000 were completed in ten days time, and L25 per cent paid
down. And the king's charter of incorporation was executed on the
27th of July 1 694 ; though it muft be here obferved, that the charter
was in fad little more than a piece of form, all the elTential powers,
privileges, &c. granted to the bank, being included in the ad of par-
liament, which has virtually been a leading one for the eredion of all
future great trading corporations ; whereby, agreeable to the ad of the
year 1689, for declaring the rights and liberties of the fubjeds, 8cc. the
crown is limited and rellrained from granting, by its fole authority,
new exclufive powers, privileges, &c. to any perfon or body-politic
whatever ; upon which ground it is, that all corporations, ereded folely
by the crown, without the fandion of parliament, (whether before or
fince the date of that famous ad) which claim any exclufive rights by
their charters, have, upon proper and pubHc inquiry, been determined
to be fo far illegal.
We may here alio farther remark, that this is the firfi; infi:ance of
any national fund being managed by any other than the crown officers
at the exchequer. This new method of allowing a round fum for "
charges of management has been ever fince followed, not only with re- •
fped to the bank, but alfo to the Eafii-India and South-fea companies:
The allowances for the expenfe of management (i. e. for ialaries of go-
x'ernors, diredors, clerks, office-rent, &c.) were at firfi; ufually comput-
ed from what fuch funds had formerly coft the crown when managed
at the exchequer ; though in later times, I conceive, moftly with Ibme
faving to the public in this new method.
The eredion of this famous bank (fays its projedor Mr. Paterfon^
who was chofen one of its firfi diredors) not only relieved the minifier-
ial managers from their frequent procefilons, as he terms them, into
the city, for borrowing money on the befl: and neareft public fecurities,
at an intereft of 10 or 12 per cent per annum, but likewife gave life
and currency to double or triple the v:due of its capital in other branches
of public credit ; and fo, under God, became the principal means of the
fuccefs of the campaign in the following year 1695,, as particularly in
* Thisclaufe feems intended to guard againft fuch a difafter as Chailes H brought upon the com»-
inercial interefts of the country by (hutting up the exchequer in the year 1672. uf.
aO 2
e^a
A. D. 1694.
reducing the Important fortrefs of Namur, the firfl material flap to-
wards the peace concluded at Ryfwick in the year 1697.
Mr. Godfrey, in his judicious Brief account of the intended bank of
England, (1694) wifely foretold, ' that if the bank can circulate their
* foundation of Lr, 200, 000, without having more than L300, 000 ly-
* ing dead at one time with another, the faid bank will be in efFed as
' L900,ooo frefli money brought into the nation. Tlius' (continues
he) ' it will inake money plentiful, trade eafy and fecure ; will raife
* the price of lands, will draw the fpecies of gold and filver into the
' hands of the common people, as we fee it in Holland, Genoa, and
' other places, where thefe funds are accommodated to receipts and
* payments. But after all,' (fays he) ' the happy effedls of this under-
' taking, like almofl all other great things in trade, will be bed under-
' flood by the pradlice thereof, when time fhall convince the ignorant,*
&c. And as this has adually happened as that able gentleman foretold,
we fhall not need to fay more in this place on the great benefits of this
bank.
The charter direds, that there be a governor, deputy-governor, and
twenty-four diredors *, of whom thirteen or more fliall conftitute a
court, the governor or deputy-governor to be always one. L500 flock
to be the lowefl qualifications for a vote in general courts ; and no pro-
prietor, how much foever his flock may be, to have more than one
vote. The governor's qualification flock to be at leafl L4000, the de-
puty-governor's L3000, and each diredor's L2000 ; and all thefe fhall
be natural-born fubjeds, or naturalized. LefTening their qualification
flock vacates their offices, which fhall be only annual. They fhall take
the flate oath, and alio the oath of office, and the oath of flock-quali-
fication. Voters alfo in general courts fliall take the qualification oath
and flate oath. No dividend to be made but by confent of a general
court, and only out of the interefl, profit, or produce, arifing by fuch
dealing, buying, and felling, as the ad of parliament allows. General
courts may make bye laws, &c. agreeable to the ad of parliament and
* The names of the fit ft direflois of this great
and opulent corporation ought not to be omitted
in a hiftory of commerce. They were.
Sir John Houblon, governor,
Michael Godfrey, Elq. deputy-governor.
D'lreBors.
Sir John Hufband,
Sir James Houblon,
Sir William Gore,
Sir William Scawen,
Sir Henty Furnefe,
Sir Thomas Abncy,
Sir William Hedges,
Brook Bridges,
James Bateman,
George Boddington,
Edward Gierke,
James Denew,
Thomas Goddard,
Abraham Houblon,
Gilbert Heathcote,
Theodore Janfen,
John Lordill,
Samuel Lethieullier,
William Paterfon,
Robert Raworth,
John Smith,
Obadiali Sedgwick,
Nathaniel Tench, and
John Ward, Efquires.
M,
A. D. 1694. 661
the general laws of the kingdom ; may impofe fines on dehnquents ;
may appoint falarics to governors, directors, &c. Stock to be devifeable
by will, to be attefted by three or more witnefTes *. Laflly, neither
the governor, nor the deputy-governor in his abfence, fhall have any
vote, either in general courts or in courts of diredlors, fave where there
fhall appear to be an equality or equal number of votes.
It is evident from the a6t of parliament and charter, that this bank
is empowered to lend money on pledges ; yet the corporation has as yet
made little or no ufe of that power, although in the London gazette
of the 6th of May 1695 is the following advertifement, viz. ' The court
"* of directors of the bank of England give notice, that they will lend
* money on plate, lead, tin, copper, fteel, and iron, at 4 per cent per
' annum.' They have hitherto contented themfelves with banking on-
ly, including therein the dealing in bullion, gold, and filver, difcount-
ing bills of exchange, advancing money to the public on the credit of
ads of parliament, and circulating their own fealed bills, which bore
intereft, (though fince laid afide) and their cafli-notes on demand, bear-
ing no intereft ; as alfo circulating exchequer bills for the government
on a ftated allowance. In all which this happy corporation has proved
extremely advantageous to the nation, and has prefeiwed its integrity,
and, as far as was poffible, its credit, even in very perilous times, down
to our own days, chiefly owing to their great care in eleding for their
governors and direftors only gentlemen of known abilities and integri-
ty, as well as of fortune.
Notwithftanding all the precautions ufed in the powers given by law
to the bank, it had many enem.ies to ftruggle againft. Even before
this year expired it was Iharply animadverted on in print as unfit to be
•continued. Some very ridiculous objections paffed down with many ;
as, that all national banks have hitherto been pecuUar to republics, this
being the firft of any in Europe eredted in a monarchy ; that its ma-
nagers and chief fubfcribers were incUnable to republican principles ;
that it may fubvert the regal government, by getting the public mo-
ney, &c. into their hands ; that it draws the money out of trade for the
fake of 8 per cent intereft ; that it deftroys perfonal credit, on which
young merchants were wont to be fupported in their commerce, &c.
On the 28th of September 1694 the Englifti Eaft-India company had
a fecond charter of regulations, which, after reciting the fubftance of
the two preceding charters, made the following alterations and explana-
tions, (inter alia) viz.
I) The company may licence their own commanders and mariners,
but no others, to trade on their own private account in fuch commo-
* This was altered by an aft of the 8th and 9th of King William, which made bank ftock a per-
ibnal eftatc, and to defccnd accordingly. A-
1
662 A. D. 1694,
dlties, and to fuch value, as a general court {hall direct, provided entry-
be firft duely made, as well as cuftom paid, before landing the fame.
II) To the intent that the company's annual exportation to India of
the value of L 100,000 of Englifh goods may truely be proved, a juft
account thereof in writing, figned by the governor or deputy, fhall be
annually laid before the king and council, attefted on the oaths of the
proper officers ; which goods fhall not be relanded, nor carried any-
where out of the company's limits.
III) Neither the governor, deputy, nor committee, fhall lend out the
company's money, without the authority of a general court, &c.
IV) If this and the two lafl charters fhall not appear to be profitable
to the crown and realm, either in whole or in part, then, after three
years warning, all the three charters fliall be determined and void, and
the governor and company fhall no longer continue a corporation,
Laflly, ■
V) This company (hall, by a writing under their common feal, de-
clare their acceptance of, and fubmiflion to, this and the faid two lafl
charters^ or elfe they fhall no longer ad as a corporation.
We may here juft briefly note a temporary law for encouraging the
building, of good and defenfible fhips, which grants one tenth part of
the tonnage and poundage duty to the builders of three-decked fhips,
of at leaft 450 tons burden and 32 guns, for ten years to come, to be
allowed only on their firft three voyages. [5, 6 Gul. et Ma?: c. 24.]
This year the Dutch took from the French the fortrefs of PondL-
cherry on the coaft of Coromandel, whereby (as Voltaire in his Age of
Louis XIV obferves) the commerce of France declined very much in
India. Yet Louis obliged the Dutch, at the peace of Ryfwick in 1697,
to reftore Pondicherry to the French company ; and it was thereupon
better fortified by that company. They have alfo fince then greatly
increafed their commerce to India, as both the Englifli and Dutch com-
;panies know to their coil, .
By the new fubfcription of L744,ooo which added 781 members to
the Englifii Eaft-India company, it might have been imagined, that they
had now effedually fectn-ed themfelves againft the future attacks of op-
ponents. But as this company had expended vaft fums of money to
courtiers, members of parliament, and others, as well for obtaining the
laft three charters, as in endeavouring to divide and buy off the inter-
lopers ; and more efpecially in endeavouring to obtain an a6l of parlia-
ment for their abfolute legal eftablifhment, their enemies found means
to influence the houfe of commons fo far againft them, as to enter upon
a ftria examination of their pradices. In the courfe of the inquiry
they difcovered, that in the year 1693 alone, whilft Sir Thomas Cooke was
governor, and Francis Tyflen, Efq. deputy governor, upwards of L8o,ooo
were expended for fecret fervices by the former, and by Sir Bafil Fire-
A. D. 1694. ' 66^
brafs, (lately brought off* from the interloping intereft) which two laft-
named gentlemen, refufing to difcover to whom the laid fecret-fervice
money was given, were, together with Mr. Charles Bates and Mr. James
Craggs, committed to the tower of London by the houfe of commons
in the year 1695. And although, in obedience to an ad of parliament
of this year, Sir Thomas Cooke made a difcovery of many things to both
houfes of parliament, yet it did not give entire fatisfadion, as may be
more fully feen in a printed coUedion and fupplement of the debates
and proceedings of parliament of the years 1694 and 1695, upon the
inquiries into the late briberies and Corrupt pradices, (quarto, 1 695) con-
cerning which we fhalljuft obierve, that fundry fmifter arts at that time
ufed, were afterward pradifed on a limilar occafion in the famous year
1720: fuch, for inftance, as Sir Bafil Firebrafs's contrading with the
Eafl-India company to put (i. e. to oblige that company to receive of
him) L6o,ooo India (lock at 150 per cent, when the charter fhould be
granted, although their flock was then only at 100 per cent: whereupon
the company paid him the difference, being L30,ooo ; the difpofal of
which laft fum Sir Bafil Firebrafs could never be brought to difcover.
Great fums were alfo laid out for the refufal of flock at certain prices
on the fame fuppofition. Refufal of flock was a contrad for having the
option of demanding flock at a fixed price ; as the put of flock was a
contrad by which, for a premium paid down, the contrador obliged
himfelf to take a fixed quantity of a flock, at a future time, for a fixed
and higher price therein fpecified. Thefe new-fangled or cant terms
were firfl; brought into ufe by this company ; and in this way of flock-
jobbing dayly bargains were made for many fucceeding years, fo as to
be fince reduced into a kind of fcience ; but mofl eminently in the fa-
mous year 1720, and fome years after, till all fuch time-contrads and
bargains for flocks were made penal by ad of parliament. Great fums
were alio laid out by the managers to anfwer the company's contrads
for fale of flock, &c. The houfe of commons had alio impeached the
duke of Leeds, then lord prefident of the council, on the laid account ;
but the prorogation of the parliament put an end to it. Some years
after all this buille was over. Sir Thomas Cooke had Li 2,000 beflowed
on him by the general court of this company, by way of compenfation
for his former fuiferings on their account.
This year the noble and magnificent hofpital at Greenwich, for the
reception of decayed failors ferving in the royal navy, was founded.
King William and Queen Mary had for fome time had this much at
heart; and they accordingly made a grant of the royal palace at Green-
wich, (a part of which, on the weft fide, had been begun to be rebuilt
for a royal palace by King Charles II) as alfo of a large adjoining fpace
of ground, for this end. King William, after Queen Mary's death, on
the 25th of Odober 1695 appointed by patent a number of commif-
664 A. D. 1695.
fioners for diredingthe building and endowing of the intended hofpital,
and granted a large fum out of his civil lift for that end ; and his royal-
fcuceffors were alfo confiderable benefa<Sors to it. At length annual fums
were granted by parliament for finifliing this truely magnificent orna-
ment and glory of Great Britain, which was fully completed in the reign
of his late majefty King George 11.
In the fecond edition of Gibfon's Continuation of Camden's Britannia,
we have an authentic view of the vaft increafe of the royal navy of
England, exhibited in this year 1695, by Samuel Pepys Efq. viz.
In Camden's time, anno 1607. At this time, anno 1695.
Number of fhips and vef-
fels from fifty tons and
upwards - but —40 {hips, now above 200 fliips.
The general tonnage of
the whole - was under 23,600 tons, nowaboveii2,400tons
The number of men re-
quired for manning the
fame - - was under 7,800 men, nowabove45,ooomen.
The medium of its annual
charge during the hft
5 years of peace, under Li 5, 500 above L400,ooo
Ditto of war, - under 96,400 above 1,620,000
In this remarkable year, the parliament, gentry, and merchants, of
Scotland made a very great effort, perhaps one of the greateft that had
ever been eflayed at one time by any European nation in their very
firft attempt, for eftablifliing a colony of their own people in America;,
and, at the fame time, a company for commerce to Africa and Eaft-
India: which, however, proved ultimately very fatal to Scotland. It was
faid to have been underhand fet on and encouraged by the interlopers
in the Englifh Eaft-Tndia trade ; who, finding that both king and par-
liament inclined to favour the company, flattered themfelves with hopes,,
that, by thus encouraging the Scottilb defign, they might obtain their
own particular ends.
Be that as it may, it is certain, that the Scots had long lamented their
being almoft the only maritime nation in Europe, without the Medi-
terranean and Baltic feas, who had no colony nor fettlement out of
Europe. This point was more efpecially in their thoughts fince the re-
ftoration of King Charles II •, but the violent meafures of the two royal
brothers prevented that harmony, which was neceilliry to reconcile
people of oppofite parties in fo great a national concern. Upon King
William's acceflion they began to think more ferioufly about fuch mer-
cantile fchcmes in Scotland; and in the year 1693 their parliament paffed
' A. D. 1695. - 665
an ad for encouraging foreign trade, by empowering merchants to enter
into commercial focieties : more efpccially for trading to Afia, Africa,
and America. And that ad paved the way for another in tliis year,
and for a royal charter in confequence of it, incorporating a company
to trade to thofe parts. It had been framed by Mr. William Paterfon *,
the projedor of the bank of England, and of the new orphans fund, who
propofed a place in the country called Daricn, very near the ifthmus
which joins North and South America, uninhabited by any European
people, for a Scottifli colony ; and to have another fettlement oppofite
to it, on the South fea near Panama ; whereby a great trade might be
carried on both to the Eaft and Weft Indies. The fubftance of the
Scottifh ad of parliament and charter was,
I) That a number of perfons of quality, and of eminent merchants,
&c. and their fuccellbrs, fliall conftitute a company for a trade to Afia,
Africa, and America ; to be called T^he company of Scotland trading to
Ajrica mid the Indies.
II) Half its capital flock, at leafl, fliall always belong to native Scots,
always refiding in Scotland ; the reft to Scots in foreign parts, and to
foreigners.
III) The quaUfications of members.
IV) The company's power to purchafe lands, &c.
V) And to levy forces and lit out lliips, for war as well as commerce,
and that they may plant colonies and ered forts anywhere not being the
property of any European ftate, &c. provided, that all their fhips Ihall
return diredly to Scotland with their cargoes.
VI, VII, VIII) The trade to Afia and Africa to be for ever exclufive
of all but the company ; but to Darien only for thirty-one years, to
hold their lands of the crown in fovereignty. And if any damage he done
to the company, the king promifcs to interpofe at the public charge, for jnflice
and rejlitution.
IX) Ships and merchandize to be free from all reftraints and prohi-
bitions ; as alfo from all cufioms and taxes for twenty-one years, as fhali
alfo the company's members, fcrvants, &c.
No fooner was the company ereded, than Mr. Paterfon and his friends
iu England had influence to get L300,ooo fl:erling fubfcribed in nine
days. Soon after L300,ooo more was fubfcribed in Scotland, the whole
capital being at firft defigned to be but L6oo,ooo fterling. But, fear-
ing that the Englifli fubicribers would foon be obliged to withdraw
their fubfcriptions, Mr. Paterfon and his aflx)ciates went to Amfterdam,
where they at firft met with encouragement : but the magiftraies loon
* Mr. Pateifon had lived fome veais in America, niid jniblic ferviccs, tliat tlic Britidi lioufe of c()m»
and in other foreign Countries, and had entered mons in tlie year 1713 voted Li8,24i: 10:10
deeply into fpeculations relating to commerce and to be paid to him on account of his loiTcs in this
colonies. He was fo much regarded for his merit unfucceliful projeft. j^.
Vol. II. .4, P
666 A. D. 1695.
fufpeding the prejudice this new company might do to their Eaft and
Weft India companies, entirely fruftrated their fubfcriptions there. So
their next attempt was at Hamburgh, where they were cordially receiv-
ed, the citizens expreiling their forrow that there was room for no more
than L200,ooo fterling for them to fubfcribe. Thus far the company's
wiflies fucceeded ; and, as it was expeded, that in Scotland L20O,ooo
more would be fubfcribed to make the capital up to one miUion fterling,
they therefor haftened the building and purchafing fhips of great bur-
den at Hamburgh and Amfterdam, when fuddenly this fine projed was
overclouded, by the alarm taken by both the Englifh houfes of par-
liament, who in December 1695 very pathetically addrefTed the king
againft the great advantages which he had granted to this company :
' whereby fay they, a great part of the ftock and fliipping of England
' will be carried into Scotland, where there will be a free port for all
' Eaft-hidia commodities ;, and confequently, the feveral places of Eu-
' rope, till now fupplied from England, will from thence be furniflied
' much cheaper. The Eaft-India merchandize alfo will be run into
' England by the Scots, to the unfpeakable prejudice of England's trade
* and navigation, and of your majefty's cuftoms : and, if the Scots be
' fuffered to fettle plantations in America, our commerce in tobacco,
' fugar, cotton, fkins, mails, &c. will be utterly loft.' With much
more to the fame elFed:.
King William's firft anfwer was, that he had been ill ferved in Scot-
land ; but neverthelefs he hoped that remedies might be found out to
prevent the mifchiefs fuggefted.
The houfe of commons alfo inquiring into the fubfcriptions made in
England, the managers thereof difappcared, and two of them were im-
peached by that houfe. The firft fubfcription money was therefor re-
paid to the fubfcribers, whereby L3CO,oco was at once cut off from the
nev. company's capital. It was alfo apprehended, that, fliould this com-
pany fucceed, the Scots would in time become fo powerful as to be able
to feparate themfelves altogether from England, v.-hich would be attend-
ed with very tatal confequences. It is therefor not at all to be won
dered at, that the Englifh miniftry and council, as well as the parlia
mcnt, fo ftrongly urged the king to crufli this company in its infancy.
For which end, Sir Paul Rycaut, the Englifti minifter at Hamburgh,
earneftly remonftrated to that opulent city againft permitting the depu
ties of the Scottilli company to keep an open office for fubfcriptions
there, as having no authority for it from King William. Yet the trad-
ers at Hamburgh, being very fond of the fcheme, efteemed it a great
hardfliip to be prevented from fubfcribing. They were however forced,
with much regret, to relinquifli their fubfcriptions ; whereby L200,ooo
more was cut off from the company's capital, after it had coft L30,ooo
in obtaining it. The council-general and the court of diredors of the
A. D. i^>95. 667
Scottifh company in vain applied to the king, and they got addrefles to
him from all parts of Scotland, for obtaining the iltting of their parlia-
ment: and, notwithihmding all thefe difappointraents at London, Am-
fterdam, and Hamburgh, they took an additional fubfcription at home
of Lioo,coo, which made their entire capital in Scotland L400,oco
fterling: and (that we may dilpatch this matter entirely, now we are
upon it) having, as they imagined, well weighed all the treaties with
Spain, they ftrongly infifted, that the cotmtry of Darien, in which they
determined to plant, was never planted nor fettled by Spain ; but was
always under the independent government of its own Indian chiefs, who
have, for the moil part, remained in a ftate of enmity with the Span-
iards. Wherefor, with five ftout iliips and i ,200 men, and all kinds
of implements for war and commerce, they failed thither in the year
1698, with many brave and experienced men, who had ferved in the
late war, and were difmifled at the peace of Ryfwick. The fame year
they landed in Darien, and immediately ereded a fort, and formed a
plantation on a point of land, within which, about a league from Golden
ifland, they found a fafe and capacious harbour, calling their tirft fort
St. Andrew, and their new town there New Edinburgh. Recruits of
two fliips and 300 men at one time, and of four fhips and 1,300 men
at another time, with flores, &c. were fent after them ; all which, and
feveral other (hips with fupplies, came for the greatefl part to unforefeen
misfortunes in their way to Darien, which they had now named Cale-
donia. There were exceeding great rejoicings all-over Scotland on the
news of their landing : for, as they pompoufly, axid truely, termed this
fettlement the height of the world, as lying between the fpacious North
and South feas, their views were at firfl very towering. By the propofed
fettlements on each fliore of the ifthmus, they flattered themfelves they
fliould be beforehand with all the trading nations of Europe ; firft,
by fupplying Peru and Mexico with whatever they wanted from Eu«-
rope, and, in return, fupplying Europe with the treafure and other pro-
du(fl; of thofe two rich empires ; fecondly, it being about lix weeks fail-
iiig from their intended port on the South fea to Japan and to ibme
parts of China, and as there is but a fmail land carriage of a few leagues
over that iflhmus, they computed, that in four or five months time
they could bring the riches of Japan and China into Europe, and there-
by greatly underiell all the other Ealt-lndia companies of Europe. They
were not aware, that thefe flattering confiderations were lb many un-
doubted bars to their fuccefs, and that it would be the evident intereft
of all the commercial nations of Europe to frufl;rate their whole
alluring plan. Beiidcs all thefe romantic Ichemes, and their projected
trade to the fouth and fouth-eaft coafts of Africa, they had farther in view
the production of cochineal, fugar, mdigo, tobacco, and many other
undoubtedly feafible things, in tneir own colony of Caledonia ; and m-
4 P 2
668 A. D. 1695.
deed, it muft needs be owned, that, fuppofing all Europe but them-
felves to be flift afleep, the very advantageous fuuation of their colony,
together Vvith the national bottom, and fiill large capital of their com-
pany, feemingly promifcd, fooner or later, the acconiplifliment of moll
of the great things they had in view. But they ought certainly to have
expecftcd oppoiition, from almoft every quarter, to every part of this
fine-fpun fcheme : for, befides the general interefl: of England, confider-
ed by all men to be in imminent danger from this fcheme, King
Charles II of Spain was then our ally, and his minifter at London pre-
fented a very fharp memorial to King William againft the Daricn fettle-
nient, which he termed ' an infult of the Scots, in attempting to fettle
* themfelves in the very heart of the Spanifli dominions in America ;
' and which his mafter therefor looked upon as a rupture of the alli-
' ance between the two crowns.' To this theScottifh companyrepliedwith
great labour and learning, and exhaufted all the civil-law arguments,
touching the nature of the pofleiTion of countries ; urging, that they
had at leaf!: as good a right to fettle in Darien as the French had to
fettle on Hifpaniola and on the Millifippi, or the Dutch at Surinam,
Sec. all which had been efteemed parts of the Spanifli dominions in
America, and were generally furrounded with Spanifh colonies ; with
much more to this fame purpofe. The Dutch likewife were extremely
jealous of this Scottifli fettlement, as what might greatly fpoil their con-
traband trade from Cura^oa, &c. to the Spanifli American coafl:s ; and
might in time alfo prove very detrimental to their Eafl:-India com-
pany. Lattly, the French were no lefs jealous of this company, on the
fcore of their Wefl:-India commerce, which at this time begrai to be
confiderable. They therefor excited the king of Spain's refentment,
and modeftly hinted their readinefs to aflifl: him in driving the Scots
out of Darien, at the very time (anno 1698) they were jufl: beginning
a French colony in the bay of Mexico, at the entrance into the great
river Milhtippi, always efl:eemed a part of Spanifli Florida; and were
likewife extending their late pofl^eilion of the wefl: end of Hifpaniola,
always, from Columbus's days till very lately, pofleflTed by Spain. Thus
was King William teazed and prefled on every fide, for the lupprellion
of this new company, and was therefor neceflltated to comply with
the urgent defires of his parliament and people of England ; of the
Dutch, whofe ftadtholder he then was ; and of his other allies; to fend
inftrudions, in January 1698-9, to the governors of all the Englifli
American colonies, fl;ridly to prohibit all correfpondence with the Scots
in Darien. For it feems the colonies of New- England and New-York
were thought to have a warm fide toward the Scottiih colony, and would
gladly have fupplied them with neceflaries, as their fuccefs would have
opened a new and large market for their fiih, corn, pork, beef, butter,
8cc. Proclamations, therefor, in the fpring of 1 699, were publiflied ia
A. D. 1695,- 66^
all the Englifli colonics, ftrictly prohibiting, under the feverefl penalties,
their holding any correfpondencc witli, or giving any afllflance to, the
Scots at Darien. The news of this proclamation, and of the temper of
the Englifh parliament and people, thunderftruck the colony, who had
before that time received fupplies both from Jamaica and New- York,
and till now depended on the continuance thereof, until their own from
Scotland fliould arrive : of which now defpairing, and being alfo denied
any from Jamaica, whither they had fent for a frefli fupply, they were
neceflltated to abandon their fettlement on the 20th of June 1699, which
they had bravely defended againft troops of Spaniards who had attacked
it ; and, being now ftarved out of it, it is generally aflerted, that, out of
fo many flout men who went thither, fcarce one hundred ever got back
to Scotland, where this fad difafter greatly inflamed the parliament and
people againft their neighbours of England. The company petitioned
the king for redrels, while they were endeavouring to repollefs their
colony, by fending out fliips with men and flores, when, to their far-
ther forrow, a fecond fet of proclamations, in the later end of the year
1699, came out in all the Englifh colonies againft the Scots : fome of
whole fhips, driven thither in diftrefs, were denied any necefTaries ; one
of them, with a valuable cargo, being driven under the walls of Cartha-
gena, was feized by the Spaniards, who from that place had now block-
ed up the remains of the Scottifh fettlement both by lea and land, and
forced the few people left therein to furrender. King William anlwer-
ed the company's petition with a condolement for their lofles, and with
a general declaration of being always ready to prote(fl and encourage
the commerce of Scotland. But the king's anfwer to the lords addrefs
feemed now the only proper expedient, ' for healing the rancour of the
* minds of both nations, by uniting them more completely ; that, after
' they had lived near one hundred years under the fame head, they
' might at length become one people ; which he therefor earneftly re-
' commended to their conlideration.' ^^^hereupon the lords palled a
bill for an union ; which, however, the commons at that time rejeded.
This laft effort of Scotland was fo confiderable, and carried in it fo many
inftrudive hints relative to commerce and plantations, that we thought
it well merited this fummary account of it.
The Scots were more fuccefsful in their firft bank, ereded this year, un-
der the fandion of an ad of their parliament, by the name of the Governor
and company of the bank of Scotland. And though its capital flock was
only Li, 200,000 Scots, or Li 00,000 fterling, which in England has but
a mean found for a national bank, it has, neverthelefs, proved very ad-
vantageous to the comn>:^rce of that country. It was projeded by INIr.
William Paterfon, who projeded the bank of England. Mr. John Law,
who afterwards made fo great a figure at the head of the finances of
France, and who may be prefumed to have been well acquainted with
670 A. D. 1695.
this bank, In his treatife of money and trade confidered, aflerts, ' that
' its notes went for four or five times the value of the cafli in bank ;
' and, that fo much as the amount of thofe notes exceeded the cafh in
' bank, was a clear addition to the money of that nation.' He adds,
* that this bank was fafer than that of England, becaufe the lands of
' Scotland, on the fecurity of which mod of the cafh of that bank was
' lent, are under a regifter ; that, moreover, it was more national or ge-
' neral than either the bank of England, or that of Amfterdam, becaufe
' its notes * pafs in mofl payments throughout the whole coimtry ;
* whereas the bank of Amfterdam ferves only for that one city, and
' that of England is of little ufe but in London f.' The Scottifli bank
foon rofe to very great credit : yet it was once obliged to flop payment,
partly occafioned, foys Law, by a greater coniumption of foreign wares
than the value of the goods exported, partly from the expenfe of the
Scottifh nobility and gentry in England, and partly, alfo, from a fup-
pofed intention in the ScottiOi privy council to raife the denomination
of the coin, all which, together, occafioned fo great a run on that bank,
that its cafh was in a few days exhaufted ; but it foon regained its ori-
ginal credit, and might pofhbly have remained the fole bank there to
this day, had not the directors been thought to have teftified too great
a bias towards difaffedion to the flate. This occafioned a confideration
by fome noble patriots in the reign of King George I, whether another
bank might not be ereded at Edinburgh, for the conveniency of the
government, as w^ell as of trade in general, into which bank the public
revenues of Scotland might be paid. It was accordingly incorporated
by that king's charter, in the year 1727, by the name of the royal
bank, and has fully anfwered the ends propofed by it, its capital being
Li 51,000 fterling. And though it may have pretty much eclipfed the
elder bank, they, however, both fubfift very well, and are extremely
ufeful to the country.
The million bank was one of the many projeds Itarted about this
time ; and it has preferved its credit to our own times. It took its rife
from a fet of London bankers, who lent out money on pledges. They
afterwards agreed to purchafe tickets in partnerfliip in King William's
million lottery in the year 1695, and from thence they were called
the company of the million bank. Next, they purchafed many rever-
fions of the 14 per cent annuities, and admitted many proprietors of
annuities to purchafe their joint flock, which amounted, and ftiU
amounts, to L50o,ooo. They are no company by charter, but only a
partnerfhip by deed, enrolled in chancery prior to the ad of parliament
* Many of tlie notes are fo low as twenty (liill- -f In the beginning of Queen Anne's reign,
ings llerling. y^. when Mr. Law wrote, this aflertion miglit be true-;
Mr. A. did not expe'ft that the bank of England but now the bank of England is of great ufe all-
was cvtr to defcend tg twenty (hilling notes. 71/. over the country. ^.
A. D. i%5. ^ ' 671
againft fucli unincorporated partnerfliips, pafTed in the year 1 72 1 . They
divided 5 per cent yearly to their proprietors until lady-day 1728,
when they reduced their annual dividend to 4 per cent.
In thefe times a great number of new projeds were fet on foot in
London, many of which were at bottom good for nothing, and drew in
numbers of people to their ruin. Some of them flarted up with the
bank of England in the preceding year, others in this year 1695.
Such as, I) Two land banks; the one projeded by Dr. Chamberlain,
a famous man-midwife, (of which more by and bye) the other by one
John Brifcoe.
II) A project for circulating notes of hand, and bills of credit.
III) Another, called the London bank, propofed to be managed by
the magiflrates of that city.
IV) Lotteries ; many private ones all over the kingdom ; fome for
money, and fome for merchandize : the laft kind the greater cheat of
the two, for thereby old and decayed merchandize of many forts were
put off by means of thofe roguifh lotteries.
V) Many metallic and mineral projeds, for gold, lllver, copper, tin,
iron, lead, lapis calaminaris, for turning copper into brafs, antimony,
coals, fait, &c.
VI) Diving engines of various kinds, all come out fmce the taking
up of the treafure out of the fea in the Weft- Indies, called the duke of
Albemarle's Spanifh wreck, or Sir William Phipp's, which fet men's
heads at work ; and royal patents were obtained for the fole fifliing for
fuch wrecks in the American feas, and on the coafts of Scotland, Ire-
land, Spain, Portugal &c. Thefe wreck projeds made much noife at this
time ; and lliares for them were prefented to perfons of diftindion, to
give reputation to the affair, and to draw in others. Expeditions were
made on thefe accounts to fundry fea-coafts : by which, however, no-
thing was taken up but a few cannon, &c. So the patentees were lure
to be gainers, but the fharers under them loft all they paid in : fome of
whom, however, it feems, were men of good underftanding, but
were allured with the hopes of getting vaft fudden v/ealth without
trouble.
VII) Projeds for pearl fifhing, for hollow fword blades, glafs bottles,^
japanning, printed hangings, leather, Venetian metal, &c. Some of
which were very ufeful and fuccefsful, whilft they continued in a few
hands, till they fell into ftock-jobbing, now much introduced, when
they dwindled to nothing. Others of them were mere whims, of little
or no fervice to the world. A'lany of them, too, though pretended to
be new, were either old Englifh projeds revived, or elfe were, on this
occafion, borrowed from uniuccefsful ones in foreign nations.
Moreover, projeds, as ufual, begat projeds. Lottery upon lottery,
engine upon engine, 8cc. multiplied wonderfully. If it happened that
672 A, D. 1695.
any one perfon got confiderably by an happy and ufeful invention, ilie
confequence generally was, that others followed the track, in fpite of
the patent, and publifhed printed propofals, filling the dayly newfpapers
therewith, thus going on to jullle out one another, and to abufe the
credulity of the people. All thefe, and much more, we have abridged
from a quarto pamphlet, publiflied by an anonymous author (who ftiles
himfelf a perfon of honour) under the title of Anglise Tutamen, or the
Safety of England, being an account of the banks, lotteries, diving,
draining, metallic, fait, linen, and lifting, and fundry other engines, and
many other pernicious projeds now on foot, tending to the deflrudion
of trade and commerce, and the impoverilhing of this realm. London,
1-695.
VIII) Embryo banks, continues this author, begotten, but not
brought forth ; fundry of fuch being at this time hatching.
IX) The projedors of many of thefe made a great noife in the town,
for drawing in people to join with them, making ufe of fundry tricks
and flratagems. As, firft, they pretend a mighty vein of gold, filver,
or copper, to have been difcovered in a piece of ground of their know-
lege ; then they agree with the lord, or patentee, for a fmall yearly
rent, or a part referved to him, to grant them a leafe for twenty-one
years to dig that ground, which they immediately fall to, and give out,
it is a very rich mine. Next, they fettle a company, divide it ufually
into 400 fliares, and pretend to carry on the work for the benefit of all
the proprietors, who, at the beginning, purchafe ihares at a low rate,
viz. ten or twenty fliillings, &c. then all on a fudden they run up the
fhares to L3, L5, Lio, and L15 per fliare ; then they fail to ftock-job-
bing, which infallibly ruins all projects, when thofe originally and prin-
cipally concerned fell out their interefl: ; and by this and other under-
hand dealings, trickings, and fharping, on one another, the whole falls
to the ground, and is abandoned by every body.
X) The Englifli, Scottifii, and Irifli, linen manufadures met with all
due encouragement. King William and Queen Mary honouring them
with their names, which made their fame to rife : abundance of people
of condition came into them, fome from lucre, others for love to their
country. They got to be incorporated, chofe governors, &c. and adu-
ally fet to work fpinners, weavers, whitfters, &c. and all feemed to pro-
mife fair ; but here again flock-jobbing ruined all : they had even
brought linen cloth to great perfedion, having fome Dutch hands, and
a few heads to aflifi: them. By the afliftance of the Dutch, continues
our author, we have much improved our lands in the north parts of this
kingdom, by fowing vaft quantities of lint-feed, rape-feed, &c. whereof
making oils in great quantities, we export in abundance, and confume
at home, in lieu of foreign and dearer oils, to our double advantage.
XI) White, blue, and brown, paper, we have had the good fortune to
A. D. 1695. 673
Improve wonderfully • and although we cannot reach the French per-
fedlion, we come pretty near it *.
XII) Water companies, as the New River, Thames, of London bridge,
of Shadwell, and York buildings, Hampftead, Conduit, &c. Thefe deferv-
ed good encouragment ; and ib the firft, viz. the New River, has had,
to the vaft emolument of the proprietors, though the unhappy gentle-
man. Sir Hugh Middleton, who began the work, fufFered extremely in
his fortune. It feems, none of thefe had as yet fuffered ftock-jobbing
to prevail among them, excepting the Hampftead water, whereby this
author foretells ruin to it, (as has fince happened.) What helped to
bring mofl of them down was, their fetting up fo many agalnll each
other.
XIII) The rock-falt projecl: our author highly commends, on account
of the integrity and care of its managers, being a number of gentlemen
and traders. They have built a wharf at Frodfham in Chelhire, and
export great quantities of it to Ireland, Holland, and London.
XIV) The fakpetre company had a worfe f:ite. Great fums have
been paid in ; large refining houles have been built in four or five fe-
veral places about London ; focieties have been eftablifhed, and a mighty
noife made for a time ; perfons of loud-founding name and quality
have appeared at the head of them ; and abundance of gentlemen and
traders concerned, all things being feemingly difpofed in a good me-
thod. Yet of all thefe fakpetre companies, our author could hear of
none that made any great hand of it, excepting the firft projectors, who
always are gainers, and then, as ufual, they withdraw. Stock-jobbing
was brought in, and thereby, and by other mifmanagements, they fell
to nothing.
XV) Draining engines, of divers forts, have been lately made, to
clear mines of coal, lead, tin, &c. from waters, as well as for draining
flats, m.eers, inundations, fprings, &c. Thefe are profitable defigns for
the public, as the more land we gain the richer we are. The earth, al-
fo, of fuch land is generally rich, being much of it marl, the beft of
land ; and thefe projects have actually proved luccelsful, lays he, in
Cornwall and Devonfiiire.
(Here our author allures us, his intent is not to difcountenance any
really good and well-managed projects, but merely to expofe knavifli ones,
for the fervice of the public, by difcovering the private intrigues, plots,
and underhand dealings, of the principal projectors of this nation, no-
thing of this kind being ever attempted before.)
XVI) Luftrings, alamodes, hats, &c. in imitation of thofe of
France. Thofe companies, lays he, have thriven, and will continue fo
to do, whilft they keep ftock-jobbers from breaking in upon them.
* Almoft every kir.d of paper is now made in this country in the greateft perfeftiou. M.
Vol. n. ' 4Q
074 -^- ^- ^^95'
XVIl) Convex lights, and others of that kind, are ufeful inventions :
but other pretenders, befides the firfl, difcouraged this bufinefs ; and
London ftreets were not fo well Hghted as was to be wiOied for.
XVIIT) New fettlements in Carohna, Pennfylvania, Tobago, &c.
make a great noife in the world. The firft planters fared but ill, leav-
ing wafted their fubftance, without being able to reap the benefit, lay-
ing only a foundation for the next comer, who may fucceed better ;
yet here, he complains, that thofe plantations drain England of its peo-
ple, already too much exhaufted by the unnatural and imprudent per-
lecutions in the late reigns, and the long war in the prefent one.
XIX) Our royal, Greenland, Newfoundland, and other fifheries are
worthy of our care and application. The royal-fifliery company has
been long talked of, and fome fteps taken to make it fuccefsful ; but
ftill one ill accident or another has damped it : and it is now again fet
on foot.
The Greenland fifliery is like to flourifh, notwithftanding fome lolles
already fuftained *.
The reader needs not to be told how ufeful fuch remarks and notices
may prove to every one who is inquifitive, and may point out to all, the
the danger of being too credulous in rcfpeft of new projeds.
An ad of parliament [6, 7 Gul. Ill, c. 6] feems to have been injudi-
cioufly framed, in refpett to commerce and the propagation of people,
viz. the act for granting certain rates and duties upon marriages, births,
and burials, and upon bachelors and widowers, for the term of five
years ; more efpecially that part of it relating to marriages, births, and
burials ; and even the later part, relating to bachelors and widowers,
feemingly intended for the encouragement of virtuous propagation, was,
in fome refpeds judged obvloufly unreafonable ; wherefor, this law was
not revived at the end of the five years.
D'Avenant, in his Eflay on ways and means of fupplying the war,
publiQied this year, [p. 34] fays, it appeared from the books of hearth-
money, that there were not above 1,300,000 families in England ; and
allowing fix per'ons to a houfe, one with another, which is the moll
common way of computing, it is not quite eight millions of people. It
thereby alfo appears, that there were 500,000 of thofe families who
were poor, living in cottages, who contribute little to the public ex-
penfe.
In that fame ingenious work, \^p. 1 15] the author combats a vulgar opi-
nion, that the growth of London is pernicious to England, and that the
kingdom is like a rickety body, with a head too big for the other mem-
bers. To which he replies, ir; general, that fome people, who have thought
much on this fubjed, are mclined to believe, that the growth of that
* Here our author has failed in his remarks, which, however, arc generally jud. -<f.
A. D. I 695. 6y^
city is advantageous to the nation ; for the following reafons, viz. that
no empire was ever great, without having a great and populous city:
that the Romans drew all the conquered cities of Italy into Rome :
that the people of Attica were no better than a crew of rude herdimen,
and neither flouriflied in war nor in civil arts, till Thefeus perluadcd
them to inhabit Athens : that the greatnels of London will befl pr^--
ferve our conftitution ; becaufe, where there is a great and powerful
city, the prince will hardly enterprife upon the liberties of the people :
in the fame manner, a rich and powerful city feldom rebels upon vain
and flight occafions : that there is not an acre of land in the country,
be it ever fo diflant, that is not, in fome degree, bettered by the growth,
trade, and riches, of London. To which may be added, that the in-
creafe of London is not cafual or fortuitous ; but is an obvious and ne-
cefTary confequence of the gradual increafe of foreign commerce, navi-
gation, and manufadures, in London and the whole kingdom. To all
which may be farther added, that in a free commercial country, like
England, by fo vaft a capital city as London, whole inhabitants are fo
numerous and opulent, the public has often been more fpeedily and ef-
fedually relieved in great emergencies, than could otherwife have been
done : of which there are many inflances with regard to London : be-
•fide that, perhaps, five of her inhabitants do pay more towards excife,
cuftoms, and other taxes, than ten times as many can do fcattered up and
down in the country. A judicious reader will be able to find other rea-
fons in behalf of the increafe of London's being beneficial to the nation ;
fome of which we have, in another part of this work, borrowed from
Botero, and others *.
1696. — During the years 1694 and 1695, Dr. Hugh Chamberlain, fe-
nior, (an eminent man-midwife of London, already mentioned) publiflied
propofals for a land bank of current credit for lending money at a low
intereft, on land fecurity ; which was the principal difference between it
and the bank of England ; in oppofition to which corporation, now in
its infancy, ftruggling with many difficulties, this ill-judged project was
fet up.
It was principally encouraged by thofe of (what was then called) the
tory party, and by the earl of Sunderland, Mr. Harley, and Mr. Foley :■
Lord Sunderland's aim therein being to bring the tories into the king's
intereft ; although the bulk of the king's belt friends were againtl; it.
The anonymous author of Atiglicc tutamen^ obferves, that eftates to a
very great value in the feveral counties of England and Wales were fub-
fcribed to this projeft in a very fliort fpace ; a deed fettled ;_ a com-
pany formed ; and all things difpofed to put this wonderful projed into
execution. To raife lands to 30 years purchafe by reducing the inter-
* Mr. Anderfon does not fcem to think that a juoicious reader can find any reafons on the oppofite
fide of the queftion. M.
676 A. D. 1696.
eft of money to 3 per cent ; the profits to be divided amongft the Tub-
fcribers. But it is (fays he) fuch a hodge-podge and medley, a body
made up of fuch ft range members, fubtile, politic, and defigning men,
that the fair face it carries wins abundance to believe its defign to be
good ; thou'^h a little time will ftiew the truth. An ad of parliament
accordingly pafled for continuing the duties upon fait, glafs-vvares, ftone
and earthen wares ; and for granting feveral duties on tobacco-pipes,
and other earthen wares ; and for eftablifliing a national land bank ; alfo
for taking off the duties on tonnage of ftiips, (which was univerfally dif-
liked) and upon coals. [7, 8 Gid. Ill, c. 31.]
Upon the credit of thele duties it was thereby enaded, * that
L2, 564, 000, ftiould be paid into the exchequer : for which the con-
tributors were to have an annuity of 1.179,480, or 7 per cent;
fubfcriptions to be received of any perfons or corporations (the
bank of England excepted) on or before the 1 ft of Auguft 1 696 ;
and for all fuch voluntary fubfcriptions as fhould be made of land,
his majefty was empowered to incorporate the fubfcribers by the
name of the governor and company of the national land bank.
But in cafe the faid fum of L2, 564, 000, or a moiety thereof,
were not fubfcribed by the ift of Auguft 1696, then the corpo-
ration fliould not take place. This intended corporation ftiould an-
nually lend out L5oo,ooo at leaft, over and above what they fliould
lend to their own members, on land-fecurities, at an intereft, not ex-
ceeding 3y per cent if payable quarterly, or 4 per cent if payable
half-yearly, at the eledion of the owners of the lands, in cafe fuffi-
cient fecurities for the ilmie be tendered to them. The lands convey-
ed and entered in the company's books, fliould be aflignable from one
to another, (by way of transfer) or might be devifed by will, &c.'
Thefe, and fundry other regulations concerning this intended land bank,
may be feen at large in the ftatute : but as the fubfcriptions did not
take place within the time prefcribed by the aft, owing to the diflike of
the monied men, v/ho believed it to be ah impradicable fcheme, and
the fund alfo like to prove very defective, there was an end of this ro-
mantic land-bank ; whofe projedor, and his aflbciates, it feems, infifted
on L3oo,ooo for framing the above-named fupply. The government
was indeed, at this time, reduced to great diftrefs for raifing the neceflary
fupplies, owing to the very bad ftate of the filver coin, whereby guineas
ran up to thirty fliillings, and exchequer tallies were at 30 to 40 per cent
difcount ; and thereby the monied men could make greater advantage
than by fubfcribing to the propofed land bank, whofe undertakers, fail-
ing to make good their engagements, brought the pubUc into ftill great-
er diftrefs ; which however was, in fome meafure, remedied by the in-
vention, in this fame year, of exchequer bills. Chamberlain went after
this to Scotland, with a fcheme of fomething of the like nature ; but the
A. D. 1696. 677
Scottifh parliament did not relifli it, any more than one of a fimilar kind
propofed by the famous Law,
We are now come to a very diftrefsful part of the reign of King Wil-
liam, viz. the deplorable ftate of the filver coin ef England ; which
fome think began to appear towards the clofe of King Charles's, and
more evidently in King James IPs, i-eign ; but ftill more foon after the
acceflion of King William and Queen Mary, when the broad lilver
hammered money appeared to have been greatly damaged and leflened.
The firft law for redrefs of it, after that period, was in an a6t [4, 5 Gul.
et Mar. c. 14] for review of the quarterly poll, (long fince expired, and
therefor not in the printed flatute-book) which only enacted in fub-
ftance, that whoever fhould refufe to receive in payment any cracked
money of the current coin of the kingdom, fhould forfeit L5 for every
offence. But this law rather increafed than lelTened the evil.
By an ad intended to prevent counterfeiting and clipping the coin of
the kingdom, it appeared, ' that the filver coins had been greatly dimi-
' niflied by clipping, wafhing, grounding, filing, and melting ; and that
' many falfe and counterfeit coins had alfo been clipped for the better
' difguifmg thereof; whereby what remained undipped and undimi-
' niflied came to be deemed of much greater value in tale than the di-
' miniflied money ;' fo that mofl: of the hammered money was thereby
reduced to about half its jufl value, to the great difgrace of the nation,
and which brought the public fecurities, as tallies, &c. to 40 per cent
difcount. It was therefor enafted, that if any perfon fliall thenceforth
exchange, receive, or pay, any broad, undipped filver money for more
in value than the fame was coined for, he fhall forfeit Lio for every 20/"
thereof.
II) None fhall cafi; ingots or bars of filver, or mark them in imitation
of Spanifh bars, under the penalty of L500.
III) None fhall buy, fell, nor have in cuflody, any clippings or filings
of coin, under a like penalty.
IV) None fhall tranfport any melted filver till firfl: marked at gold-
fmiths-hall, and a certificate, upon oath, made by the owner, that the
fame is lawful filver, and that no part of it was (before it was melted)
the current coin of this kingdom, nor clippings therefrom, nor of plate
wrought within this realm.
V) None but goldfmiths and refiners fliall deal in buying or felling
filver bullion.
VI) When bullion is feized on fhip-board, and queftioned whether
EnglKh or foreign, the proof fliall lie upon the owners thereof, that the
fame was foreign. With a provifo, for the king to export a quantity of
700,000 ounces of bullion for paying his troops beyond fea. [6, 7 GuL
in,c. 17.]
But as thefe meafures could not anfwer the end propofed, and as-
678 A. D. 1696.
therefor the diminution of the old hammered money dayly increafed fo
far, that, it is faid, many fliillings fcarcely contained more than three-
pence in {liver, the condition of the nation became very alarming ;
which gave the greateft joy to the difaffeded at home, who hoped there-
by for a total overthrov/ of Khig William's government. The French
king alfo had great expectations from this calamity, fo far as to fay, that
King William would never be able to furmount the difficulty ; and his
being afterwards undeceived therein, as alio of his hopes from the dif-
affeded in England, of being able to reftore the abdicated king, have
been ufually alTigned as one main reafon for bringing him into the
peace of Ryfwick, in the year following.
The great queftion then in parliament, was, whether it was now ab-
folutely neceflitry to call in and recoin the old and diminifhed filver mo-
ney ? It was plaufibly laid by the anti-minifterial men, that calling it
all in would bring great diflrefs upon commerce, more efpecially in the
time of an expenfive war. Yet the miniflry, and particularly Mr. Mont-
ague, chancellor of the exchequer, argued, with greater reafon, that
the longer it remained unremedied, the more fatal it would prove, till by
farther diminilhing it, commerce would iuffer an entire ftagnation ; that
it had already done very great mifchief, by our exchange with foreign
Hates being brought fo much to our difadvantage, and by occafioning
fo much difficulty and difadvantage in raifmg the fupplies, for which
the government were forced to allow exorbitant premiums and interefl ; it
dayly more and more depreffed the market price of tallies, and other pub-
lic fecurities: and it had made guineas to be run up to thirty fliiUings, and
foreip^n gold in proportion, whereby much gold was run in upon us from
beyond Tea, to our great detriment, being over-loaded with gold, while
we had fo great a fcarcity of fiver : for, in return for guineas and foreign
gold, they carried away all our weighty filver coin, as well as our bul-
lion ; iiifomuch, that at length we fhould be in the utmoft difirefs for
fmalier fums, fo much wanted in dayly bufinefs. That though Qtieen
Elizabeth had coined no lefs than 114,632,93.-2 : ^ : 2j;, in filver, yet all
her crowns, half-crowns, groats, and quarter-lliillings, half-groats, three-
halfpenny pieces, three-farthing pieces, and haltpence, were wholely
funk ; and moft of her fliillings and fixpences were either melted down or
lofi:. That in the reign of King James I there was coined Li ,700,000 in
filver; and in that of King Charles I L8,7 76,544 : 10 : 3 in filver; yet
the crowns, groats, twopences, pence, and halfpence, of thole two reigns
were quite gone ; fo that there might not be now in being above one
third part of the filver coinage of all the above three reigns, or about
L5,036,492. To which adding the unmelted and undiminiflied
coins (L563,5o8) of King Charles II and James II, and thofe of the
prefent reign, all the filver money now in the kingdom might amount
to about L5,6oo,ooo, of which there were about four millions of clip-
A. D. 1696. 679
ped, and othcrwife diiriiniflied coin; and the other Li, 600, 000 were
flill pure money ; the juft weight of Lico of which was 32 lb. 5 oz. i pwt.
22 gr. But upon examination, and at a medium, the weight of Lioo
of our chpped money was found to be but 16 lb. 8 oz. 18 pwt. A
terrible ftate this of our coin, already diminifhed, being very near one
half, or two millions ! Yet the real lofs was afterwards found to be
L2, 200. coo fterling.
The parliament, therefor, having maturely confidered this mofl im-
portant matter, finally refolved to recoin the diminiflied filver money,
by calling it into the mint by tale, whereby our people had good new
filver coin returned to them from the mint.
Their next debate was, whether, as filver was now at 6/^ per ounce,
the new money {hould not have its flandard raifed, by calling a crown-
piece 6/2, and a fliilling 1/3, though of no greater quantity of filver
than before. Thofe, who argued and wrote for this enhancing method *,
alleged, that raifing the fiandard would prevent the exportation of our
coin, and would alio prevent its being melted down ; and that thereby
alfo, people would be the more induced to bring in their plate and bullion
to the mint.
On the other fide, it was more jufily argued, both in parliament, and
without doors in print, that the common confent of all civilized nations
had fixed filver at one and the fame price, or very near the fame price :
that the w^orth of it was relative : that the weight and finenefs, or the
quantity of pure filver, and not the bare denomination, were the only
rules which governed, not only foreign nations in their exchanges and
other dealings with us, but alio our own people in the home trade : fince
6/3 of the new coin, fo called, would purchrafe no more of any commodity,
nor go farther in paying bills of exchange than 5/ of our undipped prefent
coin would purchafe ; bec;iufe the later contained as much pure filver
as the former. That this was clear in the cafe of guineas, now at 30^,
all commodities being raifed in price, in proportion to the price of
guineas. That an ounce of filver was not, even at prefent, worth 6/3 of
good coin, but only of the diminiflied and clipped money ; fince one
ounce of filver could not be worth more than another ounce of like fine-
nefs ; and with 5/2 per ounce of the new-milled money, they could buy
as much bullion as they pleafed. That with refpecl to the argument,
that raifing the denomination would keep our filver at home, it is of no
weight ; fince nothing can keep or bring us money, but a balance of
trade in our favour : for if we take more goods from foreigners than
they take from us, the balance muft be paid to them in our money, or
in bullion, which is all one. That with particular regard to our home
concerns, there are many objections againfi; raifing the fi;andard. ift.
* Mr. Lovvndtfs, fccretary of the trcafury, and others.
^.
68o A. D. 1696.
All poor labourers, foldiers, and failors, would thereby be defrauded of
part of their jufl wages; as would alfo the creditors of part of their juft
debts ; as alfo the landlord of part of his rent ; or elfe great confuiion
and difpute would arife about thefe matters. All which, and fuch par-
ticulars, were mofl judicioufly and clearly demonflrated by the great
Locke, in his excellent treatife on coin, which then came forth in print,
in anfwer to Lowndes's report, containing an eflay for the amendment
of the lilver coins, to the ablblute filencing of the oppofite opinion. In
conclufion, it was finally refolved to recoin the filver money of the old
weight and finenefs ; and that the nation, colleftively confidered, fhould
bear the lofs. The great inconveniences of calling in all the diminiflied
money at once were alfo duely confidered, and obviated by calling it in
by degrees, and recoining it as quickly as pofllble ; to promote which,
by an adl, [7, 8 Giil 111, c 19] fixpence per ounce was allowed on all
wrought filver plate brought to the mint : and an acft was alfo pafl^ed,
[8 Gill. III^ c. 7] for encouraging the bringing in wrought plate to be
coined ; whereby the old ftandard of finenefs of filver, being 1 1 oz. 2 pwt.
was thenceforth altered to 1 1 oz. 10 pwt. fine, and i o pwt. allay *. Laftly,
the ule of filver plate (fpoons. excepted) was prohibited in public houfes,
then much ufed both in town and country ; infomuch that one alehoufe,
near the Royal exchange in London, had to the value of L5C0 in filver
tankards, &c.
Means were alfo ufed for reducing the price of guineas to near their
juft value in filver in foreign parts ; the parliament, with great judge-
ment, directing the manner of gradually lowering them, viz. from 30/"
to 29/", 28/i 2^/, and lafi;ly to 22/, whereby the leaft hurt was done to
private men. So, in about a year's time, or little more, our filver coins
came forth from the mint, the finefi: and mofi: beautiful of any in all
Europe. And although many inconveniences happened in trade before
the coinage was finiflied, yet, in the end, it afiionifiied and confounded
all the enemies of the king and kingdoni, both at home and abroad,
and procured great credit to Mr. Montague (afterwards Lord HaUifax)
who then had the chief management in the treafury.
It was on this occafion that Mr. Montague firfi; fet on foot a new
circulating paper credit, by iffuing bills from the exchequer ; at the fame
time contradling (as has ever fince been done) for their being circulated
for ready money on demand. And as many of thofe firfi; exchequer bills
were for funis fo low as L5 and Lio, they were of very good ufe at this
time, when there was fo great a fcarcity of filver money during the re-
coinage, as they were taken at the exchequer for all payments of the
revenue, and as, when re-ifllied, they were then allowed L7 : 12 per
* This regulation mufl be undcvftood, not of the money, but of wrought plate ; and ft was intend-
ed to prevent lilver-fmiths from melting t!ie current filvsr money, as the ad exprefsly fays. M. ■
A. D. 1696. 681
cent interefl, they foon rofe from a fmall difcount to be better than par.
Thefe have fnice been ifTucd yearly, and the bank of England has con-
flantly, for many years paft, been the contractors for their circulation,
at a certain premium ; for which end the bank takes annual fubfcrip-
tions for enabling them to circulate them. By all which means, the
public was aflifled to fupport the general trade of the nation, though
not without great difficulty, till the new money was ilTued from the
mint.
Thus was this mofl: arduous affair of the recoinage brought to a hap-
py ilTue by the clofe of the year 1697 ; and the currency of all the old
hammered filver coins was abfolutely prohibited by adt of parliament.
[9 Gnl. Ill, c. 3.] This famous recoinage (which, one way or other,
was thought to have coft the public near three millions of money) was
performed at London, and in the cities of Exeter, Briftol, Chefler, York,
and Norwich.
D'Avenant, in the firfl part of his Difcourfes on the public revenues
and trade of England, [/>. 50, ed. 1698] makes the clipped money
amount to nine millions : and he fays, there were four millions of guineas
current. According to his New dialogues, [F. ii, p, 75] there was at this
time recoined from the old hammered money L5,725,933. Now if
the old broad pieces, and jacobus's of gold, and the fine milled filver
money of King Charles II, and later, be well confidered, it feems pro-
bable that the whole cafli of England may have been about fixteen mil-
lions : which computation (including Scotland") comes pretty near what
is generally thought to be the prefent calh of Great Britain, (1760) ex-
clufive of a large quantity of foreign gold coins, at prefent, and for a
long time part, circulating in the kingdom.
From the year 1673, when the former ftanding council of commerce
was dropped, till this time, difputes and regulations relating to com-
merce and colonies were ufually referred to committees of the privy-
council : but fuch occnfional committees, being a conftantly-varying fet
of members, and having, befides, no ftated appointments for their trouble
and attendance, it is no marvel that they aded but hojdy ^nd fupetfici-
ally. It was now therefor high time to eftablifli a regular and perman-
ent board for fuch important ends ; our foreign commerce and plan-
tations, as well as moft branches of our home trade, and of our numerous
manufadlures, being fo greatly increafed and improved. This new
board (befides Ibme of the minifters of ftate who only attend on extra-
ordinary occafions) confifts of a firfi lord commiflioner, who is ufually
a peer of the realm, and of feven other commiflioners, with a falary of
each Li 000 yearly *.
* Iiillead of Mr Anderfon's account of the thentic extrafl of the names of the full commiflion-
nntuie of this new board, compof d from his own ers, and of the duty required of them,
knowlege, I have fubllituied the following au- < King William, by a commiffion dated the 15th
Vol. II. 4 R
682
A. D. 1696.
The king of France this year ereded a new exclufive company, call-
ed the Royal Senegal company, on the refignation of the old one. Their
limits were from Cape Blanco to Sierra Leona, including the fort at the
mouth of the river Gambia, formerly belonging to Englarid. They
were authorized to deal in Haves, leather, gums, wax, gold, 8cc. to have
florehoufes for their negroes in the Weft-Indies, and to refine their fu-
gars, and, in Ihort, to enjoy all the privileges enjoyed by the French
Weft-India company before their abolition ; but they were not to in-
terfere with the Guinea company eftablifhed in the year 1685.
The Eddyftone rock, lying off the port of Plymouth, being very dan-
gerous, and many fhips having been caft away thereon, the corporation
of the trinity-houfe this year began a light-houfe upon it, and complet-
ed it in three years ; great numbers of mafters and owners of Englilh
fhipping agreeing, in confideration thereof, to pay 1 d per ton outwards,
and the like inwards, &c. ; and it has proved a very great benefit to
iliipping palling that way, till the dreadful ftorm in the year 1703,
which deftroyed it. It was again direifted to be rebuilt, and the fame
duty for its fupport was granted to the corporation of the trinity-houfe
by two ads of parliament [4 Anne, c. 20; 8 Anne, c. 16] ; yet it has
once more been lately demolifhed by a ftorm, and is again reftored by
the like means to its former ufefulnefs, to the great benefit of not only
the Britifti trade and navigation, but of the numerous fhipping of other
nations pafling that way *.
• of May 1696, appointed the keeper of the great
• feal or chancellor, the prelideiit of the council,
• the keeper of the privy feal, the firft commifion-
• er of the treafury, the firll coiTmniiTioner of the
' admiralty, the principal fecrctaries of ilate, and
' the chancellor of the exchequer, who were to
' attend occafionally ; and alfo the earl of Bridge-
• water, the carl of Tankerville, Sir Philip Mea-
' dows, William Blathwayte, John Pollexfcn,
• John Locke, Abraham Hiil, and John Methven,
• Efquires, who were to attend more conflantly,
' to be commiffioners for promoting the trade of
• this kingdom, and for inipeding and improving
' the plantations in America and elfewhere, with
' feveral dirtdtions and inflruAious, the chief
' whereof are as follows :
' To examine into, and take an account of the
' ftate and condition of the general trade of Eng-
' land, and of the feveral particular trades into
' foreign parts.
' To examine what trades are, or may prove,
' hurtful, and what beneficial, to this kingdom ;
• and by what means the advantageous trades
• may be improved, and thofe that are prejudicial
' difcouragcd.
' To confider by what means profitable manu-
• failures, already fettled, may be further improv-
' ed, and how other new and profitable manufac-
' tures may be introduced.
' To confider of proper methods for fetting on
' work and employing the poor, and making them
' nfeful to the public.
' To inquire* into the condition of the planta»
' tions, as well with regard to the adminiitration
* of government there, as in relation to commerce,
• and how thofe colonies may be rendered moft
' beneficial to this kingdom.
' To inquire what naval ftores may be furnifhed
' from the plantations, and how the fame may be
' beft procured.
' To prepare inftruftions for governors, and to
' take an account of their adminillration.
' To examine the journals of the councils, and
' the afts or laws made by the refpedlive general
' aflemblies, in order to his majeily's approbation
* or difallowance thereof.
' To require an account of all monies given by
' the afiemblies for public ufes, and how the fame
' is expended.
' And to make reprefentations and reports to
' his majefty, or the privy council, in writing, as
• there ihall be occafion.' M.
* And to the great credit of Mr. Smeaton, the
judicious engineer, who has eredled it in a firmer
manner of conftruftion than ever was feen in any
fuch building before. M.
A. D. 1696. cSi
An acl of parliament for the increafe and encouragement of feamen
[7, 8 Gul. Ill, f. 21] direded that 30,000 men, confifting of mariners,
watermen, fifhermen, lightermen, bargemen, keelmen, or other feafaring
men, between the ages of eighteen and fifty, fhould have their names
and places of refidence regiftered, and receive a bounty, or retaining
fee, of 40/ annually, for which they fliould at all times be in readinefs
to man the royal navy. For their encouragement they were to have
twice as much prize-money as unregiftered feamen of equal rank ; they
only were to be appointed to warrant offices in the navy ; and they on-
ly were to have admiffion, when maimed or fuperannuated, to the new
hofpital at Greenwich ; which admidion was alfo extended to the wi-
dows and children of regiilered feamen flain in the fervice. A deduc-
tion of 6d per month is ordered to be made from the pay of all feamen,
whether in merchant fhips or in the navy, for the fupport of Greenwich
hofpital *.
The parliament, in order to prevent frauds and abufes in the planta-
tion trade, enacted, that all veflels trading to or from our Afian, Afri-
can, or American, plantations or fetclements, fhould be Engliili, Irifh,
or plantation, built ; and that their cargoes fliould be either Englifh,
Irifh, or plantation, property, and regiflered as fuch, &c. And whereas
our North- American colonies were of late become of much greater im-
portance to England than formerly, it was therein alfo flirther enacted,
' that no charter-proprietors of lands on the continent of America
' fhould fell or otherwife difpofe of their lands to any but natural-born
' fubjeds, without the king's licence in council for that purpofe.' [7, 8
GuL III, C.22.']
This was undoubtedly a mofi: necellary and reafonable provifo, fmcc
it might happen, in unfavourable conjundures, that a great charter-
proprietor (fuch, for inftance, as thofe of Carolina, fince made a regal
colony, Maryland, or Pennfylvania, &c.) might alienate the fame to
fome foreign rival nation, there being till now no exprefs law to the
contrary. Moreover, in order to keep the proprietary governments in
America the more under due fubjedion to the crown and kingdom of
England, they being now become very confiderable, it was hereby
enacted, that all governors nominated by fuch proprietors fliould be al-
lowed and approved of by the crown, and take the like oaths as are
* This law was further enforced by an a<El, 8, fo iinportant a matter as having a competent i.ucn-
9 Gul. Ill, c. 12 ; and the duty or ftoppage for bcr of feamen continually in readinefs for the navy,
Greenwich hofpital was confirmed by an a£t, lo without having recourfe to the barbarous and un-
Anna;, for bettering, coUefting, and recovering, conftitutional practice of preffing. May Heaven
duties, &c. and by an aft, i8 Geo. II, c. 31. infpiie fome worthy patriot with fpirit, genius.
This regiller aft was (unhappily in our humble and zeal, equal to this feemingly, or fuppofed,
opinion) repealed in the ninth year of (^een arduous talk. And alfo may the iailors of mcr-
Anne. Though many fciie.iits have fince been chant (hips, as well as thofe of king's Hiips, tiicii
laid before the public, yet fo many objeftions have be entitled to admifllon into Greenwich hofpital.
been ftarted, that no law has yet been framed for A.
4R 2
684 ■^' ^' 1696.
taken by the governors of the regal colonies, previous to entering on
their refpedive governments. Another claufe in this ftatute has been
thought by the Trifh to bear fomewhat hard on them, viz. that whereas
fhips laden with fugars, tobacco, &c. of the Englifh plantations, have
fometimes been difcharged in feveral ports of Ireland, contrary to law,
tinder pretence that the faid fhips were driven thither by flrefs of wea-
ther or fome other calamity, it was now enafted, that on no pretence
whatever any kind of goods from the Englifli American plantations
fhould hereafter be put on fhore, either in the kingdoms of Ireland or
Scotland *, without being firft landed in England, and having alfo paid
the duties there, under forfeiture of fliip and cargo. The main hard-
fliip hereof, fay the Irifli, confifled in comprehending the unenumerat-
ed as well as the enumerated commodities, whereby alfo much money
goes from Ireland to foreign nations, which our own plantations might
. otherwife have had f .
The parliament pafled an act [7, 8 Gi/l. Ill, c. 2S] for more effedual-
ly preventing the exportation of wool, and encouraging the importation
of It from Ireland : but as there have been, both before and after this
period, fo many laws made for effeding what relates to the former part
of this a6l, though all hitherto infufficient for keeping our wool to our-
felves, we think it fuperfluous to be particular thereon. The only ports
licenced for the importation of Irifh wool into England were White-
haven, Liverpool, Chefter, Briflol, Bridgewater, Minehead, Barnrtaple,
and Biddeford.
It appears that the Greenland company, ellablifhed in the year 1693,
who had then fubfcribed L40,ooo as their original capital, had after-
ward increafed their fubfcription to L82,ooo, the completion whereof
was to be made at any time before the year 1703, becaufe, on account
of the fcarcity of feamen occalioned by the war with France, they could
not then employ fo much money in that trade. In the meantmie the
parliament enaded, that the company, for the encouragement of their
trade, during their term of 14 years, (which w^as to end in the year
1707) fnould be free of all duty, cuflom, or impolition whatever, for
any oil, blubber, or whale-fias, caught and imported by them. [7, 8
Gul. Ill, c. 2)'^7^ But the company were lo unfortunate, partly through
unlkiiful mana^^ement, and partly from real lofles, as to run out their
capital of L 8 2, 000 fome years before the expiration of their term, fo
that they broke up entirely. And by a ftatute for enlarging and en-
couraging the Greenland trade, that trade was entirely laid open as be-
fore, and all the queen's fubjedts were thereby to enjoy the fome privi-
leges as the company had done : yet their misfortunes deterred others
* This claufe was rendered void as to Scotland by the vinion in the y«ar 1 707. A^
•{- See the enumerated commodities under the year 1660. A>
A. D. 1696. 685
from profecLiting that filliery till the year 1725, when the South-fea
company revived it, though much to their lofs, as will be feen.
Great lums being cnntinnally carried out of England for hemp, flax,
and linen, which might in a great meafure be fupplied from Irelautl, if
proper encouragement were given to induce foreign proteflants to fettle
in that kingdom, the parliament palTed an ad for allowing hemp, flax,
hnen, and linen yarn, the produce or manufacture of Ireland, to be im-
ported into England by natives of England or Ireland without paying
any duty. And the manufacture of fail-cloth being already brought to
good perfedion in England, all Enghfli-made fail-cloth was thenceforth
allowed to be exported without paying duty, either in the piece, or
made into fails. [7, 8 Gul. Ill, c. 39.]
This law was wifely framed, for the encouragement of French pro-
teftant refugees, many of whom were well (killed in the once noble li-
nen manufadure of France, fince funk to almofl; nothing ; and experi-
ence has fliewn that this law laid the foundation, of the great and flou-
rifliing manufadure of linens and cambrics in Ireland.
The foreign commerce of Ruflla, except what was carried on by the
Englifli and Dutch at Archangel, was till our own times fo inconfider-
able, as hardly to deferve being mentioned. But the czar Peter, fo
jufl;ly titled the Great, had now formed vafl: plans of commerce and
conquefl:, and alfo naval power. By his conquefl of the fl^rong fortrefs
and port of Afoph, near the mouth of the river Don, he opened for the
RuiTian vefl^ls a paflage into the Black lea, upon which he determined
to keep a naval force fuflScieiit to cope with that of the Turks, who, for
fome centuries pafl:, had excluded all other nations from the navigation
ot that fea. For this end he procured fliip-wrights from Holland for
conflruding great fliips of war, and from Venice for galleys ; and he
got no fewer than forty of the former, and fifty of the later, befides
bomb ketches, &c. built at Woronitz on the river Don, and thence
conveyed to Afoph ; which mighty enterprife was completed, through
liis vafl; genius, in three years time, having oak-timber and other naval
ftores in plenty of his own, and ready at hand. He alfo fortified the
port of Taganrock on the Black fea ; at which work, it is laid, above
300,000 perfons periflied through hunger, and by diflempers contrad-
ed from lying on the marfliy ground. Had the czar iucceeded in com-
pellmg the Ottoman Porte to allow him a free paflage by the Propontis
and Dardanelles into the Archipelago and Mediterranean fea, what
ftrange alterations might not his fuccefs have produced in the balance
of power in Europe ; and how difadvantageous would it probably alio
have proved to the Turkey trade and the general commerce of the
other European nations in thofe feas ? How precarious alio would the
very exiftence of the Turkifli empire have thereby been rendered.'' But
in the next century we fliall fee this towering prolped overclouded, iuad
686 A. D. 1696.
all the vafl: expenfe thereof abfolutely thrown away. This great prince,
however, did wonders for reforming and improving his country and
people. He travelled for this end into moll countries of Chriftendom,
in order to learn their mercantile and maritime arts. In Holland and
England he difcovered fo great a genius in his judicious inquiries, ob-
fervations, and remarks, on fhip-building, naval affairs, manufactures,
&c. as furprifed every body, and of which Ruffia at this day experiences
the good effeds. King William gave him a refpedful reception in the
year 1697, and cultivated his friendfhip and alliance, in hopes of form-
ing an ufeful balance of power againfl France.
This year King William fent out two fliips of war and fome land
forces, who retook the forts in Hudfon's bay, which the French had held
for three years. Yet once more thofe forts, in Qiieen Anne's war, were
regained by the French, all but Fort Albany, and fo it remained till
the peace of Utrecht.
The running of Englifli and Irifli wool into France, whereby the
woollen mamifaclure of that kingdom has been fo greatly increafed,
has employed the pens of many ever fince the refloration of King
Charles II ; and many plaufible propofals have been made, both within
doors and without, for an effectual cure, though hitherto unfuccefsfully.
Among the more modern ones, Samuel Webber, in his fhort account
of the flate of our woollen manufactures, (printed in 1739) afcribes the
great rife of the French woollen manufadures about this time to the
duty of 4/" in the pound impofed by the parliament of Ireland on all
their woollen goods exported to foreign parts, becaufe fuch exportation
interfered with England's exportations of the like woollen goods ; and
that this was agreed to by Ireland, in return for no lels than L9, 000, 000
ilerling, expended by England in the reduction of Ireland at the revo-
lution : and to prevent their glutting England with their wool *, they
were limited to eight f weftern ports for its importation. Such hard-
ihips, according to that author, conflrained the Irifh to run their comb-
ed wool into France, which the French mixed up with their own coarfer
wool, whereby they were enabled, at a cheaper rate, to fupply many
foreign markets with woollen goods formerly fupplied by England.
The computations of moil of thole who write on this fubjed, are, we
apprehend, too extravagant, and particularly thofe of this author, to ob-
tain univerfal credit ; for he ventures to afHrm, ' that of 800,000 packs
of wool, annually produced in Britain and Ireland, France gets rrum us
yearly, one way or other, 500,000 packs, whereby that nation gains an-
nually above L8,ooo,ooo ilerling ; that not one third of our wool is
manufactured at home ; for, befide what goes to France, there is not a
little run into Holland, Sweden, and elfewhere ; that whenever we
* He alfo fays tvoollen goods ; but wool only was permitted to be impoited from Ireland. ^,
f He fayij only five, yi.
A. D. 1696. 687
happen to be at variance with France, fo as to prevent a correfpond-
ence, the demand for our woollen goods at foreign markets has then
proved fudden and great ; that we have hands enow in Great Bri-
tain to work up all our wool at home, fince in England alone, by an
eftimate of the parifh rates, in the year 1735 the poor amounted to
1,400,000 peribns, of whom 300,000 were reckoned helplefs through
age, &c. and orphans; but that the remaining 1,100,000 poor were
all, in fome meafure, fit for labour. Laflly, that the only effedual
means to keep our wool at home would be to eftablifli a regiftry in
every parifh of Great Britain and Ireland, of flock in hand, of wool,
and of the dayly increafe or decreafe of the faid flock, by transferring
the property from one to another, &c.
Now, though all that is therein aflerted is not abfolutely to be relied
on, and moll of the writers on this very interefling lubject feem, in
their computations, to have more or lefs overlhot the mark, fome from
zeal, or perhaps private interell, and others merely from ignorance and
want of abilities, yet, it inufl be allowed, that a remedy for fo perni-
cious a pra61ice, as running great quantities of our wool into foreigti
parts, well known to be a reality, is very much wanted ; and that, whe-
ther by a regiftry, as above mentioned, or by more flrid guard- floops
on our coalls, or by both jointly, whoever fhall be fo happy as to point
out an effedlual remedy for fo great an evil, will richly deferve a high
reward from the public *.
1697. — The ill-judged abortive fcheme of a land bank in England, al-
ready defcribed, with the deficient funds for the annual fnpplies ; the bad
flate of the filver coin, more efpecially in the years 1695 and 1696, and
the ill humours contradled thereby, and by difaffedlion to the govern-
ment, had brought the infant bank of England into fuch difhculty and
diftrefs, that their calh notes were now at a difcount of 15 to 20 per
cent, their credit being fo low as to be neceffitated to pay thofe notes
only by 10 per cent once in a fortnight, and, at length, to pay only 3
per cent on thofe notes once in three months. This diftrefs was occa-
fioned by the bank having taken the clipped and diminifhed filver mo-
ney at the legal or par value by tale, and guineas at 30/, for which they
ifTued their notes payable on demand, and not having received from
the mint a fufficient quantity of the new filver coins to anfwer the dayly
demands on them for their outftanding notes. The diredlors were
thereupon obliged to make two different calls, of 20 per cent each, on:
* Will there ever be any efFeflual means to pre- there arrived in the one port of Roterdam, nine-
vent the Irifh from felling their wool to thofe who teen velfels from Scotland with 982 great bags of
are willing to give the belt price for it, except en- Englifli and Scottilh wool ; and In the year 169?^
couraging them to manufaflure it ihemfclves ? I fifteen veflVIs from Scotland carried 981 bags to
have feveral accounts of Scottifh velfels carrying the fame port. Similar caufcs muft produce fimi-
whole cargoes of wool about this time to Holland, lar eflfeifle. M,
Sweden, &c. In the beginning of Odober 1697,
4
688 A. D. 1697. "^
their members in the year 1 696, and to ilTue bank fealed bills, at 6 per
cent intereft, in exchange for bank cafh notes ; and to advertife, for the
conveniency of trade, whilfl the filver was recoining, that any perfon
might keep an account with the bank, and transfer any fum under L5,
from his own to another man's account ; which was getting into the
method of the bank of Amflerdam ; yet, fuch was the diflrefs of the
times, that, on the 6th of May 1697 ^^^ bank advertifed in the gazette,
for the defaulters of the laft call of 20 per cent, which fhould have been
paid by the loth of November 1696, and alfo thofe indebted to the
bank upon mortgages, pawns, notes, bills, or other fecurities, to pay in
the laid 20 per cent, and the principal and intereft of thofe fecurities,
by the ift of June next. Even fo late as the 21ft of June 1697, we fee
in a ne\vrpaper, called the Poftman, the following paragraph, viz.
' Bank notes were yefterday between 13 and 14 per cent difcount.'
Notwithftanding the great difficulties the bank had then to ftruggle
with, in a few months after, by the recoinage being completed, and by
the fecond, or engraftment, fuljfcription of the tallies, orders, and bank
notes, to the amount of L5, 160, 459 : 14 : g-^, the credit of the bank
was quite reftored, with the greateft applaufe to the condudors of it.
After the parliament had fettled the funds for the enfuingyear, and had
provided for the deficient funds in the former and prefent year, they
took the diftrels of the bank into their deliberate confideration, and
finally determined, that the capital Itock of the bank Ihould be increaf-
ed by new fubfcriptions, of four fifths in exchequer tallies and orders,
and one fifth in their own bank notes, with an intereft of 8 per cent.
And, for fecuring the payment of that intereft, an additional duty was
laid on fait ; and the other duties were extended to a longer term, &c.
in order to make up a general fund for paft deficiencies, now amount-
ing to no lefs than L5, 160, 549 : 14 : 9^, befides the current fervice of
the year 1697. But, previous to their taking in the new fubfcriptions,
their old capital of Li, 200, 000 ftiould firft be made up to each mem-
ber 100 per cent, and what remained of eflTcds or intereft over and
above, ftiould be divided among their old members. The bank, after
this new fubfcription, might ifilie an additional number of notes, equal
to the total of the new fubfcription, provided always, that thofe notes
be anfwered on demand, and that, in default of their fo doing, they
ftiould be anfwered from the exchequer, out of the firft money due to
the bank. The bank ihould continue a corporation till one year's
notice after Auguft the ift in the year 1710; and no other bank
fhould be allowed during their faid term. The bank ftiould not, at any
one lime whatever, owe more by bonds, notes, fealed bills, &c. than
the total amount of all their increaled capital. The capital ftock of the
bank ftiould henceforth be deemed a perfonal eftate. For the future.
A. D. 1697. ^89
not above two thirds of the preceding year's directors fliould be capable;
of being re-elefted in the fucceeding year*. [8, 9 Gul. Ill, c. 19.]
D'Avenant, in his Difcourfes on the pubUc revenues and trade of
England, {^part i, p. 265, 1698) juftly remarks, that it would be for the
general good of trade if the bank of England were retrained by law
from allowing intereft for running cafh, (as was the cafe at this time) ;
for the eafe of having 3 or 4 per cent without trouble or hazard, rauft
be a continual bar to induftry.
King William's miniflry had flattered themfelvcs, from year to year,
with the hope of a fpeedy peace. Many of the funds, therefor, upon
the credit whereof money had, in different years, been granted by par-
liament, had by this time been found, or fuffered to be, very deficient ;
the treafury gentlemen, though otherwife m.en of abilities, having, in
fundry inftances of appropriating the duties, judged very wide of the
true amount of thofe duties ; as particularly might be inftanced with
refped to glafs bottles, earthern ware, tobacco-pipe clay, &c. The de-
ficiencies of the funds were foon obferved by the monied men, who were
creditors of the public, and who alfo took advantage of the remotenefs of
the courfes of payment of the tallies and orders charged on fome other
funds. This had, fmce the revolution, given rife to a new trade of dealing
in government fecurities, very much to the damage of the public, as well
as of thofe proprietors of the funds, who were obliged to part with
them at the dilcount of from 40 to 50 per cent. D'Avenant, in his
EfTay upon loans, printed in 1710, juftly remarks of thofe melancholy
times, ' that the government appeared like a difi;refled debtor, who
' was dayly fqueezed to death by the exor'oitant greedinefs of the lender ;
' the citizens began to decline trade, and to turn ufurers ; foreign
• commerce, attended with the hazards of war, had infinite difcourage-
' ment ; and people in general drew home their effects to embrace the
' advantage of lending their money to the government.' To prevent
the ill effeds of this unhappy trade, a law was made to reftrain the
number and ill pradlces of brokers and flock-jobbers, which premifes,
that fworn brokers were antiently allowed in London for making bar-
gains between merchants and traders for merchandize and bills of ex-
change ; but, of late, divers fuch have carried on mofl: unjufl: prac'cices,
in felling and difcounting tallies, bank flock, bank bills, fliares in joint
flocks, &c. confederating themielves together to raife or fill, from time
to time, the value thereof, as may mofl fuit their own private interefl;
vvherefor, &c. they were now reflrained from acting without a licence
from the' lord mayor and court of aldermen. They were alio to take
an oath of fidelity, to be limited to 100 in mimber, whofe names fhould
be written on the Royal exchange ; to incur a penalty of L200, if they
* The capital (lock of the hank was raifed to L2,20l,i7l : lO ; and the dividends were railed
from eight to n'me per cent. {_Allardycc's A.Urefi to the proprietors oj the bank, p. «2J.] M.
Vol. II. 4 S
690 A. D. 1697.
dealt for themfelvts in any merchandize, or in thofe tallies, flocks, &c. ;
to enter into an obligation for their faithful adings, and on failure, to
forfeit L500, &c.
After this account of the ill ftate of things, we fhall conclude the ac-
count of the engrafting aft by obferving, that the new fubfcribers to
the bank were thereby to deliver np to the governor and company of
the bank of England their tallies and orders, which were to be paid off
in courfe *. The capital ftock of the bank was thereby to be exempted
from any tax. No contraft for fale of the bank ftock was to be valid,
unlefs regiflered within feven days in the bank books, and aftually
transferred within fourteen days f. No aft of the corporation, nor of
its court of direftors, nor fub-committees thereof, Ihould fubjeft the
particular fliare of any member to forfeiture. The fliares, however,
were made fubjeft to the payment of all the jufl debts contrafted by the
corporation ij;. By this aft it was made felony to counterfeit the com-
mon feal of the bank, afHxed to their fealed bills, or to alter or erafe
any fum in, or any indorfement on, their fealed notes, figned by order
of the governor and company, or to forge or counterfeit their bills or
notes. Members of this corporation were not to be liable to bankrupt-
cy, merely by reafon of their bank ftock, which flock, moreover, was
not liable to foreign attachments. This is all that is eflentially necef-
fary to be recited from this long aft of parliament, fojudicioufly framed
for refloring public credit. Two great points were effefted by it, viz.
the exchequer tallies and orders were refcued from the flock-jobbing
harpies by being engrafted into this company, as were alfo the bank
notes, now cancelled, which had been at 20 per cent difcount, by reafon
the government had been greatly deficient in their payments to the
bank ; and a good interefl was fecured for the proprietors of the in-
creafed capital.
This happy engraftment, together with the new filver coinage, re-
dounded greatly to the credit of Mr. Montague, afterwards earl of Hali-
fax. For, it is almofl incredible, that in a few months after this provi-
fion for the national debt in arrear, the ftock of the bank given to the
proprietors of exchequer tallies, which before this engraftment had
been at 40 to 50 per cent difcount, fhould be currently fold at 1 12 per
cent. ' This fecond bank fubfcription,' (fays D'Avenant, in his lafl
quoted treatife) ' being founded upon parliamentary fecurity, for mak-
^ ing good the deficient tallies, was formed by receiving in thofe tallies
* Tlity aftually were paid off by annual divi- in tliem all, till after the year 1720, when the
ilcnds in a few years ; and bank flock was there- want of it opened a field of unexampled villany
by reduced to its original capital. ^, and deception. ^.
f It had been happy for hundreds of families, % This claufe was with great propriety after-
jf this falutary clauie had been continued in fiic- wards extended to the other two great compu-
cceding ads of parliament for this and all other nies. y/.
joint ftocks. But, as if defigncdly, it was omitted
A. D. 1697. 691
* ut par, which coft the fublcribers but 55 to 65 per cent * ; by which
* the greatefl. eftates were railed in the leafl time, and the moftof them,
' that had been known in any age, or in any part of the world.' I have
indeed often heard it faid by perfons who lived at this time, that one
lingle lubfcriber alone (Sir Gilbert Heathcote) gained by that rife of
the price above L6o,oco.
' During the recoinage of our fdver,' (fays D'Avenant, in the fecond
part of his Difcoiirfes on the public revenues and trade of England^ p. i6i)
' all great dealings were tranfaded by tallies, bank bills, and goldfmiths
' notes. Paper credit did not only fupply the place of running cadi, but
' greatly multiplied the kingdom's liock ; for tallies and bank bills did,
' to many ufes, ferve as well, and to fome better, than gold and filver:
' and this artificial wealth, which neceflity had introduced, did make us
' lefs feel the want of that real treafure, which the war, and our lofTes
' at fea, had drawn out of the nation.' This able, but venal, author
wrote in a very different ftrain t.owards the clofe of the next reign.
Thefe prudent meafures in England proved the great means of con-
cluding, in September in the fame year, a treaty of peace between
England and France, much wanted by both nations. In general, by
article 7, moft places, poiTefled by either party before the war broke
out, were now flipulated to remain to them Some of the forts in Hud-
fon's bay were, however, thereby ceded to France, as alfo thofe of Nova-
Scotia, which we had taken from France in 1690; alfo that part of
St. Chriflophers which we had taken from France in the fame year,
1 690, was reftored to France; King William's then untoward affairs not
permitting him, at that time, to infifl too {Irenuoufly on thofe matters,
more efpecially as the main preliminary of this treaty was the acknow-
legement of William as king of Great Britain and Ireland by Louis.
The Dutch reftored to France Pondicherry in Eafl-India ; and, at the
fame time, a feparate treaty of commerce and marine was concluded
between them for twenty years. All that is memorable therein being,
that the Dutch fhould enjoy the fam.e privileges, franchifes, &c. in
France, as Louis's own fubjeds did, and that they might freely carry to
Marfeilles, &c. the merchandize of the Levant, as well in their own
fhips as in French bottoms, without being liable to the 20 per cent ou
the Levant commerce ; faving only in cafes where the French them-
felves were liable to pay it. The Dutch alfo might import pickled her-
rings without being liable to repacking. France alfo remitted to them
the 50 fols per ton on foreigners fhips, excepting only when Dutch fliips
carry French goods coaft-ways, from one port of France to another.
To Spain France yielded what fhe had taken in Catalonia, as alfo the
city and province of Luxemburgh, with Charleroy, Aeth, Courtray, and
* Hj means fuch as bought diem at fo large a difcount. A.
4 S 2
692 A. D. 1697.
Mons ; referving, however, many burghs and villages within thofe de-
pendencies, under flight pretences.
To the princes of the empire, France refliored Triers and Germerf-
heim to the eledors of Triers and Palatine ; to Sweden, the duchy
of Deuxponts ; to the bifliop of Liege, Dinant ; to the houfe of Wir-
temberg, Mompelgard. But, on the other hand, the empire was oblig-
ed to confirm forever to France the pofTeiiion of Strafljurgh with its
territory. To the emperor, however, France yielded up Friburg and
the reft of the Brifgaw, and Philipfburg : to the duke of Lorrain France
reftored his capital, Nancy, but difmantled and defencelefs ; and Louis
ftill retained Saar-Louis, and aUb the road, or way, of half a league in
breadth, through Lorrain to Alface, open for the French troops and
armies. If Louis had no latent defign in thus yielding up fo many im-
portant places which he had conquered, men would have faid he aded
moderately ; but his real view in this feeming moderation was to dif-
arm and difunite the allies, that fo he might the more eafily feize on
the Spanifli monarchy upon the death of their old and feeble king
Charles IL
A French fquadron of fliips, commanded by Pointis, this year took
the famous town and forts of Carthagena in Spanifli America, and, by
his own account, he got eight millions of crowns thereby. Much more
had been expeded, but the people of fafliion and the religious of both
fcxes had before retired far into the country out of his reach, with 1 10
mules laden with treafure. Pointis, fenfible that he could not hold Car-
thagena, left it, after demolifliing its forts.
It was high time to put an end to the many privileged places to which
debtors retired with the money and merchandize of their creditors, and,
by combination in thofe recefles, fet all law and juftice at defiance ; no
officers daring, without the hazard of their lives, to arrefl any of thofe
jawlefs debtors within thofe places. Wherefor, by a flatute, the following
pretended privileged places were fupprefled, viz. that in the Minories ;
vSalifljury court, Whitefriars, Ram alley, and Mitre court, in Fleet
ftreet ; Fulwood's rents in Holburn ; Baldwin's gardens in Gray's-Inn
lane ; the Savoy in the Strand ; Montague clofe, Deadman's place, the
Ciink, and the Mint, in Southwark. [8, 9 Gul. Ill, c. 26.] Yet the
Mint was fufFered to fpring up again in a more outrageous manner than
ever, and was not finally fupprefled till the reign of King George I. It
"^ was a fad fliame, that fuch lawlefs people fliould have been fo long toler-
ated or connived at.
Burlington bay on the coafl; of Yorkfliire being a fafe road, and the
haven and pier of Burlington (aUas Bridlington) being conveniently fi-
tuated for fupplying neceflliries, and alfo for a retreat from florms or
enemies, it v,'as judged a national benefit to lay a duty of one farthing
per chaldron on all coals coming from Newcaflle and its members fouth-
A. D. 1 697. 693
ward, for repairing and rebuilding that pier, wliich liad been thrown
down by a l^orm in the year 1696. [8, 9 GuL ill, c. 28.]
This year the filk-weavers of London were extremely outrageous and
tumultuous, on pretence of the great quantities of fjlks, calicoes, and
other Indian manufadures, imported by the Eaft-Intlia company, and
worn by all forts of people. They even carried their violence lo far as
to attempt feizing the treafure at the Eaft-India houfe, and had almoft
fucceeded in it, but were in the end reduced to order. Yet much cla-
mour was ftill raifed, both in pamphlets and converfition, againft the
company, who in their defence engaged the famous Dr. D'Avenant to
write a laboured and ingenious eflay on the Eaft-India trade. He was
anfwered by Mr. Polexfen, an eminent merchant, who this year pub-
liilied his able performance, intitled, England and Eaft-India inconfift-
ent in their manufidures, which, with refped to the real matter of fad,
as well as its popularity, had greatly the advantage over his venal, though
able, opponent.
Notwithftanding the reftitutions which France had obtained by the
treaty of Ryfwick, yet her foreign trade feemed ftill to languifti. Hol-
land reaped much more benefit by her trade with France, than England
did or could. The later had been accuftomed before the war to fend
great fums of money to France for wine, brandy, paper, ftuflfs, linen,
hats, filks, and many other things, over and above the merchandize they
carried thither from England, whereby the balance was always greatly
in fiivour of France. But the French commiilary, now fent^ over to
England for a treaty of commerce between the two nations, found in-
furmountable difficulties in his commiflion, not only on account of the
high duties laid by England on French goods, which duties were appro-
priated to fundry ufes, but likewife becaufe the Englifti, during the late
long war, had learned to be without the merchandize of France, by fup-
plying themfelves moftly with the wines of Italy, Spain, and Portugal,
and with the linens of Holland and Silefia. The French refugees fettled
in England now alfo fupplied them with paper, ftuffs, filks, and hats,
jiiade at home. France, moreover, on the other hand, not relaxing any
of her high imports on En-lifti manufadures, &c. which in effed amount-
ed to a prohibition of them, it was not therefor poflible for France and
England to conclude any tarif or treaty of commerce together which
could be advantageous to the later, and therefor none was made.
16^8. — Neverthelefs, the foreign commerce and public credit of
England foon revived, and the bills or notes of the bank got up to
par. The difcount on the remaining tallies was become moderate, and
the adions or prices of the ftocks of other Englilh coaipunies were be-
come more promifing.
Yet the complaints againft the Eaft-India company's proceedings, to-
gether with their great lofles of ftiips and rich car;^oes duruig the war,.
694 ^' ^- I69S.
Y
,vhich had prevented them from making any dividends for fundry pre-
ceding years, had by this time occafioned a general diflike in the people
againft the company. This broke out more plainly in the fpring of
1698, when the houfe of commons again took the flate of the com-
pany's trade into their ferious confideration, even though it had three
years before appeared to be fo delicate an affair, that it had been refer-
red by the parliament to the king and council, who fent it back again
to the parliament, who after all did nothing material in the main com-
plaints relating to it. The company therefor thought it now prudent
to make a propofal to parliament, that they would advance Lyoo.ooo
for the public iervice at 4 per cent intereft, provided the exclulive trade
to India might be legally fettled on them. But while the houfe of com-
mons feemingly liftened to this propofal, a number of merchants, head-
ed by Mr. Samuel Shepherd, and countenanced by Mr. Montague, chan-
cellor of the exchequer, offered to advance two millions of money at 8
per cent interefl, provided they might have the fole excluhve trade to
India fettled on them ; yet the fubfcribers not to be obliged to trade in
one joint ilock, unlefs they fliould afterwards defire to be incorporated,
in which cafe a charter fhould be granted to them. This lafl propofal
was befl relifhed, and therefor a bill was accordingly brought into par-
liament. Againft this the company's counfel in both houfes of parlia-
ment pleaded their feveral exclufive charters, which, amongfl other
great privileges, filled them lords-proprietors of Bombay and St. He-
lena. They let forth, that the company had aftually acquired, at their
own fole expenfe, revenues at Fort St. George, Fort St. David, and
Bombay, as well as in Perfia and elfewhere, to the amount of about
L44,ooo per annym, arifing from cuftoms and licences for felling wine,
for fifhings, for farms of tobacco and betle ; for quit-rents, houfe-rents,
and garden-rents, to the natives ; paffes for country fhips ; tonnage, an-
chorage, falvage, &c. ; all which were conftantly increafing ; alfo a large
extent of lands in the refpedive places. That they had alfo ereded forts
and fettlements, and had procured territories in the ifland of Sumatra
and on the coaft of Malabar, without which the pepper trade mufl have
been entirely loft to England. That they had a ftrong fort in the king-
dom of Bengal, and alfo many fadories, buildings, and fettlements, in
divers other parts.; having, nioreover, purchafed of the Indian princes,
at high rates, many privileges and immunities ; all which they were
encouraged to do out of a firm belief, tliat their rights and inheritances
would on all occafions be objeds of the nation's care *. That fince this
bill was bro tight in, the company agreed to fubmit their prefent ftock
to a valuation of 50 per cent, viz. 20 per cent for their dead ftock, (i. e.
* This account of the various emokiments of the company in India is very inftruftive, as it explains
the nature of them, and Ihews that they were neaily the fame as thofe of the prefent company are
now ( 1760). ^.
A. D. 1698. 695
their forts, fadories, lands, &c.) and 30 per cent for their quick flock,
which they were content even to warrant at that rate. And upon thefe
terms the company hkewife offered to open fubfcriptions for two mil-
lions. To all this the counfel for the new fubicribers replied, that the
old company, (for fo we muft now begin to call them) in reciting their
charters, had forgot to mention the provifos therein, viz. that the kings
of England, who granted them, reterved a difcretionary power to make
them void on three years warning. That the king, folely by his char-
ter, could not grant the trade exclufive of all otliers, as being diredly
contrary to pofitive laws : neither had the prefent king, in fad, granted
any fuch exclufive right. That feveral recoveries had been made at law
againfh the company for profecuting fuch pretended right. That the
king's meffage to the houfe of commons in 1692 plainly fignified, that
the concurrence of parliament was requifite for making a complete and
ufeful fettlement of this trade *. That, when they mentioned the refo-
lution of the houfe of commons in 1691, they omitted their other refo-
lution, viz. that it was lawful for all perfons to trade to the Eaft-Indies,
unlefs reftrained by ad of parliament. That the patents for fome trades
with joint flocks, while the trades for which they were granted were in
their infancy, have been permitted, for the fake of fettling a trade, and
till the firft adventurers had reaped fome reafonable compenfation for
their expenfe and rifk ; yet afterwards, when fuch trades have grown
confiderable, the wnfdom of the nation has always, or generally, judged
it fitting to open a way for the kingdom to receive a general benefit
therefrom f. That it never was efteemed a breach of public faith, nor
a derogation from the credit of the great feal, or from the honour of
our kings, to have their patents annulled by parliament, when it ap-
peared that fuch grants were either unprofitable or contrary to the
common rights of the f ubjed : neither did any kings think themfelves
bound in honour or confcience to refufe paffmg an ad of parliament
for the annulling of fuch grants. That, moreover, kings having often
been deceived in fuch grants, they have even been frequently annulled
by the ordinary courfe of law.
It was, on the other hand, again farther replied and urged, in behalf
of the old company, that the property of many families, widows, and
orphans, was greatly affeded by this bill, which, moreover, makes no
provifion for a determined flock ; infomuch, that it may hereafter hap-
pen, that the trade may be loft to the nation for want of a fufHcient ca-
pital to carry it on ; it appearing by thirty years experience, that it re-
quires at leafl L6oo,ooo every year to carry on this trade to its utmofl.
* Here they expatiated on the bribery and other arguments againft the old company, were at this •
indircd proceedings of tlie company in the years very time allcing for, and afterwards obtained, an
!(3q2 1695. A, exclufive trade to India. A.
f Yet the very fame people, who now ufcd ihefe
696 A. D. 1698.
That even daring the three years to michaehiias 1701, the new fub-
fcribers are, by this bill, permitted to trade as well as the company,
which is contrary to the charters, and will create great confufion, and
render the faid three yeai's trade allowed the old company of no benefit,
becaufe they are flill bound to export to the value of Lr 00,000 annual-
ly in our own manufad;ures, while the new fubfcribers are under no
fuch obligation. The old company are, moreover, obliged to pay taxes,
and to keep up forts, fadtories. Sec, while the new fubfcribers are to
have an equal benefit of the trade, without either. That fince the lafl
new fubfcription in 1693, the company have loft, either by accidents
or by the calamities of war, twelve great (hips, which, with their car-
goes, would have fold here for near Li, 500,000. And yet, notwith-
standing fuch loiTes, they have paid in cuftoms fince that period
L295,ooo, befide L85,ooo in taxes. That, moreover, they fupplied the
king in Holland, on a prefling occafion, with 6000 barrels of gunpowder,
and had likewife, at a time of great extremity, fubfcribed L8o,ooo for
circulating exchequer bills at the inftances of the treafury. And that,
in fhort, many hundred families have their whole fortunes depending
in the ftock of the prefent company, who muft be utterly ruined, if this
bill take effed.
In the foregoing debates there are to be found a great many material
articles relating to the hiftory and condud: of the old Eaft-India com-
pany, and to the nature and legality of exclufive charters, unfupported
by parliamentary authority ; we could not therefor avoid foniewhat en-
larging thereon, and ftiall only fubjoin what was, on this occafion, far-
ther alleged againft the old company, viz. that the new fubfcribers to
that company's ftock in the year 1693 were deluded into it by the char-
ter then obtained by indired means, and by the hopes of an ad of par-
liament to confirm it, and by the old proprietors having valued their
ftock at L75o,ooo, whereby they ftiared L375,ooo of the new fubfcrib-
ers money amongft themfelves ; and as they had warning fuflnicient, by
the tranfadions before the king and council, nobody was anfwerable for
their lofs but themfelves.
Thefe reafons weighing, or feeming to weigh, with the parliament,
and fome of the leaders of the old company being moreover faid to
have been fufpeded of difaffedion to the ftate, or, perhaps principal-
ly, becaufe the new fubfcribers were the favourites of the miniftry, an
ad of parliament was pafl^ed for raifing a fum not exceeding two mil-
lions, upon a fund for payment of annuities after the rate of 8 per cent
pv-^r annum, and for fettling the trade to the Eaft-Tndies. The fubftance
thereof, as far as relates to this fubjed, is, that the king might appoint
commiffioners for taking fubfcriptions from any perfons or corporations,
the bank of England excepted, for raifing two millions, from and after
michaelmas 1698, the entire intereft being Li 60,000 per annum, arifing
i
A. D. 1698. 697
from the duty on fait, and certain additional duties on ftamped
parchment and paper. The new" fubfcribers to be called the general
fociety of traders to the Eaft-Indies. They were empowered to trade
either diredlly themfelves, or to licence others in their flead ; but fo as
not to trade annually for more than the amount of their refpedive fhares
or flock. Yet the king might, by his charter, incorporate the fub-
fcribers into one body-politic *, with perpetual fucceflion, &c. and the
ufual powers ; till when the fubfcribers were to eledl out of their body
24 truftees. Corporations having flaares herein might trade in propor-
tion to their fliares f. Neither this general fociety, nor any company
that may be eftabliihed in purfuance of this ad, fliall borrow or give
fecurity for any fum on the credit of the funds by this ad granted.
Neither fhall they borrow, owe, or give fecurity for, any other or great-
er fums than fliall be employed in their trade, and which likewife Ihall
be borrowed only on their common feal, and not repayable in lefs than
iix months. Neither fliall they difcount any bills of exchange, or other
bills or notes, nor keep books or cafli for any perfons whatever, other
than their own corporation X- ii've per cent additional duty, rated on
the value, from niichaelmas 1698, is hereby laid on all India goods im-
ported, to be paid to the general fociety, or to fuch company or com-
panies as may be ereded, for maintaining ambafladors, and other extra-
oi'dinary expenfes, the overplus whereof to be difpofed ot for the bene-
fit of all the members. Upon three years notice, after michaelmas 171 1,
and repayment by parliament of the faid two millions, then all the du-
ties, privileges, &c. fliall ceafe §. Provided, however, that the prefent
Eafl:-India company may alfo trade to India until michaelmas lyoi.
The feparate traders, called formerly interlopers, already gone out, may
fafely return. All future fales of India goods fliall be made openly by
inch of candle,, on pain of forfeiting half to the king and half to the
informer ||. The prefent company fliall pay their jufl debts. No fo-
ciety, to be ereded in purfuance of this ad, fliall owe at any one time
more than the value of their capital ftock undivided ; and if, by any
dividends, their debts at any time fliall exceed the amount of their ca-
pital ftock, the refpedive members fliall be liable for the fame, fo far
as the fliares they received upon fuch dividends fhall extend, befide cofts
of fuit. [9, 10 GiiL III, c. 44.]
On occalion of this contention between the two companies, it was
alleged by irany at this time, againft any exclufive trade, that an open
trade, though v.itli lefs profit, would be more beneficial to the nation,
* This was the intention from the firft. j1. § The term was extended to zjtli March, 1 726,
f This feems plainly defif^iied to favour what with three years notice, [y/ii 6 Anne, c. 17.] yi.
prefently after fell out in behalf of the old com- |] Tiiis was to obviate the complaint of clan-
pany. A. delline falcs, faid to have been made by the con-
X Thefe claufes were intended to prevent en- nivance of, or for the benefit of, tlie dircdors. ^.
cioaching on the province of the bank. A.
Vol. it. 4 T
698 A. D. 1698.
and lefs difturb our own manufadures. That it is better for the king-
dom, for inflance, that L300 be employed at 10 per cent profit, tham
that but Li 00 be employed at L20 profit. That wonderful things are
iaid of the gains by trade in Sir Thomas Grefham's time, when for
every Lioo employed in trade, it was returned again at the end of the
year, with 200 or L300 more of profit, divided between the cufi:oms of
the crov/n and the merchants ; thougli at this time, perhaps 20 or 30
per cent is all that is fo divided ; but then, for every Li 00 then employ-
ed, there is probably Lioco now employed in commerce: and confe-
quently, for every Lioo fo gained in thofe times, there is at leafl
l.iooo gained in our days. Thus, when the African or Guinea trade
was laid open on paying 10 per cent to the company, if, from that
time ten fliips were employed in it for every one that had been em-
ployed by that company ; if, in the open trade, thefe ten fliips on
Liooo could divide 30 per cent between themfelves and the cuftoms,
and the company's one fliip before divided Lioo between them and the
cufioms, yet the ten fhips are much more beneficial to the nation, be-
caufe they employ ten times as many perfons, and carry out ten times
as many manufadures, as the company's one fhip did. This is a very
important remark for the confideration of legiflators.
After fo long and fo expenfive a war, but jufl; ended, wherein alfo
there had been very great lofles by captures of fo many of our rich
merchant fhips, it gave foreign nations a high idea of the wealth and
grandeur of England, to fee two millions fi:erling money fubfcribed
for in three days time : and had the books been kept open longer, there
were perfons ready to have fubfcribed as much more: for though higher
proofs have fince appeared of the great riches of the nation, becaufe
our wealth is very vifibly and much increafed fince that time, yet till
theii there had never been fo illuftrious an inflance of England's opu-
lence. This, however, was undoubtedly owing in a great meafure to
the legal eftabliilmient of our free conftitution by the acceflion of King
William and CKieen Mary to the throne, whereby a firm confidence in
the public faith was efiablifhed on a folid bafis. For before this moft
happy and folid fettlement of our conftitution, whereby the precife li-
mits of the royal prerogative, as well as of the fubjed's rights, were af-
certained, and abfolutely eflabliflred, by the ever-memorable law, named
the Declaration of rights, the crown, in fpite of the old Magna charta,
and the law of King James I againfi; monopoUes in 1 624, &c. conftant-
ly pretended to the right of granting exclufive privileges and charters,
though, neverthelefs, frequently and ftrenuoufly oppofed, and fome-
times fuccefsfuUy, by upright judges and juries. Yet, till this glorious
epocha of liberty, the Eaft-India, African, and Hudfon's-bay, compa-
nies, with joint flocks, as well as the regulated companies, as they are
ufually called, tra4ing without a. common ftock, viz. the merchant -ad-
A. D. 1698. 6()()
venturers, Turkey, and Eaftland, companies, though none of them were
legally eftabliilied by ad of parliament, (as the Rufiia company was by
the 8th of Queen Elizabeth) all of them, neverthelcfs, prefumed fo far
upon their royal charters, as to give great diflurbance to, and often to-
tally to obftrud, the feparate and independent traders, whom they
thought fit to fligmatize with the opprobrious appellation of interlopers.
This therefor was, properly, the firfl legally-exclufive mercantile com-
pany of England with a joint flock. Necelhty, however, was the main
inducement with the government to pafs this law, 8 per cent being, in
thofe times of difficulty, reckoned but a moderate interefl ; tallies, &c.
being flill at a confiderable difcount, though they foon after got up to
par.
This law, then, having empowered the king to incorporate all the
lubfcribers into one exclufive community, named the general fociety
trading to the Eaft-Indies, their charter was dated on the 3d of Sep-
tember, 1 698 ; and on the 5th of that month, he incorporated them
as one joint-ftock exclufive company, and their fucceflbrs, by the name
of t/je Englifl} company trading to the Ecj/l-Indies, with the cufiomary
privileges of having a common feal, of making bye laws, of fuing and
being fued, of purchafing an undetermined quantity of lands, 8fc. And
with this remarkable claufe, (which proved the means of afterwards
uniting the old and new Eafl-India companies) viz. that all corporations
and perfons who fhould derive any right or title from any of the faid
fubfcribers, or their fuccefix)rs, fliould be eileemed members of this
new company, and be received and admitted as fuch, gratis. That this
company might augment their capital fl:ock. That members, at their
admiffion, fhould take an oath of fidelity to the flock-company, and
fhould not trade to India on their private account. L500 to entitle
them to one vote in general courts, and none to have more than one
vote. That this new company might eftablifli the lame courts of judi-
cature as the old company had power to do by King James IPs charter ;
fhould maintain a minifler and fchoolmafler at St. Helena, and in every
fort and fuperior factory ; as alio a chaplain in every fhip of 500 tons
and upwards. That one tenth part of their whole annual exports to
India fliould be in Engliib produd and manufactures *.
No fooner was this new company ereded, than great and obvious dif-
ficulties and objections were ftarted againft their proceeding to trade
during the three years remaining to the old company, who were in pof-
feflion of the forts and of the privileges granted in India by the moguls,
&c. And even though the new company fhould wait till michaelmas
1 70 1, when they would have the exclufive trade, the old one was, ne-
verthelcfs, ftill at liberty to difpole of their forts, fettlements, factories,
* The reft of it is immateri::!, or t'lfe a repetition of wliat is alrtrdy mentioned. ^
4 4 T 2
/oo A. D. 1698.
&c. at their own price, as not being reftrained by the a6l: of parliament
from felling them even to foreigners *. Nor were they by this ad ab-
folutely dilTolved at the end of the three years, feeing their eftate is
thereby made liable to pay all their debts, which could'not be effec^d
within the limits of thofe three years. Moreover, the old company had
artfully lubfcribed L3 1 5,000 into the new flock in the name of Mr.
John Dubois, their treafurer, whereby they were poHefred of above one
feventh part^ of the whole new capital of two millions. To confirm
which pofleilion, they obtained an acl of the next feffion of parliament,
importing, that, in confideration of the old company having direded
Mr. Dubois to fubfcribe the faid fum in truft for them, they fhould
continue a corporation, fubjecl, neverthelefs, to be determined upon
redemption of the fund aforefaid : which, being deemed a private acl:,
is not printed in the ftatute-book. It is intitled, an A&. for continu-
ing the old company, (called the governor and company of merchants
of London trading to the EaiVlndies) a corporation till the redemption
of the faid two millions.
In all this very material affliir, there certainly was a ftrange jumble
of inconfiflencies, contradidions, and difficulties, not eafily to be ac-
counted for in the condud of men of judgement, unlefs they were pur-
pofely fo intended for the fervice of the old company. For it occafion-
ed a world of trouble afterwards to the new company, as will be feen,
as far as is needful, in its proper place. And indeed the miniftry were
feverely handled in fundry virulent pamphlets of that time. As, ifi,
that three years before one company could be diflblved, a new company
ihould be eftablilhed, with power to commence an immediate trade
where they had no jufl right till three years after. 2dly, to fuffer the
old company to fubfcribe fo confiderable a part of the new capital,
whereby they were enabled to trade feparately from the new one, which
was m efFedt eftabUihing two rival companies at once, befides the fepa-
rate traders, who ftill continued to acT: by themfelves. 3dly, after the
old company's three years fliould be expired, of what ufe could their
forts, factories, lands, buildings, &c. be to them. Thefe, and other
difficulties and abiurdities, might be enlarged on, were it neceflary, af-
ter dwelling fo long on this matter already. A coalition, therefor, of
thofe two companies feemed to be the only effedual expedient. For
luch was, at this time, the force of party in a matter, which, one would
think, fjiould be of no party, that thofe two companies had divided ai-
moft the whole kingdom into the two oppofite parties, of the old and
new companies, the former generally favoured by the tory party, and
the new one by the whigs. And in this condition we will leave theni
tor a little while, for the fake of the chronological order of our hif-
tory.
* A moll iiii'iccoiintable mid ike, if not rather intentionally done. ^.
A. D. 1698. 701-
It was about this time that the king of France made his greateft ef-
forts for fea-dominion, or a fupcrior naval flrength : and it cannot be
denied, that he took very wife meafures for that end. He erected aca-
demies for mathematical ftudies, aad for making expert engineers, bom-
bardiers, fliip-builders, and navigators ; and he divided all his fea-coafts
into departments, over which he placed proper intendants, who kept
exad lifts of all feafaring people, obliging them by turns to ferve in the
royal navy for a limited term of years. By fuch meafures, he appeared
quickly on the Ocean with a formidable navy, whereby for a while he
bade defiance to both the antient maritime powers. Yet in the end he
was effectually convinced, that they had Itill an advantage over him on
the watery element, after he had contracted an immenle debt on that
fcore : and that, as all monarchies, as well as individuals, have certain
limits in point of powder and expenfe, he muft either quit his new pro-
jedt of giving law on tlie Ocean, or elfe abandon his grand projeds of
eonquefts on the land by his vaft armies. The later he could not think
of giving up, and therefor he was forced to drop the former. So that,
towards the dole of his reign, his navy w-as permitted to decline very
much : yet his fuccellbr has fince attempted both again, with as little
or lefs reafon, and even with much lefs fuccefs, all things being duely
confidered.
This year Louis XIV ereded a new exclufive company for 50 years,
named the royal company of St. Domingo, not only for the great ifland
of Hifpaniola, (the weft' end of which he had feized on and planted,
though never as yet yielded to him by Spain in any treaty) but for all
the other Weft-India"^ iflands he laid claim to. This grant was confirm-
ed in 1 7 16.
The luftring company now obtained an ad of parliament, the pre-
amble of which fets forth, that the company have, with great labour
and charge, brought that raanufadure to perfedion : but that, by reafon
of the fraudulent importation of foreign alamodes and luftrings, they
have not enjoyed the benefit intended them by the royal charter, but
have wafted their time and flock in contending with many difficulties
and obftrudions. And it now^ appearing that the manufadure cannot
be conduded, and fecured to England, by any other means than by
eftablilhing an exclufive company for the fame, it was enaded, that the
faid company be a perpetual corporation, with the ufual powers, &c.
of a body-poHtic, as in their charter, and that they enjoy the fole ufe,
exercife, and benefit of making, drelling, and luftrating, plain black
alamodes, renforcez, and luftrings, in England and Wales, for fourteen
years. [9, 10 Gul. Ill, c 43.] But the falhion changed', new fabrications
drove out thofe pretty and glolfy filks ; and the company ran out their "
ftock, and were quite broke up before the expiration of their exclufive
term, which therefor was not renewed.
702 A. D. 1698.
The Dutch Eaft-Tndia company's charter of privileges was this year
renewed by the flates-general for 40 years ; which gave that company
great encouragement and weight for carrying on their commerce to
India.
The Enghfh feparate traders to Guinea and other parts of the weft
coaft of Africa, called interlopers by the royal African company, having
a great advantage over that company by being at no part of the ex-
penfe efforts, governors, fadors, and other fervants, on that coaft, had
by this time fo far fupplanted them in the negro trade, that they were
rendered unable any longer to fupport their forts, &c. without the aid
of the legiflature. An a6l of parliament was therefor pafTed in their
behalf; the preamble whereof fets forth, that as thofe forts and caftles,
which are undoubtedly neceflary for the prote6hon of that trade, have
hitherto been maintained at the fole expenfe of the company, it is moft
reafonable, that all who trade to that coaft Ihould contribute to the
fupport of them: wherefor, it was enadled, that, for enabling the com-
pany to fupport and maintain the faid forts and fadlories, all the king's
fubjeds, as well of England, as America, trading to the coaft of Africa
between Cape Mount and the Cape of Good Hope, as well as the faid
company, ftiould pay 10 per cent ad valorem for all the goods and mer-
chandize, which they fliould export to that coaft, either from England or
from America. They fliould pay alike 10 per cent outward, and alfo
10 per cent homeward, on all goods fliipped from or to England or
Americft, to and from any part of that coaft between Cape Blanco and
Cape Mount, (but redwood ftiould only pay 5 per cent) negroes except-
ed. Gold and filver brought from any part of that coaft ftiould pay no
duty at all, but might be freely landed without entry. And feparate traders
(now no longer to be called interlopers) ftiould enjoy equal protedion
and afliftance at thofe forts with the company's own ftiips and people ;
and they might even, at their own coft, fettle factories and do all other
matters there which the company might do. [g, 10 Gul. Ill, c. 26.]
Thus a trade, wdiich had befoi-e been virtually open, was now made
legally fo ; and, at that time, in every one's judgement, much to the be-
nefit of the nation, more efpeci ally with relation to the commerce to
our fugar colonies : for it was confefled by all, that the feparate traders
had confiderably reduced the price of negroes to our fugaj-planters ;
and, confequently, had fo far the better enabled them to underfell
our rivals. Yet we Ihall hereafter fee, that the provifton made by this
law, which was to endure for thirteen years, could not effedually fup-
port the royal African company, w^lio had the management of this
duty, which, in the end, was abfolutely reduced to nothmg.
In the meantime, the company proceeded to trade on their own bot-
tom, by borrowing money by their fealed bonds ; and made calls on
their members to the amount of Li 80,000 by way of additional ftock,
A. D. 1698. 703
in hopes to find the parliament looner or later inclinable to grant them
an exclufive trade ; tor which end they petitioned Queen Anne, in the
year 1707, though without effect.
London at this time abounded with new projects and Ichemes, pro-
mifing mountains of gold: there were alio fundry rational new projeds
introduced, moftly by the French proteftant refugees ; the chief of thofc
projedors was one Dupin, who was inftrumental in advancing the ma-
nufadures of fine Unen, thread, tapes, lace, &c. and of fine white writ-
ing paper. He pretended, that the court of France was fo much alarm-
ed at his firft fetting on foot the paper manufadure, that Barillon, the
French ambaffador at London, obftruded it to his utmoft, and enticed
the chief of our workmen into France, from the paper mills in England.
But with refped to the linen manufadure, more efpecially in the Ibuth
parts of England, it is probable it will never prove very fuccefsful ;
neither, perhaps, is it for England's benefit that it fhould fucceed there,
fince it might not a little interfere with our antient and noble woollen
manufadures, and alfo with the iilk and fteel ones, by diverting our
workmen therefrom ; fince, in the opinion of many, the fowing of much
flax in England, and the negled of the woollen manufadure, which
would inevitably follow, might probably lower the price of lands; as,,
obfervers fay, it requires about twenty acres of land to breed wool for
fetting on work the fame number of hands which one acre of flax would,
employ : and yet, in the end, the woollen manufadure will be found to
employ by far the greatefl; number of hands, and yield the mofl: profit
to the public, as well as to the manufidurers. That even in the linen
manufadures of Holland, the Dutch have only the eafieft and mofl; pro-
fitable part thereof, viz, the weaving and whitening of it; for it is laid,,
that mofl; of the yarn is fpun in Germany, Pruflla, &c. where the
people, being poor, can fpin cheaper than the people of Holland or
England can do. But in coimtries where labour and lands are cheap,
as in Scotland and Ireland, the linen manufadure has been found to be
profitable to the community. The farther planting of the new colonies
in America, with fuch projeds at home as iniurance offices, faltpetre
works, copper-mines, penny-poft projed, and many more, were now
much in vogue : ' fo have I feen,' fays the author of an Eflay on pro-
jeds,. printed in the preceding year, ' fliares ot joint-flocks, and oilier
' undertakings, blown up by the air of great words, and the name of
* fome man of credit concerned, to perhaps Lico for one five hundredth
' part or fhare, and yet at lafl dwindle to nothing.' Writers about this
time complain heavily, ' that the Royal exchange of London was crowd-
*' ed with projeds, wagers, fairy companies of newnlanufadu^^s and in-
' vention.s, ftock-iobbers, &c. To that very Toon after this time, the
* tranfading of this airy trade of jobbing was juftiy removed from off"
704 A. D. 1698.
* the Royal exchange into the place called Exchange-alley, where It is
' Hill carried on *.'
This year the houfe of peers addre fled King William to difcourage
the woollen manufa6lures of Ireland, the increafe of which had given
umbi-age to the people of England : and to encourage the linen manu-
fadure of that kingdom, purfuant to an ad of parliament in 1696, al-
ready mentioned ; which has fince been brought to great perfection in
that kingdom. The houfe of commons likewife addreffed the king to
induce the people of Ireland to cultivate the joint intereft of both king-
doms ; and that, as Ireland is dependent on, and proteded by, England,
the Irifli would be content to apply themfelves to the linen manufadure;
whereby they would enrich themfelves and be beneficial to England at
the fame time ; both which points have fince been effeded in a great
meafure.
The French now began a fettlement at the mouth of the river Milli-
fippi in the Spanifh province of Florida ; fince grown up to be a confi-
derable French colony. Their main intention herein, as has fince
plainly appeared, being to open a communication from thence to their
colony of Canada, thereby to hem in the Englifli colonies, fo as to en-
grofs the whole Indian trade to themfelves.
Before we leave this year, it may not be amifs to take notice of what
D'Avenant has remarked concerning the increafe of the people of Eng-
land, in the fecond part of his Difcourfes on the public revenues and
trade of England, (publifhed in this year,/). 196, odavo) vi^. 'that there
' are almoft undeniable reafons to be drawn from political arithmetic,
' that, fince the year 1600, we are increafed in number of inhabitants
' about 900,000, which could not be, if the plantations were fuch a
■' drain of the people, as is injurious to the commonwealth.'
We cannot forget two good flatutes of this feflion for the benefit of in-
land commerce. The firfi; was for determining differences by arbitration,
whereby merchants, traders, and others, defiringto end any controverfy
(for which there is no other remedy but by perfonal adion or fuit in
equity) by arbitration, might agree the fubmiffion of their fuit to the
award of any perfon or perlons, which fhould be made a rule of any
court of record ; by which agreement, fo made and inferted in their
fubmiffion, the parties fhould be finally concluded by fuch arbitration.
[9, 10 Gul. Ill, c. 15.
The otlier, for the better payment of inland bills of exchange, enads,
that all bills of exchange, drawn in England, for L5, or upward, to any
other place in England, and payable at a certain number of days, weeks,
or months, after date, fl:iall, after prefentation and acceptance, which ac-
* From Change-alley tlie trade in government funds lias again removed to a buildinp;, erefled by a
fubfcription among the (lock-brokers, called the (lock-exchange: and a great part of it is alfo traiifac";-
ed in the bank. M.
A. D. 1698. 705
ceptance fliall be by under-writing the fame under the party's hand fo
accepting. And after the expiration of three days after the bill fliall
become due, the party to whom the bill is made payable, his fervant,
agent, or afligns, may, and (hall caufe the bill to be protefted by a notary
public, or any other fubflantial perfon of the city, town, or place, in the
prefence of two or more credible witneffes, refufal or negled being firfl
made of due payment, which proteft fliall be made and written under
a fair-written copy of the fiiidbill, fignifying, that I, A. B. on the
day of , at the ufual place of abode of thefaid C. D. have demand-
ed payment of the bill of which this is a copy ; which the faidC. D. did
not pay : wherefor I the faid A- B. do hereby proteft the faid bill. Dated
at this day of . Which proteft fhall, within fourteen days after,
be fent, or otherwife due notice fhall be given thereof, to the party from
whom the bill was received, and who, upon producing fuch proteft, fhall
repay the bill, together with intereft and charges : and, on default of
fuch proteft, (for which Gd only fhall be paid) or due notice, the perion fo
failing fliall be liable to all cofts, damages, and intereft, acruing there-
by : provided, that if any fuch bill be loft or mifcarried within the time
limited for payment, the drawer fhall be obliged to give another bill ;
the perfon to whom it is fent giving fecurity, if demanded, to the drawer,
to indemnify him, in cafe the loft bill fhall be found again. [9, 10
Gul. Ill, c. 17.]
Private and fallacious lotteries were at this time become general, not
only in London, but in moft other great cities and towns of England,
whereby the lower people, and the fervants and children of good families,
were defrauded : an aft of parliament was therefor pafTed, for fupprefs-
ing fuch lotteries ; even though they might be fet up under colour of
patents or grants under the great feal, fuch grants or patents, againft the
common good, welfare, and peace, of the kingdom, being void, and
againft law ; and a penalty of L500 was laid on the proprietors of any
fuch lotteries, and of L20 on every adventurer in them. [10, 11 Gul.
///,r. 17.]
1699. — During the unfettled times of the Eaft-Tndia trade, the old
Eaft-lndia company's ftock, by the management of ftock-jobbers, had,
in about nine or ten years pafl, been fold on the exchange at from 300
per cent down to 37 per cent.
Captain Dampier, in the king's fliip the Roebuck, having failed upon
new difcoveries, after various adventures found that the eaftermoft part
of New Guinea did not join to the continent, but was, in fad, an ifland,
which he therefor called New-Britain.
Complaints being ftill loud concerning the wool and woollen manu-
factures of Ireland exported into foreign parts ; and that even thofe of
our North-American plantations began to be likewiie exported to fo-
reign markets, formerlv fupplied by England ; a law was thereupon
Vol. ir. ' 4 U
yo6 A. D. 1699.
made to prevent the exportation of wool out of the kingdoms of Ireland
and England into foreign parts ; and for the encouragement of the
Englifli woollen manufadures. Whereby, I) No wool, nor manufac-
tures of wool, were to be exported from Ireland to any part of the world,
but to England, and only to the ports of Biddeford, Barnflaple, Mine-
head, Bridgewater, Briflol, Milfordhaven, Chefler, and Liverpool ; and
only from the Irifli ports of Dublin, Waterford, Youghall, Kingfale,
Cork, and Drogheda, under forfeiture of fhips and cargoes, and alio of
L500 penalty. The like penalties were alfo inflidled on thofe who fhould
carry wool or woollen manufadures * of the Englifli plantations in Ame-
rica, by land or water, to any place out of the king's dominions. [10,
II Gu/. Ill, c. 10.]
Dr. Gemelli, who returned this year from his fix years travels round
the globe, treating of the Portuguefe conquefl;s in Eafl India, obferves,
that the remains of thofe conquefts are fo very inconfiderable as fcarce-
ly to defray their own expenfe. At Goa, they have that fmall ifland,
with three or four other inconfiderable ones near it. On the north
coaft, the fortrefi^es of Daman, Bazaim, and Chaul. In the kingdom of
Guzarat, they have Diu. Near China, the iflands of Timor, Solor, and
the colony of Macao, fubject to China. In Africa, they have Angola,
Sena, Sofala, Mozambique, and Mombaza; many in number, but of no
great value.
The admiflion to the freedom of the Englifli Ruflia company was
made more eafy by an ad [10, 11 Gul. Ill, c. 6] which direded,that af-
ter lady-day 1699 every fubjecl defiring admiflion into that fellowfliip
fliould pay no more than L5 for the llime. The commiflioners of the
cuftoms were alfo required to lay before both houfes of parliament an-
nual accounts of all naval fiores, imported from Ruflia into England.
Though no reafon is afligned for this order, it is more than probable,
that the legiflature had in their thoughts the encouragement of the im-
portation of naval fiores from our American plantations.
By another ftatute, [fame ftffion, c. 25] feveral regulations were made
concerning the Newfoundland trade and fiftiery : fuch as, its being made
perfedly free for all fubjeds alike to trade thither, and to fifli on its
banks : that the firfl fifliing fliip arriving at any of the harbours or
creeks of Newfoundland fliall be deemed admiral there for that feafon :
the fecond fliip fo arriving fliall be vice-admiral ; and the third fliall
be rear-admiral. Thofe three admirals fliall have power to decide con-
troverfies concerning places or ftations in harbours, ftages, cook-rooms,
&.C. there. Moreover, every bye-boat-keeper there fliall carry with him
two frefli men in every fix, viz. one that hath made but one voyage,
and one that never was at fea before. And every inhabitant fliall em-
* This is the fnfl. mention in the ftatute book of woollen manufaflures in the American colonies. A,
A. D. 1699. 707
ploy two fuch frefh men for every boat kept by him. Alio every
mafter of a filhing fhip ftiall carry with him one that never was at fea
before, for every five men he fliall carry. And, for the prefervation of
timber on the ifland of Newfoundland, no perfon fhall rind any of the
trees, nor fhall fet on fire any of the woods, &c.
Though the poft-office revenue of England be not accountable annu-
ally to the parliament, as other branches are, it being properly part of
the private revenue of the crown ; yet (as has been elfewhere obferved)
that revenue being a kind of politico-mercantile pulfe, whereby to judge
of the increale or decreafe of the nation's general commerce, we fl^iall
here therefor obferve, that in a printed letter to a member of parlia-
ment, concei-ning the debts of the nation, (publifhed in 1 701) the net
revenue of the poft-office for the year 1699 is faid to have been
L90,504 : 10 : 6 *.
By D'Avenant's reports to the commiflioners of accounts, [anno
1 71 2, part ii, />• 71] there was exported from England this year, to all
parts, - - - L6,788, 1 66
Whereof in our woollen manufadures to the value of 2,932,292
This authentic view of the vaft importance of our woollen manufac-
ture exported highly merits the conftant remembrance of the public,
being confiderably above two fifth parts of our whole exports.
The judicious Mr. Wood alfo, In his Survey of trade, [/>. 46] tells us,
that in the year 1662 the total exports from England were L2,022,8i2
Ditto anno 1699, as per D'Avenant - 6,788,166
Vaft increafe of our exports fince 1662 - 4,765,334
Several authors think that the value of all the wool ftiorn annually in
England may amount to - - L2,ooo,ooo
The manufaduring whereof is computed to coft - 6,000,000
And that, when manufadured, its total value is in-
creafed to - - - 8,000,000
Of which many fince that time think we annually export near one
* While the correfpondence of England pro- * bcit, after deliberation, gave up the grant, as
duced a confiderable revenue (which however is here ' thinking it difadvantagcous.' The revenue
over-rated) to the fovereign, tliat of Scotland ap- ariling to government from the portages of Scot-
pears to have been unable to fupport its own ex- land foon became confiderable. In our own times
penfe. ' In 1698, Sir Robert Sinclair of Steven- it has been very great ; and of late years it has in-
' fon had a grant froin King William of the whole creafed prodigioufly. See Mr. Creech's letter in
• revenue of the poft-office of Scotland, with a pen- the Statijlkal account of Scotland, V. ii, p. 586. M-
' fion of L300 a-year, to keep up the port. Sir Ro-
4 U 2
7o8 A. D. 1699.
half; more efpecially fince the late increafed demand from our own
American plantations *.
1700. — The king of France at this time ereded a new council of
commerce, confiftingof his principal minifters of ftate and finances, and
of twelve of the principal merchants of his kingdom, viz. two of Paris,
and ten from the cities of Rouen, Bourdeaux, Lyons, Marfeille, Rochelle,
Nantes, St. Malo, Lifle, Bayonne, and Dunkirk ; to meet at leaft once
in every week, for treating of all commercial matters, as well by land
as by fea, at home and beyond fea: to receive propofals, fchemes, peti-
tions, &c. and to determine commercial controverlies : alfo to encourage
works, manufadures, &c. The twelve merchants to be annually eleded
by the magiftrates of the cities.
From the very firft ere6lion of this famous new council, or board of
commerce, we have good ground to date the great and almoft furprif-
ing increafe of the comnieixe, woollen manufacture, mercantile fhip-
ping, and foreign colonies, of France.
The wear of Indian wrought filks, ftuffs, and calicoes, was become fo
univerAtl in England at this time, and the complaints thereof fo loud,
that it was now thought high time to remedy fo great an evil. The
preamble to the ftatute obferves, that the continuance of the trade to
the Eaft-Indies, in the fame manner and proportions as it hath been for
two years lafl; pad, muft inevitably be to the great detriment of the
kingdom, by exhaufting the treafure thereof, melting down the coin,
and taking away the labour of the people, whereby very many of the
manufacturers of this nation are become exceflively burdenfome and
chargeable to their refpedlive pariflies, and others are thereby compelled
to feek for employment in foreign parts. This grievance was greatly
heightened by the double importations by two Eaft-India companies,
which raifed a great clamour in Spitalfields, Norwich, Canterbury, Co-
ventry, &c. whereby alfo a double quantity of filver was exported ta
India.
A flatute was therefor pafTed for more effectually employing the poor,
by encouraging the manufactures of this kingdom, enacting, that from
michaelmas 1701 all wrought fdks. Bengals, and fluffs, mixed with
filk or herba, of the manufacture of Perfia, China, or Eaft-India ; and
alfo all calicoes, printed, painted, dyed, or flained, there, fhould be lock-
ed up in warehoufes appointed by the commifhoners of the cuftoms, till
re-exported ; fo as none of the faid goods fhould be worn or ufed, in
cither apparel or furniture, in England, on forfeiture thereof, and alfo
* From a paper in the phtlnji.ph'ual IranfaBions, concerning the affairs of Scotland, written in tlie
\_V, xxi, ^. 230] it appears that a vefftl which was year 1698, the Scots and the Venetians feem to-
thought ' a large ihip,' V as built at Invernefs for have been then on friendly teinis. In the thir»
the fcrvice of Venice. The wiiter dees not fay, teenth century a French ncLleman had a fliip-
when Ihe was built ; but the paper is dated 1699 ; built at Invernefs, which for her bulk waseilecmed
iiiid from Fletcher of Saltoun's fecond difcourfe wonderful. [M. Piirisjf. 771, «/. 164c.] M..
A. D. 1700. 709
of L200 penalty on the perfon having, or felling, any of them, [ir,
12 Gul. III,c. 10.]
This wholefonie law greatly revived the drooping fpirits of our own
lilk. and (luff manufacturers.
By another ftatute of this feflion [c. 11] for making the laws more
effedlual againft the importation of foreign bone-lace, needle-work, &c..
they were again to be re-admicted three months after the prohibition of
the Englifli woollen manufadures in Flanders fliould be taken off. The
prohibition of our woollen manufadures in Flanders, which was found-
very detrimental to us, was occafioned by our prohibition of their lace,
&c. wherefor we were now obliged to repeal that law, in order that our
woollen manufadures might be re-admitted into Flanders.
The ftates of the United Netherlands, and the proteftant princes of
Germany, now adopted the new ftile in all their deeds, ads, &c.
An ad was pafl'ed [11, 12 Gul. Ill, c. 20] whereby our own woollen-
manufadures, corn, and grain, of all kinds, as alfo meal, malt, pulfe,,
and bread, were exempted from paying any duty on exportation.
In the month of November 1700 King Charles II of Spain departed
this life. The French king had managed that weak prince's will abio-
lutely in favour of his grandfon the duke of Anjou, and thereupon feiz-
ed on the entire Spanifh monarchy, without regarding the lafl partition
treaty. Hereby the greateft part of Europe was juflly alarmed, and
moll efpecially the emperor, England, and Holland. By Louis's feiz-
ing on Milan, and other imperial fiefs in Italy, the emperor and empire-
were nearly concerned. By his feizing on the Spanifh Netherlands the
Dutch were deprived of a barrier againft France. And by his pofief-
fion of Spain itfelf, both England's and Holland's great commerce in
the Mediterranean lay much at his mercy, as did alfo their Weft-India
commerce, by his difpatching ftiips of war to take pofleffion of the
Spanifh dominions in America. Yet both England and Holland found
themfelves obUged fo far to temporize, as at firft to recognize his grand-
fon for king of Spain, being as yet in no condition to oppofe his title,
or openly to fltvour, what was more for their intereft, the claim of the
houle of Auftria to the Spanifh monarchy. This grand event occafioned
much terror in England, and the prices of the national funds and pub-
lic ftocks were fo deeply afFeded thereby, as to fink fo low as 50 per-
cent, whereby great diflrefs enfued to many ; and, on the other hand,
it afforded great advantages to the monied men. Thereby alfo the ere--
dit of the bank of England was much fiiaken for a time.
This year King William concluded a dcfenfive treaty with King
Charles XII of Sweden, for 18 years : ftipulating, in fubfhmce, not to
fhelter the rebellious fubjeds of each other : to affift each other, when
attacked, with 6000 auxiliary foot foldiers : and that, neverthelefs,
either party might lawfully carry on commerce with the country witlu
•yio A. D. 1700.
which the other might be at war, and againll whom the faid auxiUary
forces may have been fent.
lyoi — There were two particular points in the acft for fettUng the
Eaft-India trade, which proved extremely embarraffing, viz.
The leave given to all corporations (the bank of England excepted)
to fubfcribe in their corporate capacity ; whereby the old Eaft-India
company got into the new one in the manner already related : and the
infertion of the words, ' or any', after the word ' all', in the claufe giv-
ing the king a power to incorporate the contributors into a joint-flock
company, which left room for fome of the contributors of the general
fociety (as proved adually the cafe) to decline coming into the new
joint-ftock company, and inftead thereof, to go on as feparate traders to
India.
Both thofe difficulties might eafily have been prevented, efpecially
the firft, feeing an equivalent might have been afligned to the old com-
pany for their forts, privileges, &c. and the feparate traders might alfo
have been bought off, they amounting only to Ly.aoo principal, with
their annual fund of L576 at 8 per cent, who chofe, by virtue of that
adt, to trade folely and feparately : whereby the capital ftock of the
new corporation was in fad but Li, 992, 800, and their annual fund but
Li59,424. Thefe feparate traders afterwards gave much trouble to the
new company, till by a law of the next reign an end was put to them,
and both companies confolidated into the prefent united company of
merchants of England trading to the Eaft-Indies.
This year the contefl between the two Eaft-India companies became
exceedingly hot, it being about the time that a new parliament was to
take place ; and both companies ftrove to gain the court, as well as the
new members of the houfe of commons. The fpirit of this time may
in fom.e meafure be feen, by many warm pamphlets then publiftied ;
fuch as, ' the Freeholders plea againft flock -jobbing of eledions of par-
' liament-men, quarto, 1701 :' ' the Villainy of ftock-jobbers deteded,
' &c. quarto, 1701 ;' and many more. And at the two coffeehoufes
near the Royal exchange, which ftill retain the names of Garraway's and
Jonathan's, affairs were in thofe pamphlets made fo important, as to be
laid then to prepare and dired the greateft bufinefs of the nation. The
two companies were at this time reckoned to have no fewer than 60
fliips at fea ; and great was the emulation at their public fales. Thefe
conliderations made the government fee the abfolutc neceflity of com-
pofing their fierce contentions by a coalition, which was at length com-
plied with, though not formally concluded in King William's reign.
We may now fee, how great a progrefs the French council of com-
merce had made, in about one year after their eftablifhment, in the
knowlege of the true commercial interefts of France. And as it will
difplay their great judgement, zeal, and diligence for the improvement
A. D. 1 701. 711
of their commerce and colonies, it will, at the ilime time, afloid us very
ufefiil and interefling hints and notices, for putting us on our guard
againfl the growing commerce of fo adive and enterprifing a people.
' They juflly remark, that the commerce to Guinea has fo clofe a rc-
' lation to that of their Weft-India ifles, that the later cannot fubfift
' without the former.
' By thofe trades we have deprived our competitors in traffic, of the
' great profits they drew from us*. And we may put ourfelves into a
' condition, by their example, to draw profit in our turn from them ;
' and efpecially from the Englifh.
' That we may incrcafc thofe trades confiderably, feeing that nation,'
(i. c. England) ' in their iflands, with lefs advantage than we, and in
' territories of lefs extent, as well as in much lefs time, have found
* means to employ annually above 500 fail of fliips, whilft vee fcarcely
' employ 1 00 in the fame trade.
* Every one is fenfible of the benefits of navigation ; and that the
' happinefs and glory of a ftate very much depend on it. No one is ig-
' norant, that the navigation of France owes all its increafe and fplen-
' dour to the commerce of its iflands, and that it cannot be kept up
' nor enlarged otherwife than by this conimerce, which is more bene-
' ficial than all others of the long voyages which are driven by the
' French ; becaufe carried on without the exportation of money, as well
* as without the aid of foreign goods and manufadlures ; fo as none
' but the fubjeds of France reap the profits of it f.'
Next follows a brief reprefentation of the prefent ftate of the French
American iflands, viz.
' I. The fmall ifland, with the terra firma, of Cayenne' (on the coaft
of Guiana) ' comes firft in view. Its coaft is about 60 leagues in ex-
' tent ; though not above 12 are inhabited : its foil is very good, and
* its fugars near equal to the white fugars of Brafil : it has not above
' 600 white people, and about 2000 negroes ; fo that this large trad of
' land is almoft uninhabited. And being fituated nearly in the parallel
' of the Moluccos, where the fine Ipices grow, it is believed it might be
' eafy to cultivate them there, and thereby fave the purchafing of them
' from the Dutch : the rather, in that the Portuguefe on this fide of
' the river of Amazons, in a fituation more diftant from the equinodial
' line, have cinnamon if.'
' 2. Granada is about 25 leagues in circuit. Its white inhabitants
' about 200, and negroes 600 : produces fugar, excellent indigo, cotton,
* Meaning our fugar, cotton, and ginger land will foon be fiifiicicnt to fupply the aflfortments
trade. ^. of linen-drapery for our Wtlt-India illands. yi.
\ The great linen manufacture of France en. J That cinnamon is a bailard kind, and worth
abled them to make thii icm:\rk. Ii is to be very little. j4.
hoped that the mannlaClures of Britain and Irc-
1
712 A. D. 1701.
&c. Its foil is good ; and the colony might be confiderably augment-
ed.'
' 3. Martinique is the principal colony : about 60 leagues in circuit;
has a good foil, abounding in fugar and cacao, with fome indigo, cot-
ton, &c. It had 'formerly 3500 men bearing arms, and 16,000 ne-
groes. It has three good harbours, fundry good roads for (hipping,
and two fmall unwalled towns, with a good fort at Cul-de-fac-royal.'
' 4. Guadaloupe has a pretty good foil, producing fine fugar, cotton,
and ginger. It is not peopled; though it had formerly 1500 men
bearing arms, and 8000 negroes.'
' 5. Marigalante has a pretty good foil, which produces fugar, indigo,
cotton, and ginger. It was taken in the laft war by the Englifh, who
afterwards abandoned it ; though it has not been able to recover itfelf,
having but three or four fugar plantations as yet.'
' 6. Santa-Cruz had formerly 600 men bearing arms, and many fu-
gar plantations. It was abandoned laft war, becaufe difficult to be
kept ; and its inhabitants tranfported to St. Domingo. Yet this is a
very good ifland, producing fugar, indigo, and cotton ; has a good
and fafe harbour, and a very good bafon for careening fliips.'
' 7, The laft colony 'of St. Domingo, or Hifpaniola ; about 500
leagues in circuit. The one half of it is poflefted by France, from
Cape Francois to the ifle of Vaches, and the Spaniards have the other
half. At Cape Franyois there is a good port, 900 men bearing arms,
and 2000 negroes. The diftrift of Leogane is confiderable : it is the
feat of the French governor and fovereign courts : it has 2000 men
bearing arms, and 15,000 negi-oes. Petit-guaves has a good port;
has 600 whites, and 2000 negroes. There are ferae other ifles, as Les
Saintes, St. Martin, and St. Bartholomew ; but of very Httle import-
ance, and almoft uninhabited.'
After reflections on thofe iflands being badly conduced by a com-
pany, and of the felfiflmefs, &c. of exclufive companies in general, they
add, ' it is not the Canada company's fiiult too, that that colony is not
' entirely ruined. It is' (fay they) ' a moft certain maxim, that no-
' thing but competition and liberty in trade can render commerce benefi-
' cial to the Jlate ; and that all monopolies or traffic, appropriated to com-
' panics exchifive of others, are inconceivably burdenfome and pernicious
' to it.' Next they condemn the ' Guinea company, as enhancing
' the price of negroes. And that, in time of war, (like the dog in the
' manger) they would neither carry negroes from Guinea themfelves,
' nor fuffer others fo to do, being poflefted of exclufive powers : that
' the many prizes, taken in the laft war from the Englifli, have ftiewn
' to France how rich and ufeful that commerce is. Wherefor they
' advife the abolition of all companies. Alfo to lower the duty on fu-
' gar, and permit French fliips to carry that commodity to foreign
A. D. I701. yi^
' ports diredly. About forty years ago' (i. e. about the year 1661) ' the
' French were little verfed in conimerce and navigation : it was there-
* for then thought neceflary to form companies, to engage them to
' flrike out tracks of commerce for the king's fubjeds, which then were
' unknown to them. Yet fuch exclufive grants ought only to be for a
' limited number of years*.' They go on to inveigh againft fuch
exclufive grants; as, ' ift, that to the port of Marfeille, for the
' fole trade to the Levant ; 2dly, the Eaft-India company ; 3dly,
' the prohibiting of foreign raw filk to be carried to Nilmes, Tours,
* Paris, &c. till it had palfed through Lyons ; thereby tending only to
' make it dearer; 4thly, divers firms of certain merchandize in trade,
' &c. deflruftive to the freedom of commerce.'
In treating of France's trade to Spain, we learn the vaft quantity of
merchandize of all kinds then carried thither. Concerning which coun-
try, they truely remark, ' that the Spaniards, who have within them-
felves wool, filk, oil, wine, with an excellent foil, producing many
things proper for the fuftenance of life, and for the eftablifliment of
noble manufactures, and are in no want of good ports, both in the
Ocean and Mediterranean, do, neverthelefs, negled: all thofe advan-
tages ; whence it follows, that they ftand in need of the ailiflance of
all other nations, who thereby exhauft them of their gold and filver,
and fetch away their raw materials for their own manufactures, as the
raw filk of Valencia, Granada, Murcia, &c. to France ; the wool of
Caflile, Arragon, Navarre, Leon, &c. to England, Holland, France,
and Italy, for the very manufactures with which they afterward fup-
ply Spain. That in return for the French manufactures, &.c. fhipped
for Cadiz, and thence in the galleons to Peru and Mexico, they have
cochineal, indigo, Vigonia wool, hides, &c. and, in peaceable times,
over and above, before the laft wars, they received in money a ba-
lance of eighteen or twenty millions of livres, and by the flotas feven
or eight millions more. But for fome years paft, fince the Englifh,
Dutch, Haniburghers, and others, have imitated fome of our manu-
factures, it is certain that our returns' (i. e. the balance in France's
favour) ' are reduce to a fmall matter. They wifli his Catholic ma-
jefty would lay afide entirely the Spanifh garb, and introduce French
fafliions, and abolifh the ufe of Engliflr bays, fo much worn in his do-
minions both in Europe and America, &c. for the benefit of France.'
In fpeaking of the French Levant trade, they fay, ' that the Englifli
carry on that trade to much more advantage than the French, their
woollen cloths being better and cheaper. The Englifli alio carry to
the Levant, lead, pewter, copperas, and logwood, which are goods
they are maflers of, together with a great deal of pepper ; and, that
* Several fuch arc, however, in force in Fiance to this day. jf.
Vol II. 4 X ■
714 A. D. 1)701.
they may not drain their country of its gold and filver, they aHo take
in dry fifh of their own catching, fugar of their own colonies, and
other goods of their own producft, which they fell on the coafts of
Portugal, Spain, and Italy, for pieces of eight, which they carry to
the Levant, to make up a ilock fufficient for purchafing their home-
ward cargoes. Upon this plan, it would be more advantageous for
France to permit her ports on the Ocean to carry on this trade dired-
ly to the Levant, without being obliged, ever fince the year 1669, to
unload at Marfeille on their return, on the pretence of preventing
their bringing in the plague, which has obliged them to relinquilh that
trade entirely. And by the edid of 1685, 20 per cent was laid on all
Levant merchandize imported, for preventing the weifern ports from
being fupplied therewith, as they before had been, from England and
Holland. Thus Marfeille alone thrives in this commerce, though by
its being a free port, by its nearer fituation to the Levant, and by a
fettled correfpondence there, it would always have advantages enough
over the ports of the Ocean, without the diftafteful and impolitically
exclufive trade.'
To this the deputy from Marfeille replied, ift, ' the towns on the
Ocean can neither in themfelves, nor in their neighbourhood, find
confumption for divers grofs merchandize which the Marfeille fliips
are obliged to take in for making up their lading. 2dly, the duty of
20 per cent was laid for preventing the Engiifti and Dutch Levant
goods from being run into France by the ports of Dunkirk and Rouen.
3dly, Marfeille has within itfelf and tlie neighbouring provinces all
kinds of manufactures and aObrtments proper for the Levant trade,
&c. To this the deputies from the ports on the Ocean replied, by de-
nying mofl of the allegations of Marfeille.' And fo the difpute end-
ed for that time. We have too much ground to lament the great in-
creafe of France's Levant commerce, and the decreafe of our Turkey
company's commerce fince that council's memorial.
This new board ftrther reprefented to the king's council, (after de-
claring, that it was in no derogation from nobility, (' noblefle') * to be
a wholefale merchant, though not a retailer ; and that gentlemen who
are merchants Ihould for the future in all afl^emblies precede other
merchants) ' that the appellation of merchant being too general and
' extenfive f , it is neceflary to fettle a diflindion ; and that thofe who
' trade by wholefale by fea or land be named negociants, and that re-
' tailers only be called merchants ; and no retailer to take the name of
* Nnhleffe in France includes not on'y tliofe whom we call noblemen, but alfo the gentry, y}.
\ Marchand, unlefs the fenfe be now narrowed by this new diftinftion, comprehends all deak'e,
from the highell to the lowell, e.g. marchand negociant, a merchant; manhand drap'ifr, a woollrn^
draper ; marchand d''oeufs, a higgler of eggs, yf.
A. D. 1701. 715
negociant under a pecuniary penalty, and a like penalty on mechanics
ftiling themfelves merchants.'
That board farther propofed, ' to take off the duty of 50 fols per
ton from the fliipping of the northern crowns, in order to allure them
to trade with France, on as advantageous a footing as the Dutch do,
who had that duty remitted by the peace of Rylwick. That the prin-
cipal end for laying on that duty, was to confine the coafling naviga-
tion to French Ihipping alone, which had before been wholely carried
on by foreign bottoms, much to the prejudice of France. But as it
alfo affefted the voyages of the Englifli and Dutch to France, thofe
two nations were obliged to lay a like duty on French fliips coming
into their ports.
' It was very provident in the Dutch to obtain the remiffion of that
duty, feeing by the French cuftom-houfe books it appeared that the
Dutch had polTeffion of almofl all the commerce from France to
thofe northern nations : that duty, before the Dutch were exempted,
yielding 700,000 Uvres yearly, but now only 100,000. That the mo-
derate duties in Holland give the Dutch confiderable advantages, as
does alfo their good hufbandry in their navigation, fcarcely imitable
by any other nation. Thereby do they retain navigation and trade
to themfelves, and get into their hands the effeds of other nations
felling thera again to great profit. By fuch methods they have made
their provinces the florehoufe of Europe, from whence other nations
are obUged to furniih themfelves. In brief, the Dutch having thus
made themfelves maflers of the inland trade of France, by the help
of the refugees, and by commillions from the new converts *, and
the fadors they have in all our ports, they there fell goods cheaper
than even the wholefale merchants of France can do, and are eriabled
to fupply the French retailers as well as the northern nations, with af-
fortments of goods. So that while this is the cafe, no wholefale bufi-
nefs can be managed by the French, nor any great commerce car-
ried on direclly between the French and the northern nations.
' For all which reafons this board propofes to fupprefs the duty of
50 fols per ton.
' Or elfe to prevent the entrance into France of all commodities of
the north, which {hall have been before landed in any other country,
and (hall not be brought hither diredly from the place of their growth
or manufadure. To this the deputies from Nantes replied, that the
Dutch trade to the Baltic was fo well fettled, that they will ever go-
vern the prices of all merchandize going to, or coming from, the
north. Becaufe, carrying thither their own manufadures and mer-
chandize, and efpecialiy their fpices, of which the northern people
* The proteftants of France wlio prof^s the catholic religion. A.
» 4X2
7i6 A. D. I 701.
are very fond, tliey can afford to take off the com, timber, iron, cop-
per, flax, hemp, &c. of the north at high rates, and yet they are ge-
nerally cheaper at Amfterdam than in the places they were brought
from, becaufe of the great gains they (the Amfterdammers) make
by the aflbrtments they carry to the north. And the Dutch com-
merce to Portugal is likewife on the fame footing. For thefe and fuch
reafons,' faid the Nantois, ' we fear we cannot depend on being re-
gularly fupplied with every thing diredly from the north. The Dutch,
moreover, take off very great quantities of our wines and brandies,
which they brew, mix, and fit, to the tafle of the northern people.
Thefe refledions apply not only to Holland, but alfo to Hamburgh,
which city is likewife a flaple or florehoufe for all the trade of the
north, and is ufually very helpful to us in taking off our commodities,
and in fupplying us with what we want. Another powerful reafon
is, the frequent alteration of our coin, which abfolutely prevents fo-
reigners from fending us their fhips and merchandize *.'
The other deputies replied, ' that it was plain, thofe of Nantes own-
ed the evils which the board complained of, particularly that the re-
tailers in France carry on a difadvantageous trade with the Dutch ;
and that it is certainly more fure and more profitable for us to fell
our goods at home, than to carry them to the northern people to fell.
In the firft: cafe, it is we who give the law ; in the other, we receive
it. No merchant is ignorant of the effeds of this difference, the one
being ever profitable, the other very uncertain and often very perni-
cious, and the common fource of bankruptcies.' They add a little
"urther : ' we have heretofore feen 5000 foreign fhips come into the
kingdom to take them off, but our being deprived of trade with the
Englifh, and our duty of 50 fols per ton, have interrupted this great
commerce f .' In farther anfwer to thofe of Nantes, the council ' dif-
allows, that corn and other commodities of the north are fold cheaper
in Holland than in the places from whence they are fetched. ' For,'
fay they, ' this never happens, but when the quantities imported into
Holland are fo large that they exceed the confumption or demand for
them : in this therefor,' fay they, ' there is nothing extraordinary,,
being the cafe everywhere elfe. As they plead only for having the
northern goods brought in alone, and diredtly from the places of their
growth and manufadure, without being firfl landed in any other
country, they cannot believe that the Dutch will, on France's mak-
ing fuch a regulation, iuffer above 4000 fhips, which they employ
* The blind policy of altering the national fenfible of the value of the carrying trade. But it
urrency has often been ruinous to France, which muft be acknovvleged that their arguments apply
>ught to be a lefTon to other nations to guard with greater force to perifhable goods (and luch
againft it with the ftritleft vigilance. Sec Le Blanc moll of the French commodities are) than to thofe
fur les morwyei Francoifcs. M. which can wait a leafonable time for a market. ^,
f This new board of trade were not Cufiiciently I
A. D. 1701. 717
' between France and the northern nations, to lie rotting in their ports :
' but rather than not be employed, will let them fetch the northern
' merchandize diredly from thence into the ports of France, as now
* propofed.'
Befides the faid objedions of the deputy of Nantes, he of Marfeille
urged, ' that the voyage from Dantzick, or even from Copenhagen, to
* Marfeille, is too long for a fhip to go and come with certainty in one
' feafon, confidering the ice and the long nights : and that therefor
* there is no avoiding the ufe of entreports,' (i. e. middle-way or half-
way ports) ' for the trade of Marfeille *.'
The deputy from Bayonne objeded, ' that their commerce with their
' neighbours of Spain could not be continued in competition with the
' Dutch, had they not the liberty offupplying themfelves from entre-
* ports at feafonable times, as they have occafion, with wax, cacao-
* nuts, &c.'
The deputy of Nantes, inter alia, farther replied, ' that it was to be
' feared this novelty may confirm the Englifli in their obftinacy of con-
* tinuing their high exclufive duties on French goods ; and that while
' that commerce fubfifted with England,' (for at this time the near ap-
proach of a war interrupted it), ' we conftantly furniflied them with
' the merchandize of France, to the value of many millions more than
* we confumed of theirs. He alfo farther urged agaiaft this propofed
' regulation the confideration, that the produdions of France are al-
* mofl all perifhable, and that therefor we cannot be too circumfped in
* cultivating a good underftanding with foreign nations, which furely is
* not to be done by prelcribing laws to them.'
The board juilly inveigh againft the pradice of their grand monarch,
* of granting monopolies or farms to particular perfons, to be the fole
' venders of certain commodities, as being mofl ruinous to trade.
' As, I) lead from England, which fupphed their own wants, and
* with which France alio iupplied Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland,
* the Levant, and the French Weft-Indies, granted folely, as to ihot,
' to one perfon.
' II) The Ible making, furnifliing, and diftributing, of faltpetre and
* gunpowder.
' III) Other monopolifts for provifions, &c. Thefe make themfelves
' mafters of all the good branches of, trade, by means of their privi-
* leges, to the great prejudice of the public. And we are of opinion,
' that it is for the good of the ftate to fupprefs them all : and to lay
' open thofe branches of trade, whereby our navigation will increafe,
* and the king will receive much more duties than thofe he gets by the.
* monopolies.'
* 'the dread of a long voyage from tlic north to the fouth parts of Europe contributed in a great-
tneafure to make Antwerp in former times the general magazine of Europe. ^.
7i8 A. D. 1 701.
Thus this otherwife-fagacious monarch, for the fake of an immediate
fum advanced by the monopohfts and farmers, occafioned incredible
hurt to many thoufands of famiUes, and the real lofs of much com-
merce to his kingdom : which pradice he neverthelefs continued to the
end of his life. The remainder of the memorial relates to the regula-
tion of their coin, aiid reducing the proportion of filver to gold to
the fame ftandard as in England and Holland : ' whereas in France it
' approaches too near to that in Spain ; which country, being the fource
* of filver, does not trouble itielf to ufe any arts to draw our coin
* thither ; befides that the Spaniards are always our debtors on account
* of the trade to the Weft-Indies.'
The proportions are,
' I) In England and Holland, 14II ; or near 15 marks of filver buys
' a mark of gold.
* II) In Spain, 16^ ditto.
' III) In France, i5tW» oJ" very near i5;j.'
Againft raifing the nominal value of their filver coin higher than is
contained in its intrinfic quantity of pure bullion, this board's realbn-
ings correfponded exadly with thofe of our great Locke about feven
years before. Upon the whole, their reprefentations to the royal coun-
cil are fo full of hiftorical matter, not only for the commerce of France,
but of England, Holland, Spain, Portugal, &c. that we could not ex-
cufe ourfelves from giving a complete, though compendious, account of
fo ufeful and entertaining a fubjefl.
We fliall here only farther remark, that, had the French afterwards
ftridly purfued all that is therein fo judicioufly laid down, they might
have been much more confiderable in commerce than they are even
now. But to this very day they have continued many monopolies and
exclufive grants, which the other commercial countries of Europe have
no reafon to find fault with ; and their court has alfo frequently, and
lometimes fliamefully, varied and enhanced the nominal value of their
coin beyond its intrinfic value, to ferve temporary expedients, though
to the general prejudice of their people.
On the 12th of June 1701 was pafled the ever-memorable a61: of the
Englifh parliament [12 Gul. Ill, c. 2] for the farther limitation of the
crown, and better fecuring the rights and liberties of the fubjed ; where-
by the proteftant fuccefiion in the illuftrious houfe of Hanover, now on
the throne, was moft happily eftablifhed.
On the i6th of September [N. S.] in this fame year, 1701, King
James II died at St. Germain in France ; and thereupon the French
king having declared his fon king of the Britifh realms, Lord Manchef-
ter, the Englifh ambafllidor, was inftantly recalled from France, and the
French ambaffador was ordered forthwith to depart the realm. Both
A. D. 1701. 71Q
fides therefor prepared for war, though not formally declared till after
King William's death.
The great eledor of Brandenburgh and duke of Pruflia, (Frederick
William) for his fervices and attachment to the common interefts of
the German empire, and of the grand alliance juft formed againft France,
the common enemy of the liberties of Europe, was, by the interert; of
his kinfman King W^iUiam of England, recognized by moft of the princes
and ftates in Europe as king of Pruflia in this year 1701 ; his large do-
minions and revenues very well fuiting the high dignity he now af-
fumed.
From a monthly Political ftate of Great Britain for November 1721 ,
we have the value of all the merchandize imported from, and exported
to, the following countries of the north, from michaelmas 1697, after
the peace of Ryfwick, to chriftmas 1701, being yearly upon an average
as follows, viz.
Imported from Exported to Annual lofs.
Denmark and Norway, L76,2r5 L39,543 L36,672
Eaft country, 181,296 149,893 S^A^^S
Ruflia, 112,252 58,884 53,368
Sweden, 212,094 57-555 i54,539
Total annual lofs to England on an average, L275,982 *
On the 7th of September 1701, the grand alliance of the emperor
Leopold, William king of Great Britain, and the ftates-general of the
United Netherlands, was concluded againft France, for recovering the
Spanifh monarchy to the houfe of Auftria, and for the fecurity of Eng-
land and Holland, and of the Hanover fucceflion to the crown of Great
Britain, as well as for a ikfe barrier to the United Netherlands : and
thus all things were prepared for war prior to the death of King Wil-
liam f.
1702. — King William died on the 8 th of March .(new ftile) 1702, and
* This aecount will in fome meafiire be con-
firmed by comparing it with another from the fame
author in the year 1716. yi.
f From the returns to the circular letters of the
commiiTioners of the cuftoms it appears, that in
January 1701-2 there belonged to all the ports of
England 32S1 vtlfcis, meafuring (or rather cili- None of the other ports had ico veflcls ; but
mated at) 261,222 tons, and carrying 27,196 men Newcaftle had 63 vcffcls meafuring ii.oco tons,
and 5660 guns. Of thefe there belonged to and Ipfwich had 39 meafuring 11,170, being on
an average 271 tons, if, indeed, there be no mif-
take in the number. Of the Hull velftls 80 were
at this time laid up, which accounts for the fmall
number of men in that port. It is worth while to
obferve that X.\\e Jijly'ing town of Yarmouth was thej
third in England in the number of veflcls. M..
Veffels.
Tons.
Men.
Hull,
115
7.56+
187
AVhitby,
no
8,292
57'
Liverpool,
IC2
8,619
1,101
Scarburgh,
100
6,863
606
Veffels.
Tons.
Men.
London,
560
84,882
10,065
Briftol,
165
i7.3.<8
2.359
Yarmouth,
- 143
9'9i4
668
E.xetcr,
121
7iic7
978
720 A. D, 1702.
was fucceeded by his fifter-in-law Anne, the daughter of the abdicated
king.
D'Avenant [in his ^Jfay on loans, 1700] obferves, that, ' when upon
the revolution the parUament fell moft willingly into the war, as a
thing the enemy, by efpoufing King James's interefl, made abfolute-
ly neceflary, the firft branch of our expenfe was carried on in the
common road of levying taxes, and the money required for every
year's expenfe was railed and paid within the year. The nation was
rich, trade prodigioully great, paper-credit ran high, and the gold-
fmiths in Lombard ftreet, &c. commanded immenfe fums. Antici-
pations were indeed in pradice ; they had been fo of old ; and bor-
rowing claufes were added to the bills of aid ; but thefe lafted but a
few months : the money came in of courfe, and they were paid off in
their turn. Land-taxes, polls, additional duties of cufloms, excifes,
and the like, were the ways and means by which thefe things were
done. The year generally fupported its own demands. All the loans
were fuppofed to be temporary, and to end with the collection.'
Happy had it been for pofterity had minifters gone on to King Wil-
liam's death in the manner thus defcribed in the former part of his
reign ; or had Queen Anne's minifters refolutely determined that King
William's debt, which was above fourteen millions, fhould on no pre-
tence be increafed, the nation could with great eafe have born fo mo-
derate a burden. But the minifters of every fucceeding reign going on
to accumulate the public burdens, is truely a very fad profpeft, and moil
grievoufly affeds the commerce, manufadures, and navigation, of the
nation, and alfo the landed interefl; which melancholy conli deration
will, we hope, fufBciently juflify our prefent brief animadverfion there-
on.
On the 4th of May Queen Anne declared war againfl the French
king, not only on account of his feizing on the Spanifh monarchy, as
before mentioned, but ' for the great affront and indignity' (fays the
queen) * offered to us and our kingdoms, in taking upon him to de-
' clare the pretended prince of Wales king of our realms.'
The flates-general's declaration of war fets forth, in fubflance, that
Louis had long lince cafl his eyes on their provinces, and had twice at-
tacked their republic (i. e. in the years 1672 and 168S) by moll unjufl
war, in order to make his way to univerfal monarchy. That fo far was
he from defigning to obferve the treaty of Ryiwick, that he thereby
folely aimed at lulling the allies afleep, and particularly to ruin the
commerce of the Dutch ; fince that treaty was fcarcely ratified, before
he began manifeflly to encroach on their trade, which is the great finew
of their flate, by openly refufmg the tarif promiled by that treaty.
This year an attempt was made by the Englifh from Carolina againfl
St. Augufline, the capital of Spanifh Florida ; but though they took
A. D. 1702. ^21
and held the town for a whole month, they were not able to take the
caftle for want of mortars (which they ought to have duely confidered
beforehand) ; they were therefor forced to withdraw on the arrival of
two Spanifh men of war, and to abandon their fhips, ammunition, &c.
to the enemy.
The land-proprietors of Eaft and Well: New-Jerfey in Englifli Ame- '
rica, who had purchafed of the firfl proprietors, not readily finding pur-
chafers of under-fhares thereof, and being likewife at variance amongft
themfelves, they agreed to furrender into Queen Anne's hands both the
charters for thofe two governments, referving their particular rights and
properties of the lands and iettlements therein ; whereupon the queen
confolidated the two provinces into one, and appointed Lord Cornbury
to be the firil royal governor. This colony of New-Jerfey has fince
profpered very well, and has been extremely ufeful in fupplying our fu-
gar colonies with provifions, lumber, &c. Its two beft towns are Bur-
lington and EUzabeth-town ; but that of Perth- Amboy is reckoned to
have the befl harbour, and to be mofh commodious in point of fitua-
tion.
We have feen under the preceding year the indifpenfible neceffity
there was for uniting the old and the new Englifli Eaft-India compa-
nies, even if it had been for no other reafon but for the fake of the
public tranquillity. This coalition was made on the 2 2d of July 1702,
by an indenture tripartite between the queen and the two companies,
in fubilance as follows, viz.
Stock.
The old company, being pofTefled (in the late fubfcription)
of - - - - - - L3i5,ooo
And the new company of _ _ _ 1,662,000
And the feparate traders (now difcovered to amount to the
fum) of - - - - - 23,000
Making in all the fubfcription for - - L2, 000,000
I) It was now agreed by both companies, that the old company fliould
purchafe of the new one at par L673,500 of their Hock, whereby their
whole flock will be • - - - L988,50o
Leaving the like fum for the new company, viz. - 988,500
And the feparate traders, as above, have - - 23,000
L2,000,000
JI) That the whole trade to India fliould be carried on for the faid
two united flocks for feven years, for the benefit of all the members of
the new or Englifli company ; the faid old company to have a right and
Vol. II. 4 Y
722 A. D. 1702.
power, equal to all the reft of the members, in the management of the
trade during the laid feven years, but to keep their Hock in their poli-
tic or corporate capacity for tlie faid term, without transferring it to
their particular members.
III) Ti;e old company's dead ftock (viz. forts, fiftories, buildings,
&c.) being valued at L33o,ooo, and that of the new company but at
L7o,ooo, the new one (hall therefor pay Li 50,000 to the old one, to
make up L200,ooo for their moiety of the whole dead ftock, being
now L400,G00, intended to be a new additional ftock on the joint bot-
tom.
IV) But the old company, during the faid feven years, ftiall have the
ufe of their dead ftock at home, (i. e. their office and warehoufes in
Leadenhall ftreet, &c.) which Ihall then go to the united one, compre-
hending the proprietors of both companies.
V) During the faid feven years (from the date hereof) each com-
pany fhall hold their diftindl courts * ; ftiall have diftin6t courts of di-
redors : may raife money two ways, viz. either for their refpedive
moieties of the united trade, or to tranfact their own feparate affairs,
(fucli as paying their own feparate debts, Sec."); but debts contracted
for the joint trade Ihall be difcharged out of the united company's
ft&ck.
\'i and VII) Both companies ftiall forthwith bring home their fepa-
rate ellate, dividing the fame amongft their refpedive members ; after
which, neither company ftiall fend out any fhips, goods, &c. on their fe-
parate account, but all fliall be on the joint account, by fuch orders as
fhall be made by the general courts of both companies, in the name of
the Englifh company trading to the Eaft-Indies, by diredion of twelve
diredors out of each company, fubordinate to both the general courts.
VITl and IX) Both companies fliall bear an equal proportion of the
united trade, and the members of each may transfer their nominal
ftocks in the books of their refpedive company, but fo as the old com-
pany fliall keep their moiety of ftock entire in their corporate capacity
for the faid feven years.
X) Both companies covenant with her majefty that the joint account
fliall export annually to India, of the growth, produd, or manufadure,
of England, at leaft one tenth part of the whole fum they fhall trade
for ; an account whereof ftiall be annually delivered to the privy coun-
cil ; hereby releafing both companies from all former covenants, falt-
petre excepted : of which merchandize they ftiall be obliged to deliver
to the office of ordnance 4947 tons, at L45 per ton in time of peace,
and at L53 in time of war; the retradion thereof fettled at 15 per
cent.
' XII) The queen agrees to take the company's fealed bonds for all
* The new company's office was at Skinners hall on Dow,Tate hill. A.
A. D. 1702. 723
die cuftoms on their merchandize, the 15 per cent on muflins only
excepted.
' XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI) Nothing to be tranfaded in the joint
trade without the concurrence of both companies : and only fervants
and free merchants, or other corporations, the bank of England ex-
cepted, may be licenced to trade for themlelvcs in the company's
fliips, &c.
' XVII) The queen grants that the general courts of both compa-
nies and their fub-managers fliall have the fole government of their
torts : may coin foreign money in India ; and the old company may
convey to the new one Bombay and St. Helena.
' XVIII, XIX, XX) The old company, at or near the expiration of
the faid feven years, fliall transfer into the new company their moiety
of the joint flock to their refpective members. And iliuU alfo, fome
time before the expiration, afllgn to her majefty all the debts due to
them ; which debts (he engages to re-affign, in ten days after, to truf-
tees, for anfwering the old company's debts, and afterwards for the
benefit of their members. And they alfo covenant to refign their
charter, in two months after the expiration of the faid feven years,
into the queen's hands : whereupon the new company Ihall thence-
forward be called The united company of merchants of England trad-
ing to the Eajl-Indies ; whofe affairs fhall thenceforth be conduced
by their own fole diredors, agreeable to their charter of the loth of
King William. And laflly, the queen promifes that this indenture
fhall be conftrued in the mofl fltvourable fenfe for the advantage of
both companies *.
Thus a prudent flop was put to much contention.
Upon advice received by General Coddrington, governor of the Lee-
ward iflands, that war was declared by England againft France, he at-
tacked the French part of the ifland of St. Chriftophers, and reduced it
with very little trouble ; ever fince which time that fine ifland has been
folely poflefied by Great Britain.
Poflibly the origin of the prefent great production of the fine rice of
South-Carolina might have happened about this time. What the ano-
nymous author of the Importance of the Britifh plantations in America
(London 1701) has faid thereon is well worth recording, though he has
not given us the exact year of its origin. It is a feafonable lefFon for
men never to defpair of many more new productions in our colonies,
and is therefor lubmitted to the honourable fociety for the encourage-
ment of arts, manufadures, and commerce. ' A brigantine' (fays that
author) ' from the ifle of Madagafcar happened to put in at Carolina,
* having a little feed-rice left, which the captain gave to a gentlemai.
* The remaioiiig articles are merely temporary. ^.
4 Y 2
724 A. D. 1702.
' of the name of AVoodward. From part of this he had a very good'
* crop, but was ignorant for fome years how to clean it. It was foon
* difperfed over the province, and by frequent experiments and obfer-
* vations they found out ways of producing and manufacturing it to fo
' great perfedion, that it is thought to exceed any other in value. The
* writer of this hath feen the faid captain in Carohna, where he receiv-
* ed a handfome gratuity from the gentlemen of that country, in ac-
' knowlegement of the fervice he had done the province. It is like-
' wife reported, that Mr. Dubois, then treafurer of the Eaft-India com-
' pany, did fend to that country a fmall bag of feed-rice fome fliort
* time after, from whence it is reafonable enough to fuppofe might
' come thofe two forts of that commodity ; the one called red rice, in
' contradiftindion to the white, from the rednefs of the inner hufk or
* rind of this fort, although they both clean and become white alike.'
Before this important new produdion, Carolina was not a little-
puzzled to fupply the mother-country with merchandize fufficient to
pay for all the necelTaries conftantly wanted from England. That fine
grain, we fhall fee, has fince been exported in immenfe quantities, as
have alfo been the pitch, tar, turpentine, &c. of Carolina, in no incon-
liderable quantities and value.
1703 — The neceflity which all maritime trading nations lie under
of being fupplied with naval flores, and more efpecially England's very
great need thereof, as well for the royal navy as for her numerous mer-
cantile Ihipping, has often put it in the power of the northern crowns
to diftrefs fuch nations as had none of their own. This eminently ap-
peared in the year 1703 from the tar company of Sweden, who abfo-
lutely refufed to let the Englifli nation have any pitch or tar, although
ready money was always paid for it, unlefs England would permit it all
to be brought in Swedifli fhipping, and at their own price, and likewife
only in fuch quantities as that company fliould pleafe to permit. This
dilappointment (as the late ingenious Mr. Gee likewife obferves in his
T'rade and navigation of Great Britain confide.red, />. 82) ' put the govern-
' ment and parliament on the method of allowing bounties for raifing
' pitch, tar, hemp, flax, and fhip-timber, in our own North-American
' colonies; as particularly in Carolina, (the fouthernmofl parts of which
' lying near the latitude of Lower Egypt, and the northernmofl: nearly
' in thofe of Ancona and Bologna in Italy, in which parts the befl hemp
' and flax grow).' The firfl: ftatute of this kind was the ad: for encou-
raging the importation of naval fl:ores from her majefl:y's plantations in
America, judicioufly fetting forth, ' that as, under God, the wealth,
* fafety, and ftrength, of the kingdom, fo much depend on the royal
* navy and navigation thereof, and that the floras necefl^ary for the fame
' being hitherto brought in chiefly from foreign parts and by foreign
* ftiipping, at exorbitant and arbitrary rates, which might be provided
A. D. 1703, 725
in a more certain and beneficial manner from her majefly's planta-
tions in America, where the vafl tracts of land lying near the fea and
on navigable rivers may commodioufly affoi-d great quantities of all
forts of naval ftores, by due encouragement, wliich may likewife tend
to the farther employment and increafe of Englifh fliipping and fea-
men, and alfo of the trade and vent of the woollen and other manu-
factures and produdl in exchange for fuch naval ftores, now purchafed
of foreign countries for ready money : it was therefor now enacted,
that whoever ihall (in fliips and with lailors qualified as by the ads of
navigation) import from the Englifh plantations in America the un-
der-named naval ftores, fhall be entitled to the following bounties, viz.
For good and merchantable tar and pitch, per ton of 8 bar-
* rels, _ _ . - - L4 o o
■ rofin or turpentine, per ton, 300
hemp, water-rotted, bright and clean, per ton of 20
' cwt. - - - - - -600
t For all mafts, yards, and bowfprits, per ton, of 40 feet each
* ton, - - - - - - 100
' I . Frovifo, that for the particular benefit of the royal navy, the pre-
' emption or refufal of the faid naval ftores fliall be tendered to the com-
' millioners of her majefty's navy upon landing the fame ; and if with-
\in twenty days the navy board ftiall not bargain for the fame, then the '
* proprietors may difpofe of them to their beft advantage.
* 2. That none within the colonies of New-Hampftiire, Maflachufet's •
* bay, Rhode -ifland, and Providence-plantation, the Narraganfet-coun-
' try or King's-province, and Connecticut in New-England ; and in New-
* York, and New-Jerfey, ftiall prefume to cut, fell, or deftroy, any pitch-
' pine trees, or tar trees, not being within any inclofure, under the
* growth of twelve inches diameter, at three feet from the earth, on for-
' feiture of L5 for each offence. Nor, 3dly, fliall wilfully fet fire to
* any wood or foreft, in which are any fuch trees prepared for making
* pitch or tar, without firft giving notice to the owners thereof, or to a
* magiftrate, under the penalty of Lio.'
' This to be in force for nine years, from the ift of January, 1705,
old ftile.' [3, 4 ^Inn. c. 10.]
The good confequence of this feafonable law was foon after felt : and ■
the colonies, at this time import into England great quantities of mer-
chantable pitch and tar, fit for moft ufes in the navy, and which may in
time be probably brought to ferve for all ufes, fo as to render us ablblute-
ly independent on Sweden for thofe two moft neceflary articles. Of late al-
fo good hemp and flax are raifed in our colonies, where there are immenfc
quantities of excellent lands proper for raifing thofe commodities, Mr.
726 A. D. 1703.
Gee was of opinion, that Ruflia exported annually to Britain and othei'
nations hemp and flax to the value of one million fterling. How noble,
how rational, a profpect is this, of faving great fums annually paid to fo-
reign nations, who are frequently, too, in a very oppofite intereft to
Great Britain.
Upon this occafion there were computations laid before the govern-
ment of the following quantities of foreign pitch and tar, annually con-
fumed in Europe, viz.
By Britain and Ireland, annually about - - 1000 lafts
By Holland, as well for their home ule, as for what they
export to Spain, Portugal, and up the Mediterranean, 4000
By France, ______ - 500
By Hamburgh, Lubeck, and other German ports, - 500
In all, 6000 lafts
Of which four fifth parts confided of tar, and one fifth of pitch *.
By the act 8 Ann, c. 13, §. 30, the queen was empowered to apply
Li 0,000, out of the fupplies granted in that feffion of parliament, for
the fubfiftence and employment of a number of ilcilful people, and for
furnifliing fit utenfils and materials for eifedually carrying on the good
and profitable defigns of raifing fuch naval fl;ores from the growths and
produdts of the faid plantations.
By another act, 9 Ann, c. 17, a penalty of Lioo was inflided on any
perfon cutting down white, or other, pine trees, (not private property)
in thole plantations, of twenty-four inches diameter, or upwards, twelve
inches from the earth. And the queen's furveyor-general of her woods
in America was direded to mark all fuch trees as are fit for the navy
royal with a broad arrow, for the ufe of the public'
By another ad, 1 2 Ann, c. 9, the above ad was renewed, and the like
bounties are allowed for naval fl;ores brought from Scotland, though to
little or no benefit hitherto ; though it be true, as the ftatute remarks,
that there is in feveral parts of Scotland great fl;ore of pine and fir trees,
fit for mails, and for making pitch, tar, rofin, and other naval ftores.
But the ad itfelf alligns the true reafon, why they cannot be eafily or
cheaply brought to England, viz. becaufe the lands and woods which
may yield fuch naval fi;ores are moflly in parts mountainous and remote
from navigable rivers. This the York-buildings company experienced
to their cofl fome years after this time, the timber, they felled in fome
of thole woods at a great expenfe, being left to rot on the ground, the
carriage of it to the neareft places of navigation being found imprac-
* Tar and pitch are produced in Norway and in Sweden, whence the greateft quantity is brought;
:\nd alfo in RnfTia, whence it is (liipped at Archangel. A-
A. D. 1703. ■ 727
ticable * ; which will iM-obably ever be the cafe as to Scotland ; not-
withftanding the bounties allowed by that a61:, or any larger bounties to
be rcalbnably granted.
The czar of RuIIia, Peter the Great, having conquered from Sweden
the fine provinces of Livonia, higria, and Carel'a, now formed a grand
projetlfor opening a free comnnmication between Ruflia and the Baltic
lea : his great genius had difcovered, that the iflands near the mouth of
the river Neva, at the head of the Fmdland gulf, might be fo fortified
as to prove to Ruflia of equal benefit for war or for commerce : hence
fprung up the fort of Cronfiadt, now a commodious haven for his fliips
of war ; by which all (hips muft pafs : he alfo viewed the adjacent country
with fatisfadion, and, in fhort, determined to ereft anew metropolis and
emporium at the mouth of the Neva, from whence he might awe his
enemies of the north, and open a naval communication with the reft of
Europe, by a much ihortcr and fafer courfe than from Archangel. He
confidered aUb, that by ereding a royal city and port there, though in
the 60th degree of latitude, he fhould acquire a greater influence, by
means of his navy, both in the Baltic, and even in the Northern and
German oceans. He therefor brought thither labourers and artificers
from all parts of his vaft empire ; many thoufands of whom are faid to
have periflied through cold, hunger, anddiflempers, in that damp place,
which gave him little concern. Yet, in the end, he furmounted all ob-
ftacles ; and having, by his defpotic fway, obhged his nobility, mer^
chants, artizans, &c. to ered: and inhabit houfes in this new city; and,
encouraging many leafaring people and others from Livonia and other
parts, to fettle in it, he gave it the name of St. Peterihurgh ; and it
very foon became a large and populous city. It was objeded by the
people of Wologda, a city in 59 degrees of latitude, that, fl^ould their
handicrafts be removed from that city, where three German merchants
alone employed upwards of 25,000 perfons in dretfing hemp and flax
for the Archangel market, their provlfions at Peterflaurgh would come
much dearer, and fo they flaould lofe their trade ; yet the czar over-
ruled even this poiiit.
Mr. De Dieu, the Dutch refident with the czar in the year 1720, ac-
quaints his principals, that Peterft)urgh might then contain about
300,00c fouls; a thing fearcely credible to be effedted in thefe modern
times, and much more refembling the power of the antient oriental
monarchs than any modern potentate. There he eflablilhed his admi-
ralty, his mathematical fchools, his royal academies, founderies, &c, ■
His docks, powder-mills, paper-mills, &c. are at Cronfladt, where alfo
there is a good town built, and where he eftablilhed rope-walks, anchor-
fmiths, &c. At the faid new city of St. Peterihurgh he likewife efta-
* Could they not faw it into boards? Surely board; can be carried wlierevtr a man can walk; to fay
nothing of the facility of floating them, even by the fniallell llrcums when fwellcd by floods. M
728 'A. D. 1703.
blifhed manufadories of woollen, linen, 8cc. and every ufeful art for the
improvement of the trade and navigation, as well as the general know-
leo^e, of his people, obliging them alfo to fend their children thither
for that end. And, in confequence of thefe vaft fchemes, and of his pof-
fefTmg the fine port of Revel in Livonia, we have, fmce the building of
Peterfburgh, feen the new fpedacle of a Rulhan fleet triumphant in the
Baltic fea, obUging the fleets of their opponents there, to fhelter them-
felves under the cannon of their fortrefles. By the eretStion of this new
city the port of Archangel in the White fea, to which formerly there
ufually reforted yearly 100 or more fliips, Englifti, Dutch, French, Ham-
burghers, &c. is confiderably declined in its commerce, its former cuf-
toms having by fome been reckoned to amount to Li 00,000 fterling,
annually : Riga alfo, and Narva, will probably be more and more im-
paired in their commerce, if Peterfburgh continues to flourifli, as the
later is fo commodioufly (ituated for the tranfportation of Ruflian mer-
chandize, by the river Neva, and the great lakes Ladoga and Onega, as
well as by land carriage, to and from the interior parts of the Ruflian
empire ; from whence, and from Livonia, &c. that city is well fupplied
with whatever it has need of. The watery fituation of Peterfliurgh, and
the overflowings of the Neva, are the principal inconveniencies attend-
ing it.
Peter alfo ordered a canal to be made between the river Woronitz
and another fmall one falling into the great river Volga, whereby a com-
munication was to be opened between the later and the river Don, the
one falling into the Cafpian, and the other into the Black fea, under the
direction of Captain John Perry, an Englifliman, who likewife, by that
great prince's order, had partly executed a much greater work, being a
grand canal between the Volga and the Don, nearer the mouths of thofe
two huge rivers ; but the taking of Afoph from him by the Turks put
a flop to -that vaft defign.
The almoft unparalleled tempefl:, which happened in November 1703,
more efpecially round the fouthern coafls of Great Britain, was un-
doubtedly a great calamity, by the lofs of many fine Englifti fliips of war,
and a great number of merchant ftiips with their valuable cargoes, as
well as of many lives ; and was doubtlefs fome obftrudion to the in-
creafe of the natign's wealth : neverthelefs it appears by D'Avenant's *
report to the commiflioners of accounts in the year 171 2, that the ex-
ports of England in this fame year, to all parts of the world, amounted
to L6 ,644, 1 03 of which there was exported to Holland alone L2,4i 7,890,
being above one third of the whole f .
* D'Avenant was then iiifpeftor-general of the h'on exported, ought not to be Included in the ex-
cuftoms. A. ports, to fwell the total of a favourable balance by
+ SirCharlesWhitworth, from the infpeiTlor-ge- a fallacious flatenient, whereas it is in faft quite
nerals accounts. Hates the exports to Holland in the contrary, the payment of an unfavourable ba-
1703 at L2,405,599 : and wc mull remember that lance. M.
the fum of £473,750, the amount of coin and bul-
%
A. D. 1703. 729
In this fame year John Methvcn Efquire concluded, on the part of the
queen of Great Britain, a famous, though concife, treaty of commerce
with Peter king of Portugal, much to the benefit of both nations, viz.
Article I) ' The king of Portugal, on his part, flipulates, for himfelf
* and his fucceflbrs, to admit forever hereafter into Portugal the wool-
* len cloths, and the reft of the woollen manufadures of the Britons, as
* was accuftomed till they were prohibited by the laws ; neverthelefs,
' upon this condition :
II) ' That her royal majefty of Great Britain Ihall, in her own name
* and that of her fucceflors, be obliged for ever hereafter to admit the
* wines of the growth of Portugal into Britain ; fo that at no time,
* whether there fliall be peace or war between the kingdoms of Britain
* and France, any thing more fliall be demanded for thefe wines, by the
' name of cuftom or duty, or by whatfoever other title, directly or indi-
* redly, whether they fhall be imported into Great Britain, in pipes, or
* hogfheads, or other caflcs, than what fhall be demanded for the like quan-
' tity or meafure of French wines, deduding or abating one third part
* of the cuflom or duty. But if at any time this dedudion or abate-
' ment of cuftoms, which is to be made as aforefaid, ihall in any manner
' be attempted and prejudiced, it fliall be juft and lawful for his facred
' majefty of Portugal again to prohibit the woollen cloths and the reft of
' the Britifti woollen manufadures*.' [Dated at Liftjon, 27th Decem-
ber 1703.]
By this treaty, fiys Mr. King, the editor of the Britifti merchant, in
his dedication to Sir Paul Methven, the ion of the minifter who nego-
tiated it, ' we gain a greater balance from Portugal than from any
* other country whatever. By it alfo we have increafed our exports
* thither, from about L300,ooo yearly to near L 1,500,000.
It was by no means the intereft of Britain, during a war wuth France
and Spain, to ufe the wines of thofe countries, which, doubtlefs, could
have been imported by neutral fhips : and as Portugal's red wines were
therefor become in ibme fort the only kind we could then convenient-
ly and reafonably come at, this treaty was beneiicial to both countries,
though perhaps fomewhat exaggerated by the above author, efpecially
as Portugal has, in return for our taking fuch vaft quantities of their
wines, conftantly taken off a greater quantity of our manufadures, fo
as to occafion a confiderable yearly balance in our favour. And our
palates being long fince fo well reconciled to Portugal wine, the Por-
tuguefe, for our fupply, have turned great quantities of their lands into
vineyards.
The bullion exported from -England to Eaft-India in fix years, viz.
from 1698 to 1703, both years included, was infilver L3,i7i,404 .17:8,
»
Thefe are pretty nearly the very words of this famous treaty, as it is publiflied from a copy in the
bcoks of the board of trade, by Mr. Chahners in his CaHidion of treaties, V. '\\, p. 303, ed. 1790. M.
Vol. n. 4 Z
^^o A. D. 1703.
in gold Lt 28,229, total L3, 299,633 : 17:8; being on an average,
per annum L549,938 : 19 : 7j *.
1 704 By a law, made about the beginning of this year, for the public
regiftering of all deeds, conveyances, and wills, in any honours, manors,
lands, tenements, or hereditaments, within the weft riding of the coun-
ty of York, a memorial of all deeds and conveyances, and of all wills
and devifes in writing, whereby any honours, manors, &c. in the faid
weft riding, may be in any way affeded in law or equity, may, at the
eledion of the party or parties concerned, be regiftered, as is herein af-
ter direded. And that, after fuch regifter, every fubfequent deed or
conveyance of the honours, manors, &c. fo regiftered, or any part there-
of, ftiall be adjudged fraudulent and void, unlefs a memorial thereof
ftiall alio be regiftered ; and the like of wills, &c. The regifter's office
to be kept at Wakefield. This ad: not to extend to copy-hold eftates,
nor to leafes at rack-rent, nor to any leafe not exceeding 2 1 years.
The very good reafons afligned for this law, in its preamble, were,
that this weft riding is the principal place in the north for the cloth
manufadture : and that moft of the traders therein are freeholders, and
have frequent occafions to borrow money upon their eftates for manag-
ing their trade ; but, for want of a regifter, find it difiicult to give fe-
curity to the fatisfadion of the lenders, although the fecurity they ofter
be really good, by means whereof their trade is very much obftruded,
and many flimilies ruined. [2, 3 Arm. c. 4.]
What pity it is, that fuch a regifter could not be rendered pradicable
all over England, fince thereby undoubtedly many frauds might effec-
tually be prevented, and this too, without expofing gentlemen's cir-
cumftances farther than the nature of fuch regifters abfolutely require.
N. B. By an ad [5 Ann. c. 18] for enrolment of bargains and fales
in the weft riding, feveral additional provifions were made for enrolling
all bargains, fales, &c. needlefs herein to be particularized.
The former part of the year 1704 feemed at firft to portend much
hazard to the liberties and commerce of the greatcft part of Chriften-
dom : France was in adual pofl"eftion of the whole Spanifta monarchy ;
the German empire powerfully invaded on the fide of Bavaria by the
French, where, as well as in Italy, their fuperiority gave them great
* Along with the account given by Mr. Andcr- Total value at the prices of bullion rated by Da-
fon, I here lay before the reader the following of- venant Li, 366,730 : 5 :o.
ficial accounts. Agreeable to the account made up by Doftor
According to the account made up by the ac- Davcnant, inTpeftor-gcneral of the cuftoms, alfo
countatit of the EalVIndia company for the houfe for the houfe of commons, the Eail-India goods,
of commons, the bullion carried to India (partly re-exported from England in the four years from
from Cadiz) from 25th December 1698 to 231!! Chrillmas 1698 to Chriftmas 1702, amounted to
December 1703, being five years, was, L2,538,933 : 1 1 : \o\. If the re-exportation of
In filver, 5,160,225 ounces, the year 1703 was in the fame proportion, it was
at 5/ per ounce, - Ll, 290,056 5 o more than double the value of the bullion exported
In gold almoft 19,170 oun- by the company, and ftrongly fupports what is
ces at L4 per ounce, 76,680 o o urged by the advocates for the India trade. M.
A. D. 1704. 731
advantages, as did alfo an infurreftion in Hungary. All thefe appear-
ances were very melancholy conflderations in England, and theretur oc-
cafioned a great fall in the prices of the parliamentary funds and public
flocks. The bank of England therefor found themfclves obliged agam
to iflue their fealed bills for a large fum, bearing intereft, in order to
keep up their credit: and the Eaft-India company were obliged to create
a confiderable fum in their bonds, to enable them to fit out their fhips.
Yet, fuch is the fluduating ftate of things in time of war, two very
great pieces of good fortune happened to the allies before this year end-
ed, viz. the famous and mofl: complete vidory of the confederate army,
on the 13th of Auguft, at Blenheim or Hockftadt, over the French and
Bavarian army, on which, it may be truely faid, the fate and liberty of
Europe, as well as more particularly of Germany, in a great mealure
depended : and the taking of the mofl important fortrefs and port of
Gibraltar ; both which gave a mofl marvellous turn to public affairs
all over Europe, and particularly to England's hopes and public credit.
Gibraltar, having been confirmed to Great Britain by the peace of
Utrecht, has proved of very fignal advantage to us ; as it is not only a
bridle on mofl of the chriftian flates we may be at war with, a fure fta-
tion for our fhips of war, a fafe retreat in war for our merchant fhips,
a refrefhmg place for both, and a curb on the piratical flates of the op-
polite Barbary fhorcs ; in every view, therefor, highly meriting all the
expenfe we can beflow for preserving it in our pofTefnon. It was alfo
thought fo dangerous a thorn in the fide of Spain, that the French and
Spaniards formally befieged it in Oclober this fame year ; but it was
twice feafonably relieved: and the like happened again in the year 1727,
fince which its fortifications have been much improved *.
The flatute [15 Car. II] for the encouragement of trade, filled by
way of eminence the ad: of navigation, having enaded, that no mer-
chandize of any part of Europe fhall be imported into any part of Afia,
Africa, or America, belonging to his majefly, but what fliall be carried
from England, except as is therein excepted ; an ad of this year^ [3, 4
yJun. c. 8] lb far repeals the fame, as to permit the exportation of Irifh
linen cloth to the Englifh plantations. Its preamble fets forth, that for
as much as the proteftant interefl: in Ireland ought to be fupported by
giving the utmofl encouragement to the linen manufadures of that
* To Mr. Anderfon's opinion of the immenfe ' houfe of Bourbon in a much (Irldler and more
bencjit of Gibraltar, it may not be amifr. to contrail; ' permanent alliance than the ties of blood could
that of Dr. Adam Smith, who, fpeaking of it and ' ever liave united them.' llr.quiry into the -weallb
Minorca, fays, • I would not, however, be under- of nations, V. iii, p. 122, ed. 1793. J Whatever
' ftood to infmuate, that either of tliofe t-xpenfive may be the value ol Gibraltar in a political view,
' garrifons was ever, even in the fmalleil degree, which I do not pretend to appretiate, there cannot
« neceffary for the purpofc for wiiich tliey were be a (liadow of a doubt, that the retention of it
' originally difmembcred from the Spani(h mo- muft be hurtful to the fading intereft of Great
' narchy. That difmembermcnt, perhaps, never Britain (notwilhftanding the pretended fecret ad-
' fcrved any other real purpofc than to alienate vantages) e.xa<ftly in the fame manner, that a quar-
' from England her natural ally the king of Spain, rel with a very good cuftomer is hurtful to a fliop-
' and to unite the two principal branches of the k<:e-geT, fi licsat nw^n'u componcre parva. M.
4 4^2
732 A. D. 1704.
kingdom, Irifh linen therefor might thenceforward be exported from
any port of Ireland diredly to any of the Englifli plantations, in Eng-
lifh-built {hipping, navigated according to law. The linen manufadure
of Ireland was then, and in a great meafure flill is, principally carried
on in the province of Ulfler and parts adjacent, where the proteftants
are by ftr the majority of the people ; but in mofl: other parts of that
kingdom it is well known to be otherwife.
For the encouragement of trade, a flatute was made, [3, 4 Jiui. c. 9]
whereby promiflbry notes were enaded to be aflignable by indovfe-
ment ; and actions might be maintained thereon, in like fort as was
enaded on inland bills of exchange in the year 1698. And whereas in
the ad of 1698 no provifion was made for protefting inland bills of ex-
change, in cafe the party on whom fuch inland bill fliall be drawn (hall
refufe to accept the fame, it was now enaded, that if hereafter, upon,
prefenting any fuch bill, the party on whom it fhall be drawn fliall re-
fufe to accept the fame by underwriting it under his hand, the perfon
to whom the faid bill is made payable, or his fervant, agent, or afligns,
may, and fliall, caufe the fud bill to be protefted for non-acceptance, as
was by the faid law of 1698 to be done, when due, for non-payment,
and as is the cafe of foreign bills of exchange. Yet no fuch protefl fliall
be neceflTary for non-payment of fuch inland bill of exchange, unlefs
drawn for L20 or upwards ; and alfo that the protefl for non-accept-
ance fliall be made by fuch perfons as are appointed by the faid ad of
1698 (i. e. a notary-public, or &c. as already therein recited) to protefl
inland bills for non-payment. Alfo, that if any perfon doth accept
(i. e. receive and take) any fuch bill of exchange for, and in fatisfadion
of, any former debt, the fame fliall be accounted and efleemed a full
and complete payment of fuch debt, though the receiver of it doth not
take his due courfe to obtain payment thereof, by endeavouring to get
the fame accepted and paid, or elfe byprotefting, as aforefaid, either for
non-acceptance or non-payment thereof. Laftly, nothing in this ad
fliall difcharge any remedy which any perfon may have againft the
drawer, accepter, or indorfer, of fucli bill.
It is fomewhat flrange, that two fuch falutary and important regula-
tions as this law has made in promiflbry notes and inland bills of ex-
change, were not fooner enaded in a country of fuch confiderable mer-
cantile tranladions as England has long been. But to fay the truth,
what many have remarked of our national flownefs in reforming abufes
and defeds feems but too well grounded.
This law was made perpetual by an ad 7 ^nn. c. 25.
Queen Anne this year granted a charter of incorporation to Thomas
duke of Leeds, Pawlet earl of Bolingbroke, Francis lord Guildford, Sir
Thomas and Sir Humphry Mackworths, and other gentlemen, ' for
' working and managing mines and minerals, and fnielting, refining,
' and manufaduring, the fame ; to be forever a body-politic, by the
A. D. 1704. 735
* name of the governor and company of the mme-adventurers of Eng-
' land ; the duke of Leeds to be governor for life ; and a deputy-go-
' vernor and twelve direftors, to be eledled by their general courts, who
' are alfo empowered to make bye laws, &c. as cuftomary in other royal
charters. Hereupon, in the fame year, Sir Humphry Mackworth and
William Waller, who had before purchafed fundry leafes, for terms
of years, of certain mines in different parts of Wales, conveyed them to
this new corporation, on certain conditions mentioned in that convey-
ance. The company, principally, if not folely, under Sir Humphry
Mackworth's direcT:ion, (who was elected deputy-governor for life) went
on in a pompous manner, adding fo many newfhares as made the whole
number amount to 6012 ; purchaling frefli mines, and railing vaft
quantities of lead, copper, and litharge, from which they made a great
deal of red lead ; and from the lead they extraded confiderable quanti-
ties of filver ; and they ilTued calh notes, which they caufed for fome
time to be circulated throughout a great part of Wales. They alfo
ereded themfelvcs into a money bank, and circulated their fealed bills
and cafli notes for fome time in London, till reftrained by a claufe in
an adl of parliament, of the year 1708, in favour of the bank of Eng-
land. Sir Humphry Mackworth went on impofing on the proprietors,
for five years from the date of the charter, by falfe and fliam calcula-
tions of their profits ; by purchafing lead and litharge from other peo-
ple's mines, and declaring them to be digged from the company's mines;
buying alfo the filver extradted from other men's lead, and getting it to
be coined in the king's mint, as coming from the company's mines,
while, at the fame time, he was not able to go on without frefh artifices
and calls on the proprietors, nor to pay the vafi; expenfe of workmen,
&c. whole wages were fuffered to run in arrear ; and his fchemes being
too extenfive for the company's abilities, he was obliged to flop pay-
ment of their fealed bills and cafli notes, being by fuch wild manage-
ment run greatly in debt, wliilc, at the fame time, he was creeling cha-
rity fchools in Wales witli. the company's money, to draw in well-
meaning people.
1705 The French burnt and defiroyed many of the plantations in
the ifland of St. Chriftopheis, at this time folely pofiefled by England,
as alfo the neighbouring ifland of Nevis, yet they were not able to
take the forts of either of thofe iflands. The damage done to the
planters was afterward made good by debentures granted by parlia-
ment.
The Englilli arms proving profperous both by fea and land againfi
France, the fupplies were raifed with the greatefi: eafe for the current
fervices of this and I'everal fucceeding years ; particularly the annuities
of 99 years at 6~ per cent, the capital, or principal, of 27 millions for
the enfuing year's fupply, to be funk at the expiration of that term.
This way of raifing money, we are fenfible, has fince been cenfured by-
734 A. D. 1705.
many, (though refumed during the lafl and preient expenfive wars) :
yet contemporary writers were not of that opinion, and they alfo una-
nimoufly obferve very truely, that the national or pubUc credit of Eng-
land was never before at fo high a pitch, nor more facredly maintained.
Nothing indeed feemed amifs, either with regard to our foreign com-
merce, or colonies, both which were in a profperoufly-increafing ftate,
as well as our home manufadures.
1-706 The parliament enaded, that, after midfummer 1 706, any
bankrupt who fhould not, within thirty days after public notice, fur-
render himfelf, and difcover his effects, fhould fufFer as a felon, unlefs
the lord-chancellor fhould enlarge the time. Five per cent was allowed
to the bankrupt, unlefs his eflate fhould not produce 8/ per pound to
his creditors. Bankrupts who have, within one year preceding their
bankruptcy, lofl L5 at once at any kind of game, or Lioo in all, re-
ceive no benefit by this aft. And thofe not difcovering all their eftates
were to fuffer as felons, without the benefit of clergy. [4 Ann. c 17.]
The moft important tranfadion that ever happened in Great Britain
was finally and legally completed at the clofe of the year 1706, viz. a
confoiidating union of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland, 104
years after their crowns had been united in the perfon of King James I.
This great and happy union had been feveral times before attempt-
ed in different reigns, but had been as often obflruded by various ob-
jedions flarted, and not ferioufly and fteadily combated. Nothing cer-
tainly could be more obvious, than that it was the true interefl; of two
nations lolely inhabiting and poffefling the fame ifland, perfedly to
unite for their common defence agamft all attacks from the continent ;
for, by fuch a clofe union of hearts, as well as conflitution, a people fo
fituated, and fo warlike, and fo numerous, as to amount to about nine
millions of fouls, couM be always able to defend themfelves againft any
foreign attacks ; but, remaining disjointed, they had their different, and
often contrary, interefls to purfue, not only in matters of trade and
commerce, produc"t, and manufa(ftures,but even in friendfhip and affec-
tion, with regard to different nations on the continent. Religion, or
rather the mere external mode of it, alfo contributed its fhare in keep-
ing up the difference ; and what had, perhaps, the greatefl mfluence of
all, antienc, ill-judged, national prejudices on both fides ilill rem.ained
too ff rong to be ealily conquered. Finally, the great hereditary officers
of the fmaller kingdom, and the poffeffors of many other lucrative Hate
officcb there, which mufl neceffarily be funk upon fuch an incorporat-
ing union with England, had no fmall influence in obftruding it. But
an able minltry n both nations, more elpecially in England, joined to
a more moderate way of thinking than formerly, of many wife men in
both parliaments, among the commiilioners for this folemn treaty, at
length got the better of all obflrudions. And, as preparatory laws
were made in both kingdoms, the parUamenc of Scotland having firfl
A. D. 1706. 735
agreed to the articles, they were finally ratified by a moll folemn adl of
the Englifh parliament, [5 yi?iti. c, 8] intitled, an Adt for an union of
the two kingdoms of England and Scotland. The articles are 25 in
number ; but, as it is foreign to our fubjed, and alfo fuperfluous, to re-
cite what is to be found in all our hiftories at large, it will be fufficient
for our particular purpofe briefly to note, that by the 4th article it was
enacted, that all the fubjecfts of the imited kingdom of Great Britain
fhould, from and after the union, have full freedom and intercourfe of
trade and navigation to and from any port or place within the laid
united kingdom, and the dominions and plantations thereunto belong-
ing : and that there fliould be a communication of all other rights, pri-
vileges, and advantages, which do, or may, belong to the fubjeds of
either kingdom, except where it is otherwife exprefsly agreed in thefe
articles.
By the 15th article it was flipulated, ' that whereas, by the terms of
' this treaty, the fubjedls of Scotland, for preferving an equality of trade
' throughout the united kingdom, will be liable to feveral cuftoms and
' excifes now payable in England, which will be applicable towards
* payment of the debts of England contraded before the union, it is
' agreed, that Scotland fhall have an equivalent for what the fubjeds
' thereof fhall be fo charged towards payment of the faid debts of Eng-
' land ;' which equivalent is herein flipulated to be L398,o85 : 10 fler-
ling, to be granted by the parliament of England, and to be applied,
I fl, for indemnifying private perfons for any lolTes they may fuftain
by reducing the coin of Scotland to the flandard and value of the coin
of England ; 2dly, for indemnifying the fufferers in the late African,
and Indian company of Scotland * ; sdly, for difcharging the public
debts of Scotland ; 4thly, for improving the manufadure of the coarfe.
wool of Scotland; and, 5thly, for encouraging and promoting the
fiflieries, and fuch other manufadures and improvements in Scotland
as may be moft conducive to the general good of the united kingdom ;
for which ends commiflloners were to be appointed, &c. ; for which end
alfo, the laws of England, relating to coin, and weights and meafures,
as well as concerning the regulation of trade, cufloms, and excifes, were,,
by the three fucceeding articles, to take place in Scotland. This is the
fubftance of all the articles that immediately relate to our fubjed.
But before we treat of the adual commencement of this union, which
was not till the fucceeding year, we muft, in order of time, remark,
that by an ad of the Englifh parliament, [5 yf««. c. 13] for continuing,
the duties upon houfes, to fecure a yearly fund for circulating exche-
quer bills, whereby a fum not exceeding L 1,500,000 was intended to
be raifed, &c. the bank of England's fund and privileges, which had
* The Scots were fo generally enraged at the deftruAion of the Darien company, that nothing lefs
than a complete reimburfement of their capital, with intereft, could bring them to agree to the union.
/I.
73 6 A. D. 1706.
been limited to one year's notice aftei- the ifl of Auguft, 1705, were
farther prolonged, upon their now undertaking to circulate the exche-
quer bills at L4 : 10 per cent per annum. By this ad, therefor, the
bank was empowered to call in money from their members, to enable
them to circulate the exchequer bills, in proportion to their refpedive
flocks in that company ; whence there arofe another temporary addition
to their old capital, which had before been reduced to its original fum
of Li, 200, 000 by government gradually paying off the principal and
interefl of £5,160,459 : 14 : 9^, which had been fubfcribed into the
bank in taUies, orders, &c. as has been fully related under the year
1697. The temporary addition to bank flock was Li, 00 1,171 : 10,
which, with the Li, 200,000 original capital, made the whole now
amount to L2, 201, 171 : 10. And by this ad the bank was to remain
a corporation till the redemption of all the Li ,500,000 in exchequer
bills. This was the firfl time that the bank of England undertook the
circulation of exchequer bills, whereby they rendered themfelves fa-
vourites of the government ; and they have ever fince made agree-
ments with the public for that purpofe annually, on eafy or moderate
terms. This year the bank again iflued fealed bills for enabling them
to perform their contrads, at an intereft of 2d per cent per day, or
about three per cent per annum.
1707. — The mofl important, wife, and happy, incorporating union of
the kingdoms of England and Scotland took place on the i ft day of
May, 1707. And though the two rebellions fince that period were both
originally propagated from Scotland, through the violence of party zeal,
and of clanfhip and fuperiorities ; yet a peaceable, loyal, and induftrious
fpirit having fmce univerfally prevailed, the great benefits accruing to
both nations by this union do now dayly appear mo:e and more confpi-
cuous. From that country England has her American plantations very
much increafed in people : from Scotland likewife the navy and armies
have been fupplied with many thoufands of ftout and well-afFeded men,
as has very lately and very effedually been experienced. By an union
with Scotland flie has the more abfolute ufe of many good ports, of a
more extenfive fifhery, of a fupply of very good, though fmall, cattle,
and of fundry other benefits. Scotland, on the other hand, receives
ineftimable advantages by her incorporating union with England, ift,
by gradually and very vifibly enriching herfelf from a participation of
commerce with England's foreign plantations, fadories, &c, adly. By
her union with England, fhe gradually learns the melioration of her
foil, which in many parts is now known to be much more capable of
improvement than was formerly imagined, sdly. By this union,
Scotland's coarfe woollen fluffs and ftockings, and her more valuable
linen manufadures, now of many various, beautiful, and ingenious
kinds, have a prodigious vent, not only in England, but for the Ame-
rican plantations, as well as the confumption of fo many of her black
A. D. 1707. 737
cattle in England, and of her peltry, &c. And great pity it truely may
be faid to be, that two nations, fprung from the fame original flock,
fpeaking the fame language, eifentially profelling the fame religion, and
whom nature feems to have defigned for one, by being feparated by
the great ocean from the reft of mankind, fliould not have fooner pur-
fued their true and evident mutual interefls, and thereby have much
fooner increafed in wealth, fecurity, and power. If, upon the death of
King Alexander III, and of his grand-daughter ftiled the maid of Nor-
way, Scotland had voluntarily united itfelf to England, (about 500
years ago) how much more populous, powerful, and rich, would both
parts of the ifland have been at this time, freed from much of the
cruel bloodlhed and devaftations occalioned by their many wars fince
that period.
Confidering the much fewer people and the greater poverty of Scot-
land, compared with England, it may not be improper to remark the
quantity of gold and filver coin of all forts, which, in confequence of
this union, was brought into the mint at Edinburgh to be recoined in-
to the pieces and denominations of fterling money, and of coin not
then brought in. We have it from the accurate Ruddiman, in p. 84, of
his moft curious and learned preface to Anderfon's Thcfaurus diphmatum
et nimifmatinn Scotia ; being no lefs than L41 1,117:10:9 fterling, ac-
tually then brought to that mint : befides, perhaps, as much more
hoarded up by the whimfical, difaffeded, and timorous, who were
ftrongly prepoflefled againft the union, and were far from believing it
could laft any long time : befides, alfo, what was then exported, and
what was retained by filverfmiths for plate, &c. So that our author was
of opinion, that there was then in gold and filver coin about L900,ooo
fterling in Scotland *.
The ad of parliament [13, 14 Car. II] prohibiting the importation
* It will be doubtkfs agreeable to the reader to fee the amount of the commercial intercourfc by
water carriage between England and Scotland, when they were feparate kingdoms. The following is
a ftatement of it from the commencement of the infpeaor-general's accounts till the union.
England received from Scotland
merchandize to the value of
1697
L 91,302
16
10
1698
i24,Sj5
I
II
1699
86,309
>9
I
1700
130,087
9
ID
I70I
73,988
18
It
1702
71,428
18
I I
1703
76,448
8
3
1704.
54.379
16
8
1705
57>90J
12
0
1706
50,309
0
10
1707
6,733
I
8
■general s accounts till
the
union.
Scotland received from
England
merchandize to the value of
L73,203
6
0
5S.043
17
9
66,303
15
8
85,194
1
3
36,802
2
2
58,688
2
2
57.338
'5
5
87.53<5
9
8
50.035
13
2
60,313
3
7
17.779
0
I
Of the o-oods carried by land then, as now, there could be no account. Though no cuftom-lioufc
account is'now kept of the amount of the trade between the two Britilh kingdoms, it may be prc-
fumed to be now a pound for every fliiUing it was before the union. Mr. Knox (1 know not upon
what authority or calculation) has ftated the value of goods received by Scotland from England in the
year 1775 at L2,i5CO,oco. IHiiv of the Br'ii'Jh empire, p- 93-] M-
Vol. IL 5 A
738 A. D. 1707.
of foreign bone-lace, cut-work, embroidery-fringes, band-ftrings, but-
tons, and needle-work, being found to obftrud the vent of Englifli
woollen manufadures in the Spanifh Netherlands, was now repealed,
as far as relates to that country. [5 jl?in. c. 17.]
By an ad [5 Ann. c. 22] to explain and amend an ad of the lafl;
feflions of parliament, for preventing frauds frequently committed by
bankrupts, it was enaded, ' that bankrupts who fhould, after the 25th
' of April 1707, remove, carry away, or embezzle, any part of their
' effeds, fliould fufter as felons. A bankrupt fliould not be difcharged,
' unleis his certificate were figned by four fifths in number and value
' of his creditors. Commiflioners of bankrupts might appoint ailig-
' nees, whom a majority? of the creditors might afterwards remove.
' No commiflion of bankruptcy fliould be iffued by the application of
' any creditor, unlefs his fingle debt amounted to Lioo, or of two ere-
' ditors, fo petitioning, to L150, or of three or more creditors to L200.
' This ad was to continue for two years, and from thence to the end of
' the next feflion of parliament, and no longer.'
By an ad [6 Ann. c. 2] for better fecuring the duty on Eaft-India
goods, the fecurity thereafter to be given, purfuant to the ad of the
(jth of King William, that the Eaft-India company fhould caufe all the
merchandize in any fhip from India to be brought to fome port of
England, without previoufly breaking bulk, was direded to be after
the rate of L2,50o for every 100 ton of each fliip fent to the Indies,
(necefi^ary provifions, flores, and merchandize, for the people and gar-
riion of St. Helena, for their own proper confumption only, excepted)
and except alfo, where the breaking of bulk, or landing of goods,
fhould happen by the danger of the feas, enemies, refiraints of princes^
See, under penalty of forfeiting fuch goods or their value, &c.
For the advancement of our woollen manufidure, and for encourag-
ing the drefling and dying of woollen cloths before exportation, a duty
of 5/" was laid on every white woollen cloth exported. And it was alfo
enaded, that fuch white cloths, commonly called broad cloth, fliipped
before the duty be paid, flrould be forfeited, [6 Anii, f 8.J
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
printed by Mmdcll and San, Ldinhr^h . ^^v 1)
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
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